Des Moines River Prairie SNA
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210 Acres Located from Windom on S on MN 71 to Co Rd 79, south 3.0 mi, then 0.5 mi W on Co Rd 30. Public access is E of the river and road. Jackson County Twp 104N Rng 35W Sec 19 Type: Prairie Grasslands ECS Subsection: Coteau Moraines |
Description:
This high quality hill prairie is home to numerous prairie plant species,
including one of the largest known populations of the federally threatened
prairie bush clover. The prairie bush clover is now rare, its dry gravely
hill prairie habitat largely destroyed. A member of the pea family, prairie
bush clover is silvery green in color, with narrow, clover-like leaves, and
pale pink to cream colored flowers that bloom briefly in mid-July. While
you are looking for prairie bush clover, enjoy the bird's foot violets, puccoon, finger tickseed,
blazing stars and wild bergamot. Look, too, for site management techniques at work. Several old
fields are being planted with seeds collected from the site to provide better habitat for native plant
and animal species. Trees that have grown up in the absence of wildfires are also being removed to
enhance the prairie community. Future prescribed burns will keep trees from recolonizing the site in
the future.
Bird List 
