Rushford Sand Barrens SNA

230 Acres Located 2.5 miles W of Rushford off MN Hwy 16. Walk the posted field lines, beginning with the row of trees heading south, then east. Then walk south through the woods and find the metal sign with the showy lady slipper. Fillmore County Twp 104N Rng 08W Sec 21 Type: Deciduous Woods ECS Subsection: Blufflands

Description:

Spared by the last period of glaciation, the Rushford Sand Barrens site features a complex of rare natural communities nestled in the Root River Valley within the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest. At least 13 rare plant species occur here, among one endangered and three threatened natural communities. Because many of these rare species occur at the edge of their ranges, this SNA preserves important genetic, species, and community diversity. The dry-sand oak savanna contains the rare rough-seeded fameflower, clasping milkweed, sea-beach needlegrass, long-bearded hawkweed, old-field toadflax, and others. The jack pine savanna, subject of botanical study since the early twentieth century, supports a number of rare plant species as well as Minnesota's southern-most population of jack pine. The six-lined racerunner, a small lizard, runs across the sand barrens and through the bluff prairies, among the compass plant, silky aster, downy painted cup, leadplant, blue-eyed grass, and Leonard's skullcap. The beautiful witch hazel, a species of special concern, occurs in the mixed oak forest.

Plant List