Black Dog Nature Preserve SNA

129 Acres

Located from I-35W in Burnsville: Take exit 4A, go 0.5 miles E on Cliff Rd to the Park and Ride lot beside the City recreation field.

Dakota County Twp 27N Rng 24W Sec 27 & 34

Type: Deciduous Woods

ECS Subsection: Big Woods

Description:

Named after the great Dakota Sioux chief, Black Dog Nature Preserve contains an excellent example of mesic prairie and degraded calcareous fen plant communities, both of which are among the rarest plant communities in the state. A calcareous fen is an endangered plant community dominated by grasses, sedges, and other vegetation adapted to its unusual calcium-rich groundwater, which flows year round. With the loss of this important groundwater source due to drawdowns from urban wells, the fen has lost many of the rare species formerly present. The mesic prairie--the finest known in the metropolitan area--grades to a wet prairie. Mesic prairie species such as big bluestem, prairie dropseed, yellow coneflower, and blazing star, can be seen here, along with such rare fen species as sticky false asphodel, hair-like beak-rush, whorled nut-rush, marsh arrow-grass, and valerian. Black Dog Preserve lies within the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge, and an interpretive sign marks the end of a trail through the site. Spring displays of swamp saxifrage and valerian can be spectacular, while in July, blazing stars take the stage. The late summer bloom of goldenrods and asters is also a treat. * indicates ownership in part or in whole by The Nature Conservancy.

Bird List This is a PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download it.

Plant List

Black Dog Nature Preserve SNA Map

Visitor notes:

Note: Visitation to the posted sanctuary portion of this SNA by research permit only. Apply through Minnesota SNA Program at (651) 259-5088.