Minnesota Scientific & Natural Areas

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Preserving natural features and rare resources of exceptional scientific and educational value. Research equipment is also sometimes seen on sites.

Scientific and Natural Areas are exceptional places where native plants and animals flourish; where rare species are protected; and where we can know, and study, Minnesota's fascinating natural features. They protect natural features of exceptional scientific or educational value including: native plant communities, populations of rare species, and geological features. Protection of multiple sites in each landscape region is a vital means of capturing the genetic diversity and preventing the loss of important species, communities, and features. This strategy observes the wisdom of not putting all our eggs in one basket. Scientific and Natural Areas are public lands open to recreational activities that do not disturb natural conditions, such as bird-watching, nature photography, and hiking. SNAs are established for their outstanding ecological features, which we want people to enjoy. You may see management activities such as prescribed burns and control of invasive species. The primary activity is the establishment of system of nature preserves called Scientific and Natural Areas. This system is found across Minnesota's landscape. The Program's long-range goal is to protect at least: Five locations of plant communities known to occur in each landscape region Three locations per region of each rare species, plant or animal, and geological feature. It is estimated that 500 natural areas are needed throughout the state to adequately protect significant features. Because over 40 percent of these rare features occur in prairies, 200 natural areas would be in the prairie area of the state. Of the remainder, approximately 135 are estimated to be needed in the deciduous and 165 in coniferous forest landscape communities in the next 100 years. All visitors must follow our Terms of Use for Social Media Channels: mndnr.gov/site_tools/terms_of_service.html

10/24/2026

What better way to kick off a new month than by removing buckthorn at Mound Prairie SNA!

When: Sunday, November 1st
From: 10 am to 2 pm

Help remove invasive buckthorn while exploring one of Minnesota’s largest high-quality dry bedrock bluff prairies.

Contract naturalist Sara Holger will provide tools, instructions and good camaraderie along the way.

Bring water, snacks, sturdy footwear and dress for the weather. The site has no maintained trails, public restrooms, or drinking water.

Advanced registration is required. Register and view event details below: mndnr.gov/events/event.html?id=991

Photo: Mound Prairie SNA in Houston County, Minnesota.

10/13/2026

Have you noticed asters blooming all over Minnesota lately? 🌸

Asters are an important fall wildflower. Many species in this genus, Symphyotrichum, start blooming as days get shorter, a response called photoperiodism, which cues plants to form buds when nights lengthen.

Minnesota has more than a dozen native asters, and together they provide a consistent source of nectar when most other flowers have wrapped up for the season. Their shallow, circular blooms make easy landing spots for bees, flies, butterflies, and moths. Male bees often stop to refuel on asters, and some insects even use them as host plants for their young. Pollinators rely on these flowers across prairies, forests, wetlands, and even in your backyard.

Which asters have you been seeing? Share your photos in the comments.

Photo: New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae).

10/10/2026

Looking for something to do next week?

Pin Oak Prairie and Avon Hills Forest SNAs are both having buckthorn removal events on Saturday, October 17th, from 10 am to 2 pm.

Bring water, snacks, sturdy footwear and dress for the weather. The site has no maintained trails, public restrooms, or drinking water.

Advanced registration is required. Register and view event details below:

Avon Hills Forest SNA: mndnr.gov/events/event.html?id=1034

Pin Oak Prairie SNA: mndnr.gov/events/event.html?id=1177

Photo: Volunteers are all smiles after removing buckthorn at Avon Hills Forest SNA in Stearns County, Minnesota.

10/09/2026

Have you noticed bright orange berries popping up in woodland or prairie edges and SNAs this fall? 🍊

That’s American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens), a native climbing vine showing off its autumn fruit. Starting in late summer, round green capsules ripen to deep orange in September and October. They then split open to reveal red, fleshy arils (an accessory seed covering that is often brightly colored) nestled on the seeds.

Have you seen American bittersweet fruiting this fall? Let us know in the comments!

mndnr.gov/snas/sna01065

Photo: American Bittersweet at Two Rivers Aspen Parkland SNA in Roseau County, Minnesota.

10/07/2026

Tamaracks blaze in October. 🔥

All month long, these wetland conifers transform their soft blue green needles into bright golden ones, creating some of the most striking fall colors you’ll see in a bog or fen. Tamaracks are also one of the few conifers that drop their needles in fall, which makes their color change even more eye catching.

Their color change usually peaks in early to mid October, often after most hardwoods have already lost their leaves.

Have you noticed any tamaracks changing color? Show us your photos in the comments!

mndnr.gov/snas/sna02038

Photo: Tamarack (Larix laricina) at St. Wendel Tamarack Bog SNA in Stearns County, Minnesota.

10/06/2026

Be a part of the conservation conversation! 📣

The Minnesota DNR is recruiting new members to serve on the Statewide Aquatic Invasive Species Advisory Committee and the Natural Heritage Advisory Committee (NHAC). These groups help shape DNR decisions. If you're passionate about conservation and want to make a difference, consider joining!

The deadline to apply is October 15. Learn more and apply here: engage.dnr.state.mn.us/advisory-group-appointment-opportunities

Photo: "Be Part of the Conservation Conversation" Graphic.

09/30/2026

Have you ever discovered a tiny spiral of white flowers growing out of a prairie or wet meadow? 🌾

That small corkscrew of blooms may be nodding ladies’ tresses (Spiranthes cernua), a native orchid that shows up in open prairie patches around Minnesota.

These plants are early successional, which means they often appear in younger or recently disturbed prairie areas before taller competition moves in. Nodding ladies' tresses is known to “melt away” as a plant community matures.

Have you ever seen nodding Ladies’ tresses? Share your photos in the comments!

Photo: Nodding Ladies’ Tresses (Spiranthes cernua) at Ottertail Prairie SNA in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

09/29/2026

Why do native prairie seeds matter so much? 🌼

Each tiny seed carries the future of Minnesota’s prairies. In fall, bluestem, coneflower, milkweed, switchgrass, leadplant, and many other natives start releasing the seeds that will become future habitat.

These seeds become the plants that restore diversity, support pollinators, stabilize soil, and help prairies recover after fire or disturbance. Deep rooted prairie plants grown from local seed also store carbon, filter water, and support wildlife.

Many SNAs use hand collected local seed to restore or reconstruct native plant communities. Every handful makes a difference.

You can help by collecting seeds at an upcoming volunteer event: mndnr.gov/snas/events.html

Photo: Collecting native prairie seeds at Spring Creek Prairie SNA.

09/28/2026

Join us for a rare bee survey at Cottonwood River Prairie SNA! 🐝

Minnesota is home to about 520 species of native bees, including more than 100 specialist species that depend on just one or a few types of plants for pollen. This video shows how the Minnesota Biological Survey bee team studies one of those species - Colletes andrewsi, a specialist bee that relies on prairie alumroot (Heuchera). Using a non-lethal mark-release-recapture method, researchers capture, uniquely color-mark, and release female bees over several days to estimate population size and better understand their habitat needs. Understanding these rare bees and the plants they depend on can help guide conservation, habitat restoration, and future population monitoring across Minnesota.

Interested in learning more about this and other projects on Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas? Read the “Rare Rewards” in the latest issue of the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine: mndnr.gov/mcvmagazine/issues/2026/sep-oct/rare.html

This project was done in collaboration with the University of MN Bee Lab and funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund

Video: Jessica Peterson, Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, MBS, and Marissa Chase, UMN Bee Lab Researcher, talk about their research on the Colletes andrewsi bee at Cottonwood River Prairie SNA in Brown County, Minnesota.

09/26/2026

Celebrate National Public Lands Day at Lost Valley Prairie SNA in Washington County! 🎉

Give back to your public lands at this seed-collection event to support future restoration projects on the SNA.

When: Saturday, September 26th
From: 10 am to 2 pm

Event details here: mndnr.gov/events/event.html?id=1038

Can't make it? No problem. Explore an SNA near you: mndnr.gov/snas/map.html⁠

Photo: People collecting native prairie seeds to be used in future restorations at Lost Valley Prairie SNA in Washington County, Minnesota.

Address

Duluth, MN
55801, 55802, 55803, 55804, 55805, 55806, 55807, 55808, 55810, 55811, 55812

Website

http://mndnr.gov/snas

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