Sand Prairie Wildlife Management & Environmental Education Area

Overview
Photos
Slideshows
Videos
Observations



			Sherburne County
			Central Minnesota

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Size

649.86 acres

Maps

Visitor Map Sand Prairie Wildlife Management and Environmental Education Area Brochure

Printable Map with GPS coordinates

Parking

West Parking Lot
N45 32.444, W94 6.437

North Parking Lot
N45 33.091, W94 5.470

Hiking Trails

There are wide mowed trails, a boardwalk, and an observation platform on the western part of the site. The Brushland Trail has two low areas where there may be standing water on the trail.

Hunting

Youth bow hunting only.

Ecological Classification

Province

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

Section

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

Subsection(s)

Anoka Sand Plain

Land Type Association(s)

Mississippi Sand Plain

Native Plant Communities¹

Black Ash - Aspen - Balsam Poplar Swamp (Northeastern)

Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern)

Lowland Aspen Forest

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

Northern Bulrush - Spikerush Marsh

Sedge Meadow

Sedge Meadow: Tussock Sedge Subtype

Wet Prairie (Southern)

Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp

Ownership

Links

Minnesota DNR

Comments

Visits

7/13/2019


Visitor Photos

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Parking


WMA Sign


Kiosk and Information Signs


Bird’s-foot Trefoil infestation


Other Prairie


Trails


Boardwalk


Observation Deck


Prairie Restoration


Vision Pool


Dike

Camera


Slideshows

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	S1/Ep32 - Sand Prairie Wildlife Management and Environmental Education Area \| Garden Vlog Annissa Grows

	About Published on Sep 21, 2015 Here's another video from my mini vacation back to Minnesota. I visited the Sand Prairie Wildlife Management and Environmental Education Area. It was an absolutely beautiful area and visiting in late summer was just perfect. I would suggest visiting any prairie during the 'golden hour' when the tall grasses and late summer flowers absolutely glow! The first half of the video is a bit of me talking, but if you'd like to just see the sights and listen to some nice music skip ahead a few minutes! It's worth the view. SUBSCRIBE - LIKE - COMMENT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shelteringwoodshomestead Shop: http://www.shelteringwoodsseeds.etsy.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShelteringWoods Instagram: http://instagram.com/annissagroe Read MORE about the homestead @ http://www.shelteringwoods.com There's Probably No Time by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/uvp/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

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Visitor Observations

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Observations


Amphibians	American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)

Bacteria	apical chlorosis of Canada thistle (Pst) (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tagetis)

Birds	Two bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:
	Special concern	Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)

	American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Fungi and Lichens	Milk-white Toothed Polypore (Irpex lacteus)

Insects and Arachnids	American rose chafer (Macrodactylus subspinosus) chokecherry finger gall mite (Eriophyes emarginatae) common green darner (Anax junius) common wood nymph (Cercyonis pegala) deer fly (Chrysops spp.) dot-tailed whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta) goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) Halloween pennant (Celithemis eponina) monarch (Danaus plexippus) northern crescent (Phyciodes cocyta) orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme) red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) viceroy (Limenitis archippus) white snakeroot leaf miner (Liriomyza eupatoriella) widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)

Mammals	One mammal species with conservation status in Minnesota has been seen here:
	Special concern	plains pocket mouse (Perognathus flavescens)

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

Plants	Two plant species with conservation status in Minnesota and one species on the watch list are found here:
	Threatened	Clinton’s bulrush (Trichophorum clintonii) setose blackberry (Rubus groutianus)

	Watch list	stiff cowbane (Oxypolis rigidior)

	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Plant List

	Plants frequently found in: Black Ash - Aspen - Balsam Poplar Swamp (Northeastern) WFn55a Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern) UPs13b Lowland Aspen Forest WFs55a Mesic Prairie (Southern) UPs23a Northern Bulrush - Spikerush Marsh MRn93 Sedge Meadow WMn82b Sedge Meadow: Tussock Sedge Subtype WMn82b2 Wet Prairie (Southern) WPs54b Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp WMn82a

	Common Name Scientific Name absinth wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus) American elm (Ulmus americana) American hazel (Corylus americana) American plum (Prunus americana) American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus) aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) Bebb’s sedge (Carex bebbii) Bebb’s willow (Salix bebbiana) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus) black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus) black medick (Medicago lupulina) black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima) black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii) bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) blue giant hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo) bracted vervain (Verbena bracteata) broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia) broadleaf enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis) bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) Canadian tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense) candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica) catnip (Nepeta cataria) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla var. heterophylla) common bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris ssp. macrorhiza) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common duckweed (Lemna minor) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common plantain (Plantago major) common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) coon’s tail (Ceratophyllum demersum) Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) curly dock (Rumex crispus) Deptford pink (Dianthus armeria ssp. armeria) dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata var. punctata) downy phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida) eastern marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens) false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis) four-flowered yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia quadriflora) fowl mannagrass (Glyceria striata) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) greater duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) hairy vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. villosa) harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea) hemlock water-parsnip (Sium suave) hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana) hoary frostweed (Helianthemum bicknellii) hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) hybrid cattail (Typha × glauca) Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) jack pine (Pinus banksiana) June grass (Koeleria macrantha) Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis) large-flowered beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus) late goldenrod (Solidago altissima) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium) long-leaved bluet (Houstonia longifolia) Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense) Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia) narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard (Crepis tectorum) New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) northern blue flag (Iris versicolor) northern bog violet (Viola nephrophylla) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica) paleleaf woodland sunflower (Helianthus strumosus) peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides) pineapple-weed (Matricaria discoidea) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides) porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina) prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii) prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie onion (Allium stellatum) prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum var. densiflorum) prairie smoke (Geum triflorum var. triflorum) prairie spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis var. occidentalis) purple giant hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia) purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea) pussy willow (Salix discolor) quackgrass (Elymus repens) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) rabbit’s foot clover (Trifolium arvense) red clover (Trifolium pratense) red sorrel (Rumex acetosella) redtop (Agrostis gigantea) reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica) rough false pennyroyal (Hedeoma hispida) rough-fruited cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) sandbar willow (Salix interior) scouring rush horsetail (Equisetum hyemale var. affine) sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula) silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea) slender beardtongue (Penstemon gracilis var. gracilis) slender willow (Salix petiolaris) smooth brome (Bromus inermis) spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida) stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus) stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis) sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis var. perennis) switch grass (Panicum virgatum var. virgatum) tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris) tall tumble mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum) timothy (Phleum pratense) toothed evening primrose (Oenothera serrulata) Virginia groundcherry (Physalis virginiana var. virginiana) Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya) western tansy mustard (Descurainia pinnata var. brachycarpa) white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba) white clover (Trifolium repens) white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides) white prairie clover (Dalea candida var. candida) white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana) white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima) white sweet clover (Melilotus albus) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) wild grape (Vitis riparia) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) wool grass (Scirpus cyperinus) woundwort (Stachys pilosa var. arenicola) yellow avens (Geum aleppicum) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius) Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Agastache foeniculum (blue giant hyssop) Agastache scrophulariifolia (purple giant hyssop) Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot) Agrostis gigantea (redtop) Agrostis scabra (rough bentgrass) Allium stellatum (prairie onion) Ambrosia psilostachya (western ragweed) Amorpha canescens (leadplant) Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone) Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp) Artemisia absinthium (absinth wormwood) Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior (butterfly weed) Berteroa incana (hoary alyssum) Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama) Bromus inermis (smooth brome) Calamagrostis canadensis (bluejoint) Campanula rotundifolia (harebell) Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle) Carex bebbii (Bebb’s sedge) Carex hystericina (porcupine sedge) Ceratophyllum demersum (coon’s tail) Cicuta maculata (spotted water hemlock) Circaea lutetiana ssp. canadensis (broadleaf enchanter’s nightshade) Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle) Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle) Conyza canadensis (Canadian horseweed) Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis) Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) Corylus americana (American hazel) Crepis tectorum (narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard) Dalea candida var. candida (white prairie clover) Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover) Descurainia pinnata var. brachycarpa (western tansy mustard) Desmodium canadense (Canadian tick-trefoil) Dianthus armeria ssp. armeria (Deptford pink) Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye) Elymus repens (quackgrass) Equisetum hyemale var. affine (scouring rush horsetail) Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass) Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane) Fallopia convolvulus (black bindweed) Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry) Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Galium boreale (northern bedstraw) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Geum aleppicum (yellow avens) Geum triflorum var. triflorum (prairie smoke) Glyceria striata (fowl mannagrass) Hedeoma hispida (rough false pennyroyal) Helianthemum bicknellii (hoary frostweed) Helianthus pauciflorus (stiff sunflower) Helianthus strumosus (paleleaf woodland sunflower) Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis (false sunflower) Heterotheca villosa (hairy false goldenaster) Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot) Houstonia longifolia (long-leaved bluet) Iris versicolor (northern blue flag) Koeleria macrantha (June grass) Lemna minor (common duckweed) Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort) Lepidium densiflorum var. densiflorum (prairie peppergrass) Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover) Liatris punctata var. punctata (dotted blazing star) Lilium michiganense (Michigan lily) Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle) Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus (bird’s-foot trefoil) Lupinus perennis var. perennis (sundial lupine) Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed) Lysimachia quadriflora (four-flowered yellow loosestrife) Matricaria discoidea (pineapple-weed) Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern) Medicago lupulina (black medick) Melilotus albus (white sweet clover) Mirabilis nyctaginea (heart-leaved four o’clock) Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) Nepeta cataria (catnip) Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) Oenothera serrulata (toothed evening primrose) Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern) Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely) Panicum virgatum var. virgatum (switch grass) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Penstemon gracilis var. gracilis (slender beardtongue) Penstemon grandiflorus (large-flowered beardtongue) Persicaria amphibia (water smartweed) Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass) Phleum pratense (timothy) Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida (downy phlox) Physalis heterophylla var. heterophylla (clammy groundcherry) Physalis virginiana var. virginiana (Virginia groundcherry) Pinus banksiana (jack pine) Plantago major (common plantain) Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain) Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood) Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil) Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) Potentilla recta (rough-fruited cinquefoil) Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil) Prunus americana (American plum) 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 acris (tall buttercup) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry) Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan) Rumex acetosella (red sorrel) Rumex crispus (curly dock) Salix amygdaloides (peachleaf willow) Salix bebbiana (Bebb’s willow) Salix discolor (pussy willow) Salix interior (sandbar willow) Salix petiolaris (slender willow) Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium (little bluestem) Scirpus cyperinus (wool grass) Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion) Sisymbrium altissimum (tall tumble mustard) Sium suave (hemlock water-parsnip) Solidago altissima (late goldenrod) Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod) Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod) Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod) Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass) Spirodela polyrrhiza (greater duckweed) Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed) Stachys pilosa var. arenicola (woundwort) Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster) Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster) Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (aromatic aster) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens (eastern marsh fern) Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy) Tradescantia occidentalis var. occidentalis (prairie spiderwort) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) Trifolium arvense (rabbit’s foot clover) Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens (white clover) Typha × glauca (hybrid cattail) Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail) Typha latifolia (broad-leaved cattail) Ulmus americana (American elm) Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis (stinging nettle) Utricularia vulgaris ssp. macrorhiza (common bladderwort) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Verbena bracteata (bracted vervain) Verbena stricta (hoary vervain) Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s root) Vicia villosa ssp. villosa (hairy vetch) Viola nephrophylla (northern bog violet) Viola sororia (common blue violet) Vitis riparia (wild grape) Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

Reptiles	Two reptile species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:
	Threatened	Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)

	Special concern	western hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus)