Located along the Chippewa and Fisher Rivers, Jean Brunet Woods features a northern mesic forest approaching old-growth status interspersed with ephemeral ponds. The forest is mostly hemlock-hardwoods with white oak, red oak, basswood, and paper birch. Large, red oak (some over 30 inches in diameter) dominate the majority of the forest with scattered pockets of hemlock, sugar maple, and ephemeral wetlands. Ironwood, musclewood, sugar maple, and red maple dominate the mid-story canopy with leatherwood also present. The ground layer is patchy but is rich and diverse as one travels north and east. Species include maidenhair fern, red baneberry, wild sarsaparilla, yellow bluebead lily, Canada bunchberry, both Hepatica species, shining club-moss, partridgeberry, naked miterwort, wood sorrel, round-leaved pyrola, bloodroot, nodding trillium, and American starflower. Forested ephemeral ponds support fowl manna grass, marsh marigold, cinnamon fern, and jewelweed. Notable birds include black-throated green warbler, hermit thrush, northern waterthrush, blackburnian warbler, mourning warbler, and scarlet tanager. The state-threatened red-shouldered hawk is also present. Jean Brunet Woods is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2010.