Spring Prairie Preserve

The Nature Conservancy

The 470 acres is three quarter-sections of prairie that, until 2010, was grazed by cattle. It contains wet prairie, mesic prairie, sedge meadow, and marsh. Decades of grazing has changed the mix of plants on this preserve. Some legumes and other plants normally found on native prairies in this part of the state are absent here. On the other hand, it is relatively free of invasive species. The southeast section is wet prairie and wet seepage prairie. The other two sections are a mix of wet prairie, mesic prairie, cattail marsh, and sedge meadow.

Spring Prairie Preserve was acquired by The Nature Conservancy in August, 2010, under the Minnesota Prairie Recovery Project. Funding was provided by Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund.

470 acres

There is a parking lot for this preserve on the north side of County Road 86 (43rd Ave. N.).

N46 55.203, W96 28.320

No maintained trails

All hunting. See Hunting and Trapping Regulations (MN DNR) for details.

Parking

The Nature Conservancy Sign

Wet Seepage Prairie (Northern)

Wet Prairie (Northern)

eBird Field Checklist

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List