Helen Allison Savanna SNA

Overview
Photos
Slideshows
Videos
Sightings


	About

	Ownership


	Links
	Minnesota DNR The Nature Conservancy National Natural Landmark, Cedar Creek Natural History Area-Allison Savanna (National Park Service)

	Overview


	History


	Management


	Comments


	Location

	Maps


	Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates


	Size
	85 acres

	Parking
	N45 22.874, W93 9.799


	Driving Directions
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					Anoka County
					Metro Area


	Activities

	Hiking Trails
	There are no maintained trails. An old access road clear of trees and shrubs (in 2013) leads west from the parking area, along the south boundary of the SNA, to the open prairie on the western quarter of the site.

	Hunting
	No hunting


	Ecology

	Ecological Classification
	Ecological Province			Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province
	Ecological Section			Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal
	Ecological Subsection			Anoka Sand Plain
	Land Type Association			Anoka Lake Plain

	Native Plant Communities*
	Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern): Oak Subtype Oak - Aspen Woodland Sedge Meadow
	* Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources

	Natural Features

National Landmark

In 1975 Helen Allison Savanna was designated a National Natural Landmark.


	Visitor Photos

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	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

	Parking


	Wood Routed Sign


	TNC Sign on County Road 26


	Old Access Road


	Sedge Meadow




	Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern): Oak Subtype




	Wetland

Camera


	Slideshows


	Helen Allison SNA Brett Whaley

	About Located in Anoka County, Minnesota. Owned by The Nature Conservancy, leased and co-managed with the MNDNR.

slideshow


	Visitor Videos

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	Other Videos


	Helen Allison SNA minute and a half relaxation video Much Wilder Me

	About Aug 2, 2020 Helen Allison was called the "Grass Lady" because she wrote about the 180 different grasses in Minnesota. 180 ! There are no groomed trails, but you can walk around a bit. I walked in about 50 feet and it felt very relaxing. You can still hear road noise, but it felt very nice. It's a bit windy in the beginning of the video, so keep the sound low! The site includes "oak sand savanna, dry prairie with bur oak and pin oak, thickets of willow and aspen, and sedge marshes in scattered depressions. Trees and shrubs characteristic of a savanna are found here: pin oak, bur oak, American hazelnut, chokecherry, and quaking aspen. Other savanna species include lead plant, smooth sumac, slender willow, steeple bush, aster, and goldenrod. Look on the dunes for pioneer sand plants such as sea-beach needle grass and hairy panic grass. "... among others (quoted description from MN SNA website below) Helen Allison SNA Information: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/deta... General SNA Information: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/inde...



	The Nature Conservancy Get into Nature!

	About Uploaded on Oct 14, 2011 Cub Scouts visit the Conservancy's Helen Allison Savanna - a rare oak savanna and a great place for parents to take their kids to experience nature.

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings


Visits
6/19/2005		6/8/2013

Amphibians

boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)

Birds


Two bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:
Threatened
Special Concern	Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Minnesota DNR Bird checklist

eBird Field Checklist

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens)

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Fungi and Lichens


One fungi and lichen species with conservation status in Minnesota has been seen here:
Special Concern	Sandy Laccaria (Laccaria trullisata)

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fungi List

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Lichens List

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Insects and Arachnids

Minnesota Bee Atlas

autumn yellow-winged grasshopper (Arphia xanthoptera)

black cherry finger gall mite (Eriophyes cerasicrumena)

chalk-fronted corporal (Ladona julia)

clouded sulphur (Colias philodice)

dot-tailed whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)

four-spotted skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)

friendly fly (Sarcophaga aldrichi)

orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

plum finger gall mite (Eriophyes emarginatae)

pure green sweat bee (Augochlora pura)

red-winged grasshopper (Arphia pseudonietana)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

wood ant (Formica sp.)

Mammals

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Mammals List

plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Plants


Seven plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:
Endangered	tall nutrush (Scleria triglomerata) winter bentgrass (Agrostis hyemalis)
Threatened	Fuller’s bristly dewberry (Rubus fulleri) lance-leaved violet (Viola lanceolata ssp. lanceolata) seaside three-awn (Aristida tuberculosa) woolly beachheather (Hudsonia tomentosa)
Special Concern	rhombic evening primrose (Oenothera rhombipetala)