Cannon River Trout Lily SNA

96 Acres Located NE of Faribault city limits: go N from the city limits on State Hwy 3 for 1.5 miles, then turn E on 166th Street for 0.5 miles to the SNA. Portions of this site are accessible only by canoe, with the nearest launching site at downtown Faribault. Rice County Twp 110N Rng 20W Sec 08 Type: Deciduous Woods ECS Subsection: Big Woods

Description:

The Cannon River Trout Lily SNA, a maple-basswood remnant of the Big Woods, features Minnesota's only federally endangered species, the dwarf trout lily. The Kitzman-Morris Unit was partially gifted by its previous owners specifically to help preserve this sensitive species, while the Izaak Walton League partially gifted the northern-most parcel of land. Dwarf trout lilies grow only in Minnesota, with most naturally occurring sites located in Rice and Goodhue Counties. The lilies prefer the moist woods of river bottoms and ravines along the Cannon River and its tributaries. These colonies are primarily genetic clones, making them more vulnerable to extinction by a single disease or environmental hazard. This site and the surrounding area contain about one quarter of the total number of plants in existence, as well as over 80 percent of all known genotypes of this littlest lily. The dwarf trout lily blooms early in spring before the forest canopy leafs out, along with other spring ephemerals such as hepatica, blood root, and wild ginger.

Bird List

Plant List