Helen Allison Savanna SNA

Overview
Photos
Slideshows
Videos
Observations



			Anoka County
			Metro Area

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Size

80 acres

Maps

Printable Maps with GPS coordinates

Parking

N45 22.874, W93 9.800

Hiking Trails

There are no maintained trails. An old access road clear of trees and shrubs 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

Ecological Classification

Province

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

Section

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

Subsection(s)

Anoka Sand Plain

Land Type Association(s)

Anoka Lake Plain

Native Plant Communities¹

Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern): Oak Subtype

Oak - Aspen Woodland

Sedge Meadow

Ownership

Links

Minnesota DNR

The Nature Conservancy

National Natural Landmark, Cedar Creek Natural History Area-Allison Savanna
(National Park Service)

Comments

This SNA is adjacent to the Cedar Creek Natural History Area.

In 1975 this site was designated a National Natural Landmark.

Visits

6/19/2005

6/8/2013


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

	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.

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Visitor Observations

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Observations


Amphibians	boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)

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

	Minnesota DNR Bird 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	Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Insects and Arachnids	autumn yellow-winged grasshopper (Arphia xanthoptera) black cherry finger gall mite (Eriophyes cerasicrumena) chokecherry finger gall mite (Eriophyes emarginatae) 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) pure green augochlora (Augochlora pura) red-winged grasshopper (Arphia pseudonietana) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) wood ant (Formica sp.)

Mammals	plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Plants	Six plant species with conservation status in Minnesota and one species on the watch list are found here:
	Endangered	tall nutrush (Scleria triglomerata) winter bentgrass (Agrostis hyemalis)

	Threatened	lance-leaved violet (Viola lanceolata ssp. lanceolata) seaside three-awn (Aristida tuberculosa) woolly beachheather (Hudsonia tomentosa)

	Special concern	rhombic evening primrose (Oenothera rhombipetala)

	Watch list	long-bearded hawkweed (Hieracium longipilum)

	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Plant List

	Plants frequently found in: Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern): Oak Subtype UPs14a2 Oak - Aspen Woodland FDc25b Sedge Meadow WMn82b

	Common Name Scientific Name alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa) alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) American hazel (Corylus americana) American hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa) American starflower (Lysimachia borealis) American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana) arrow-leaved violet (Viola sagittata var. sagittata) asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) Baltic rush (Juncus balticus var. littoralis) bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus) black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina) black walnut (Juglans nigra) Blue Ridge carrionflower (Smilax lasioneura) blunt-leaf grove sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) desert goosefoot (Chenopodium pratericola) early buttercup (Ranunculus fascicularis) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) field sagewort (Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) gray birch (Betula populifolia) Green’s rush (Juncus greenei) hairy puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense var. croceum) hairy rockcress (Arabis pycnocarpa var. pycnocarpa) heart-leaved golden alexanders (Zizia aptera) Hayden’s Sedge (Carex haydenii) hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens) Howell’s pussy-toes (Antennaria howellii ssp. neodioica) Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) inflated sedge (Carex vesicaria) kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) large-flowered beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) Lindley’s aster (Symphyotrichum ciliolatum) little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium) long-bearded hawkweed (Hieracium longipilum) meadow hawkweed (Hieracium caespitosum) nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) northern blue flag (Iris versicolor) northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus) prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) prairie groundsel (Packera plattensis) prairie rose (Rosa arkansana) prairie spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis var. occidentalis) prairie violet (Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida) prairie willow (Salix humilis) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) red maple (Acer rubrum var. rubrum) red sorrel (Rumex acetosella) red-seeded dandelion (Taraxacum erythrospermum) round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) royal fern (Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis) Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) silver maple (Acer saccharinum) slender beardtongue (Penstemon gracilis var. gracilis) smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum) smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida) tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris) tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya) white clover (Trifolium repens) white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana) wild grape (Vitis riparia) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius) Acer rubrum var. rubrum (red maple) Acer saccharinum (silver maple) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Ambrosia psilostachya (western ragweed) Amorpha canescens (leadplant) Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa (American hog peanut) Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone) Antennaria howellii ssp. neodioica (Howell’s pussy-toes) Antennaria neglecta (field pussytoes) Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp) Arabis pycnocarpa var. pycnocarpa (hairy rockcress) Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata (field sagewort) Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Asparagus officinalis (asparagus) Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum (northern lady fern) Betula populifolia (gray birch) Carex haydenii (Hayden’s Sedge) Carex vesicaria (inflated sedge) Chenopodium pratericola (desert goosefoot) Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata (bastard toadflax) Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis) Corylus americana (American hazel) Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort) Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil) Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive) Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush) Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane) Fallopia convolvulus (black bindweed) Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Hieracium caespitosum (meadow hawkweed) Hieracium longipilum (long-bearded hawkweed) Iris versicolor (northern blue flag) Juglans nigra (black walnut) Juncus balticus var. littoralis (Baltic rush) Juncus greenei (Green’s rush) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover) Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon) Lithospermum caroliniense var. croceum (hairy puccoon) Lysimachia borealis (American starflower) Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower) Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal) Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal) Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa) Moehringia lateriflora (blunt-leaf grove sandwort) Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern) Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (royal fern) Packera plattensis (prairie groundsel) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Penstemon gracilis var. gracilis (slender beardtongue) Penstemon grandiflorus (large-flowered beardtongue) Pinus strobus (eastern white pine) Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil) Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Quercus rubra (northern red oak) Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup) Ranunculus acris (tall buttercup) Ranunculus fascicularis (early buttercup) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Rhus glabra (smooth sumac) Rosa arkansana (prairie rose) Rumex acetosella (red sorrel) Salix humilis (prairie willow) Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium (little bluestem) Sisyrinchium campestre (prairie blue-eyed grass) Smilax lasioneura (Blue Ridge carrionflower) Solidago rigida (stiff goldenrod) Symphyotrichum ciliolatum (Lindley’s aster) Taraxacum erythrospermum (red-seeded dandelion) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy) Tradescantia occidentalis var. occidentalis (prairie spiderwort) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) Trifolium repens (white clover) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Viburnum lentago (nannyberry) Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch) Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida (prairie violet) Viola sagittata var. sagittata (arrow-leaved violet) Viola sororia (common blue violet) Vitis riparia (wild grape) Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash) Zizia aptera (heart-leaved golden alexanders) Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

Reptiles	One reptile species with conservation status in Minnesota and one tracked species have been seen here:
	Special concern	gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer)
	Tracked	common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

	common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) prairie skink (Plestiodon septentrionalis)