Swedes Forest, Homme-Kollin Unit SNA
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207 Acres Located from Hwy 212 at Sacred Heart; take Co Rd 9 S for 7 mi, then take the gravel road W for 1.5 mi, parking on S side of road. Yellow Medicinie County Twp 114N Rng 38W Sec 12-13 Type: Prairie Grasslands ECS Subsection: Minnesota River Prairie |
Description:
Located within the Minnesota River Valley in Swedes Forest township, this site contains the granite outcrop community type that supports the rare five-lined skink. Several old quarries on the site provide an important hibernacular for the skink. The Minnesota populations of these small, blue tailed lizards (sometimes called "blue devils") are isolated from the main range of this species in the eastern United States. The five-lined skink requires open, sunny, bedrock exposures near oak woodland habitat. The red cedar which has encroached on the bedrock openings in the absence of periodic fire is being managed by controlled burning and cutting. Several undisturbed wetlands are also found on the site.
Bird List 
