Prairie Creek WMA

Koester Prairie Unit

Overview
Photos
Slideshows
Videos
Observations



			Rice County
			Southeast Minnesota

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Size

459.89 acres

Maps


Printable Map with GPS coordinates

Parking

There is a parking lot on the east side of Lamb Ave. near the north boundary.

N44 23.655, W93 3.612

Hiking Trails

No maintained trails

Hunting

Deer, Small Game, Forest Upland Birds, Pheasants, Turkey, Doves. See Hunting and Trapping Regulations (MN DNR) for details.

Ecological Classification

Province

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

Section

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

Subsection(s)

Oak Savanna

Land Type Association(s)

Hayfield Till Plain

Native Plant Communities¹

Sugar Maple Forest (Big Woods)

Ownership

Links

Minnesota DNR

Friends of Prairie Creek

Comments

History
On June 28, 2014, a 460-acre tract in Rice County was dedicated as the Prairie Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA). On June 1, 2019, a nearby 161-acre tract was added and became the Engeseth-Rinde Unit of the Prairie Creek WMA. The original tract became the Koester Prairie Unit.

Visits

4/22/2020

8/4/2020


Visitor Photos

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Parking lot




WMA sign


Oak forest


Sugar Maple Forest (Big Woods)

	There is a small section of high-quality maple-basswood forest at the western boundary of the unit. It is separated from the oak forest by a farm road not visible on the map. Though out of the way, it should not be missed.

Smooth Brome dominated grassland


Dry prairie


Medium-tall grassland


Mesic brush-prairie

	This small hill (#6 on the Landcover map) was apparently untouched by the plow. It is by far the highest quality dry prairie on the site.

Medium-tall grassland - planted local genotype native grasses


Planted grasses and forbs - hayﬁeld on upland soils


Cliffs with sparse vegetation


The prairie in the spring




Mowed Trail

	In the spring of 2020 there was a 2-mile long mowed trail that loops south from the parking area. It was not mowed in the summer.

Camera


Slideshows

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	Prairie Creek WMA Interactive Map Walk-Through ENTS Map Group

	About Jun 2, 2015

Camcorder


Visitor Observations

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Observations

Amphibians	boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)

Birds	Two bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen on at least one of the units of this WMA:
	Endangered	Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

	eBird Bird checklist

	American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Fungi and Lichens	Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa) Milk-white Toothed Polypore (Irpex lacteus) Smooth Patch (Aleurodiscus oakesii)

Insects and Arachnids	American sand wasp (Bembix americana spinolae) band-winged meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum) black saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) cabbage white (Pieris rapae) Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) common buckeye (Junonia coenia) common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) common green darner (Anax junius) dogbane saucrobotys moth (Saucrobotys futilalis) eastern tailed-blue (Cupido comyntas) goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis) goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus) great black wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus) great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele) monarch (Danaus plexippus) northern crescent (Phyciodes cocyta) orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

Mammals	Two mammal species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen on at least one of the units of this WMA:
	Special concern	prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) western harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis)

	American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Plants	One plant species with conservation status in Minnesota is found on at least one of the units of this WMA:
	Threatened	prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya)

	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Plant List

	Plants frequently found in: Sugar Maple Forest (Big Woods) MHs39c

	Common Name Scientific Name alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana) American black currant (Ribes americanum) American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus) American elm (Ulmus americana) American germander (Teucrium canadense) American pasqueflower (Anemone patens var. multifida) American plum (Prunus americana) American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana) annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus) asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina) black medick (Medicago lupulina) black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) black walnut (Juglans nigra) black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii) bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) blue vervain (Verbena hastata var. scabra) boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo) bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) butter and eggs (Linaria vulgaris) Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica) catnip (Nepeta cataria) cattail (Typha sp.) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla var. heterophylla) cleavers (Galium aparine) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common burdock (Arctium minus) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) common lamb’s-quarters (Chenopodium album) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) corn (Zea mays) crown vetch (Securigera varia) Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) curly dock (Rumex crispus) dark green bulrush (Scirpus atrovirens) Deptford pink (Dianthus armeria ssp. armeria) desert goosefoot (Chenopodium pratericola) Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) early figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata) eastern false rue anemone (Enemion biternatum) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) false boneset (Brickellia eupatorioides var. corymbulosa) field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) field sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis) field thistle (Cirsium discolor) flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata) fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) giant foxtail (Setaria faberi) giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida var. trifida) golden ragwort (Packera aurea) gooseberry (Ribes spp.) gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica var. siphilitica) great St. Johnswort (Hypericum ascyron ssp. pyramidatum) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) heal-all (Prunella vulgaris) heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea) heart-leaved golden alexanders (Zizia aptera) hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) ironwood (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana) Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis) late horse-gentian (Triosteum perfoliatum) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium) marsh hedge nettle (Stachys palustris) mat panic grass (Dichanthelium acuminatum var. implicatum) Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) mountain death camas (Anticlea elegans) narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard (Crepis tectorum) narrow-leaved meadowsweet (Spiraea alba var. alba) northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) northern bugleweed (Lycopus uniflorus var. uniflorus) northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides) porcupine grass (Hesperostipa spartea) porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina) prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii) prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya) prairie buttercup (Ranunculus rhomboideus) prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum var. densiflorum) prairie rose (Rosa arkansana) prairie smoke (Geum triflorum var. triflorum) prairie turnip (Pediomelum esculentum) prairie violet (Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida) prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota ssp. carota) red clover (Trifolium pratense) red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea) redroot amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus) redtop (Agrostis gigantea) reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica) rough false pennyroyal (Hedeoma hispida) rough-fruit amaranth (Amaranthus tuberculatus) rough-fruited cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) sandbar willow (Salix interior) Scribner’s panic grass (Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum) sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) shorthair goldenrod (Solidago altissima ssp. gilvocanescens) Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula) silverleaf scurfpea (Pediomelum argophyllum) smooth brome (Bromus inermis) smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) soft-stem bulrush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani) spotted lady’s thumb (Persicaria maculosa) spotted St. Johnswort (Hypericum punctatum) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida) stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus) stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis) straw-colored flatsedge (Cyperus strigosus) sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum) swamp betony (Pedicularis lanceolata) tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima ssp. altissima) tall meadow rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum) timothy (Phleum pratense) trout lily (Erythronium spp.) tussock sedge (Carex stricta) veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus) velvet-leaf (Abutilon theophrasti) virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum) water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia) western marbleseed (Lithospermum occidentale) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya) white bear sedge (Carex albursina) white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba) white clover (Trifolium repens) white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides) white mulberry (Morus alba) white panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum) white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana) white sweet clover (Melilotus albus) white vervain (Verbena urticifolia) whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) wild grape (Vitis riparia) wild leek (Allium tricoccum) wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) witch grass (Panicum capillare) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) woolly cupgrass (Eriochloa villosa) yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila ssp. pumila) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius) yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus var. leptostachyus) yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) Abutilon theophrasti (velvet-leaf) Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder) Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Agrostis gigantea (redtop) Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) Allium tricoccum (wild leek) Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot amaranth) Amaranthus tuberculatus (rough-fruit amaranth) Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) Ambrosia psilostachya (western ragweed) Ambrosia trifida var. trifida (giant ragweed) Amorpha canescens (leadplant) Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) Anemone acutiloba (sharp-lobed hepatica) Anemone canadensis (Canada anemone) Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone) Anemone patens var. multifida (American pasqueflower) Anticlea elegans (mountain death camas) Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp) Arctium minus (common burdock) Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Asclepias verticillata (whorled milkweed) Asparagus officinalis (asparagus) Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama) Brickellia eupatorioides var. corymbulosa (false boneset) Bromus inermis (smooth brome) Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed) Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle) Carex albursina (white bear sedge) Carex hystericina (porcupine sedge) Carex stricta (tussock sedge) Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry) Chenopodium album (common lamb’s-quarters) Chenopodium pratericola (desert goosefoot) Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle) Cirsium discolor (field thistle) Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle) Clematis virginiana (virgin’s bower) Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata (bastard toadflax) Conyza canadensis (Canadian horseweed) Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis) Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood) Crataegus sp. (hawthorn) Crepis tectorum (narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard) Cyperus esculentus var. leptostachyus (yellow nutsedge) Cyperus strigosus (straw-colored flatsedge) Daucus carota ssp. carota (Queen Anne’s lace) Dianthus armeria ssp. armeria (Deptford pink) Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman’s breeches) Dichanthelium acuminatum var. implicatum (mat panic grass) Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum (Scribner’s panic grass) Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass) Echinocystis lobata (wild cucumber) Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye) Enemion biternatum (eastern false rue anemone) Equisetum arvense (field horsetail) Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush) Erigeron annuus (annual fleabane) Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane) Eriochloa villosa (woolly cupgrass) Erythronium sp. (trout lily) Eupatorium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (common boneset) Euphorbia corollata (flowering spurge) Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Galium aparine (cleavers) Galium boreale (northern bedstraw) Geum triflorum var. triflorum (prairie smoke) Hedeoma hispida (rough false pennyroyal) Helianthus pauciflorus (stiff sunflower) Hesperostipa spartea (porcupine grass) Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot) Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf) Hypericum ascyron ssp. pyramidatum (great St. Johnswort) Hypericum punctatum (spotted St. Johnswort) Juglans nigra (black walnut) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce) Lathyrus venosus (veiny pea) Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort) Lepidium densiflorum var. densiflorum (prairie peppergrass) Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover) Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya (prairie blazing star) Linaria vulgaris (butter and eggs) Lithospermum occidentale (western marbleseed) Lobelia siphilitica var. siphilitica (great blue lobelia) Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle) Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed) Lycopus uniflorus var. uniflorus (northern bugleweed) Lysimachia ciliata (fringed loosestrife) Medicago lupulina (black medick) Melilotus albus (white sweet clover) Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover) Mirabilis nyctaginea (heart-leaved four o’clock) Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) Morus alba (white mulberry) Nepeta cataria (catnip) Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (ironwood) Packera aurea (golden ragwort) Panicum capillare (witch grass) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip) Pedicularis lanceolata (swamp betony) Pediomelum argophyllum (silverleaf scurfpea) Pediomelum esculentum (prairie turnip) Persicaria amphibia (water smartweed) Persicaria maculosa (spotted lady’s thumb) Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass) Phleum pratense (timothy) Physalis heterophylla var. heterophylla (clammy groundcherry) Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain) Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) Potentilla recta (rough-fruited cinquefoil) Prunella vulgaris (heal-all) Prunus americana (American plum) Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Pycnanthemum virginianum (Virginia mountain mint) Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Quercus rubra (northern red oak) Ranunculus rhomboideus (prairie buttercup) Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Rhus glabra (smooth sumac) Ribes americanum (American black currant) Ribes sp. (gooseberry) Rosa arkansana (prairie rose) Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry) Rumex crispus (curly dock) Salix interior (sandbar willow) Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium (little bluestem) Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (soft-stem bulrush) Scirpus atrovirens (dark green bulrush) Scrophularia lanceolata (early figwort) Securigera varia (crown vetch) Setaria faberi (giant foxtail) Setaria pumila ssp. pumila (yellow foxtail) Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion) Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade) Solidago altissima ssp. altissima (tall goldenrod) Solidago altissima ssp. gilvocanescens (shorthair goldenrod) Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod) Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod) Sonchus arvensis (field sow thistle) Sonchus asper (prickly sow thistle) Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass) Spiraea alba var. alba (narrow-leaved meadowsweet) Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed) Stachys palustris (marsh hedge nettle) Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster) Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (white panicled aster) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Teucrium canadense (American germander) Thalictrum dasycarpum (tall meadow rue) Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood) Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens (white clover) Triosteum perfoliatum (late horse-gentian) Typha sp. (cattail) Ulmus americana (American elm) Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis (stinging nettle) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Verbena hastata var. scabra (blue vervain) Verbena stricta (hoary vervain) Verbena urticifolia (white vervain) Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s root) Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch) Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida (prairie violet) Viola sororia (common blue violet) Vitis riparia (wild grape) Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash) Zea mays (corn) Zizia aptera (heart-leaved golden alexanders)