Rice Lake Savanna SNA
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80 Acres Located from Becker 10 miles N on MN Hwy 25. Park on W shoulder of road. Sherburne County Twp 35N Rng 29W Sec 11 Type: Deciduous Woods ECS Subsection: Anoka Sand Plain |
Description:
Glacial meltwaters out of the north deposited their outwash sands
across this large plain, providing the basis for an open, grassy landscape
dotted with bur and pin oak--a classic savanna. Occasional fire opened
the landscape, but wetlands prevented substantial prairie development.
Rice Lake Savanna SNA is now one of our highest quality and largest
remaining samples of this savanna community. The nearly level site
includes scattered wetlands and 60 acres of dry, bur oak savanna carpeted with native grasses and
wildflowers. About half the short, regularly-spaced bur oaks are single-stemmed with attractive,
gnarled shapes; the multiple-stemmed trees were probably cut at one time. Little bluestem and
porcupine grass dominate the ground layer, with occasional big bluestem and Indian grass. White
sage, goldenrod, blazing star, puccoon, silky aster, purple prairie clover, and coreopsis color the
site. Small sedge meadows lie in peaty depressions to the north and west, and a shallow sedge
meadow, partly rimmed by quaking aspen, occupies the southeast corner. As part of the site
restoration, planted pine and spruce will be removed through cutting and prescribed burning.
Bird List 
