Schaefer Prairie

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

The Nature Conservancy logo

 
     
 

Links

 
 

The Nature Conservancy

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

 

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

About 5,000 seedlings have been planted in the southeast corner of the preserve to create a “showcase” area.

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

 

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
  Printable map      
         
 

Size

 
 

160 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

There is a parking lot at the southeast corner of the preserve.

N44 43.073, W94 17.706

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

Get driving directions from Google Maps to this destination from any address, and send those directions to your phone.

   
          McLeod County  
          Central Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

No maintained trails

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Prairie Parkland Province

   
  Ecological Section    

North Central Glaciated Plains

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Minnesota River Prairie

   
  Land Type Association    

Gibbon Till Plain

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

Sedge Meadow

   
  * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources      
         
 

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Parking

 
    Schaefer Prairie   Schaefer Prairie  
           
 

Interpretive Signs

 
    Schaefer Prairie   Schaefer Prairie  
           
 

The Nature Conservancy Sign

 
    Schaefer Prairie      
           
 

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

 
  Schaefer Prairie  
           
    Schaefer Prairie      
           
 

Sedge Meadow

 
    Schaefer Prairie      
           
 

Buffalo Creek

 
    Schaefer Prairie   Schaefer Prairie  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Come Explore the Prairie With Me! - Schaefer Prairie and Ottawa Bluffs | 2021 Adventures
Adventures of an Aspiring Something or Other
 
   
 
About

May 27, 2021

Join Jonas and I on a trip to explore two prairie areas in Southern Minnesota, Schaefer Prairie and Ottawa Bluffs. Both are owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy. A vlog-style video complete with my inability to remember anything I've ever learned about prairie plant identification, a lengthy discussion of prescribed fire and fire ecology in grasslands, unexpected wetlands, and a deep awakening moment about EXACTLY how out of shape I am.

Also... I will warn you that the camera work on this is not good. I can't see my display screen very well through my polarised sunglasses, and this combined with me walking over uneven ground means the camera spends a lot of time tilted funny and swooping around. Maybe skip the visual part of this if you get motion sick.

Say hi on Instagram: https://instagram.com/leveninlied

 

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

8/18/2005

  9/24/2013            
 
 

Amphibians

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

 
 

boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)

northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)

  northern leopard frog  
 

Birds

 
 

Four bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Special Concern

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)

 
 

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

 

American Goldfinch

Blue Jay

 
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fungi List

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Lichens List

 
         
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

Two insect and arachnid species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Endangered

Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek)

Special Concern

regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Insects List

 
 

Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)

convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens)

dog day cicada (Neotibicen canicularis)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis
f. succinea)

orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

 

goldenrod gall fly

monarch

viceroy

 
 

Mammals

 
 

plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  whitetail deer  
 

Plants

 
 

Four plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:

Threatened

Sullivant’s milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii)

Special Concern

broadleaf water milfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum)

Hill’s thistle (Cirsium pumilum var. hillii)

small white lady’s slipper (Cypripedium candidum)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Mesic Prairie (Southern) UPs23a

Sedge Meadow WMn82b

     
 

 

American cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

blue skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis)

Canadian horseweed (Erigeron canadensis)

Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis var. canadensis)

Canadian tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense)

candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)

common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

Dakota gentian (Gentiana andrewsii var. dakotica)

dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata var. punctata)

downy gentian (Gentiana puberulenta)

downy phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida)

dwarf false indigo (Amorpha nana)

false boneset (Brickellia eupatorioides var. corymbulosa)

field horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)

fringed brome (Bromus ciliatus)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)

gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

green amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

green foxtail (Setaria viridis var. viridis)

heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea)

heart-leaved golden alexanders (Zizia aptera)

hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana)

Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

lance-leaf fog-fruit (Phyla lanceolata)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium)

marsh vetchling (Lathyrus palustris)

Maryland black snakeroot (Sanicula marilandica)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

northern bedstraw (Galium boreale)

northern blue flag (Iris versicolor)

northern bugleweed (Lycopus uniflorus)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

northern plains blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis)

obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana ssp. virginiana)

paleleaf woodland sunflower (Helianthus strumosus)

panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)

perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya)

prairie cordgrass (Sporobolus michauxianus)

prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata)

prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

prairie ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata ssp. fasciculata)

prairie lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana)

prairie milkvetch (Astragalus laxmannii var. robustior)

prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

prairie turnip (Pediomelum esculentum)

prairie willow (Salix humilis var. humilis)

prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola)

purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)

purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea)

purple rattlesnake root (Nabalus racemosus)

pussy willow (Salix discolor)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea)

reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

Riddell’s goldenrod (Solidago riddellii)

rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra)

rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)

rough cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)

round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata)

sage-leaved willow (Salix candida)

sandbar willow (Salix interior)

sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus)

showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula)

silky aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum)

silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

silverleaf scurfpea (Pediomelum argophyllum)

sky-blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense var. oolentangiense)

slender willow (Salix petiolaris)

smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra)

smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum)

smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum)

staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)

starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus)

Sullivant’s milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii)

swamp betony (Pedicularis lanceolata)

swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata)

swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum)

switch grass (Panicum virgatum var. virgatum)

tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta)

tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum)

tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

threeway sedge (Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum)

tufted lovegrass (Eragrostis pectinacea var. pectinacea)

veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus)

Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)

water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia)

western marbleseed (Lithospermum occidentale)

western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides)

white prairie clover (Dalea candida var. candida)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

white sweet clover (Melilotus albus)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)

winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum var. alatum)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila ssp. pumila)

yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

 

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Agrostis scabra (rough bentgrass)

Allium stellatum (prairie onion)

Amaranthus hybridus (green amaranth)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Amorpha nana (dwarf false indigo)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone)

Antennaria neglecta (field pussytoes)

Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed)

Asclepias sullivantii (Sullivant’s milkweed)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior (butterfly weed)

Astragalus canadensis var. canadensis (Canadian milkvetch)

Astragalus laxmannii var. robustior (prairie milkvetch)

Berteroa incana (hoary alyssum)

Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama)

Brickellia eupatorioides var. corymbulosa (false boneset)

Bromus ciliatus (fringed brome)

Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Cirsium altissimum (tall thistle)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium muticum (swamp thistle)

Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis)

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood)

Dalea candida var. candida (white prairie clover)

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover)

Desmodium canadense (Canadian tick-trefoil)

Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil)

Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum (threeway sedge)

Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)

Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)

Equisetum arvense (field horsetail)

Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush)

Eragrostis pectinacea var. pectinacea (tufted lovegrass)

Erigeron canadensis (Canadian horseweed)

Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium boreale (northern bedstraw)

Gentiana andrewsii var. dakotica (Dakota gentian)

Gentiana puberulenta (downy gentian)

Glycyrrhiza lepidota (wild licorice)

Helenium autumnale (common sneezeweed)

Helianthus grosseserratus (sawtooth sunflower)

Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus (stiff sunflower)

Helianthus strumosus (paleleaf woodland sunflower)

Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke)

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra (smooth oxeye)

Heracleum maximum (American cow parsnip)

Iris versicolor (northern blue flag)

Lactuca ludoviciana (prairie lettuce)

Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce)

Lathyrus palustris (marsh vetchling)

Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) (veiny pea)

Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass)

Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)

Liatris aspera (rough blazing star)

Liatris ligulistylis (northern plains blazing star)

Liatris punctata var. punctata (dotted blazing star)

Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya (prairie blazing star)

Lithospermum occidentale (western marbleseed)

Lycopus uniflorus (northern bugleweed)

Lythrum alatum var. alatum (winged loosestrife)

Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal)

Melilotus albus (white sweet clover)

Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover)

Mirabilis nyctaginea (heart-leaved four o’clock)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Nabalus racemosus (purple rattlesnake root)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Solidago riddellii (Riddell’s goldenrod)

Panicum virgatum var. virgatum (switch grass)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Pedicularis lanceolata (swamp betony)

Pediomelum argophyllum (silverleaf scurfpea)

Pediomelum esculentum (prairie turnip)

Persicaria amphibia (water smartweed)

Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass)

Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida (downy phlox)

Phyla lanceolata (lance-leaf fog-fruit)

Physostegia virginiana var. virginiana (obedient plant)

Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Pycnanthemum virginianum (Virginia mountain mint)

Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Salix candida (sage-leaved willow)

Salix discolor (pussy willow)

Salix humilis var. humilis (prairie willow)

Salix interior (sandbar willow)

Salix petiolaris (slender willow)

Sanicula marilandica (Maryland black snakeroot)

Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium (little bluestem)

Scutellaria lateriflora (blue skullcap)

Setaria pumila ssp. pumila (yellow foxtail)

Setaria viridis var. viridis (green foxtail)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago canadensis (Canada goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Solidago speciosa (showy goldenrod)

Sonchus arvensis (perennial sow thistle)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed)

Sporobolus michauxianus (prairie cordgrass)

Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster)

Symphyotrichum laeve (smooth blue aster)

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (panicled aster)

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)

Symphyotrichum oolentangiense var. oolentangiense (sky-blue aster)

Symphyotrichum sericeum (silky aster)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Verbena hastata (blue vervain)

Vernonia fasciculata ssp. fasciculata (prairie ironweed)

Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s root)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Xanthium strumarium (rough cocklebur)

Zizia aptera (heart-leaved golden alexanders)

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

 

American cow parsnip

black raspberry

butterfly weed

Canada anemone

Canadian milkvetch

Canadian tick-trefoil

common evening primrose

common sneezeweed

Culver’s root

downy gentian

downy phlox

false boneset

gray-headed coneflower

leadplant

narrow-leaved purple coneflower

New England aster

northern bedstraw

prairie cordgrass

prairie ironweed

prairie onion

prairie rose

purple prairie clover

red clover

red osier dogwood

round-headed bush clover

sawtooth sunflower

silky aster

silverleaf scurfpea

swamp milkweed

swamp thistle

tall cinquefoil

purple meadow-rue

western poison ivy

wild grape

winged loosestrife

yellow sweet clover

 

 

 

Binoculars


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