Blaine Preserve SNA

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

Minnesota DNR logo

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Minnesota DNR

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

This site consists of two units separated by Lovell Road (County Road 52). It is mostly low wetland with areas of mesic prairie and oak woodland.

 
     
 

History

 
 

Overview
This relatively new Scientific and Natural Area was officially designated June 27, 2011.

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

Detail map (MN DNR)

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
  Printable map      
         
 

Size

 
 

63.8 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

Lexington Memorial Park
N45 8.316, W93 10.601

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

Get driving directions from Google Maps to this destination from any address, and send those directions to your phone.

   
          Anoka County  
          Metro Area  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

No maintained trails

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

   
  Ecological Section    

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Anoka Sand Plain

   
  Land Type Association    

Anoka Lake Plain

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Not mapped (10/11/2021)

   
  * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources      
         
 

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Footpaths

This SNA is in a busy suburb and is often visited by local residents. Some parts of the site get a great amount of use and have well-worn footpaths. There is a very well worn footpath beginning 75 yards east of the parking area. It leads north 100 yards then west, through the SNA, to a ball field near the northwest corner of Lexington Memorial Park. Other parts of the SNA are relatively untrammeled, with faint paths used mostly by deer, amateur naturalists, and the site steward.

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
           
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Parking

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  
           
    Blaine Preserve SNA      
           
 

Wood Routed Sign

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA      
           
 

Main Trail

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  
           
    Blaine Preserve SNA      
           
 

Other Trails

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  
           
 

Perennial Stream

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA      
           
 

Wet Prairie

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  
           
 

Spring

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  
           
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  
           
 

Late summer

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA      
           
 

North Unit

 
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  
           
    Blaine Preserve SNA   Blaine Preserve SNA  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Blaine Preserve SNA
minnesota_snas
  Blaine Preserve SNA  
 
About

The Blaine Preserve protects 13 rare plants, including four of Minnesota's endangered species. The largest know Minnesota population of cross-leaved milkwort and the second largest Minnesota population of twisted yellow-eyed grass are found on this site. The predominant native plant community that supports most of these plants is a Graminoid Rich Fen, a low-lying wetland characterized by grasses and sedges growing in peat. Blaine Preserve was protected because of the site's outstanding biodiversity significance, and because only remnants of this community type remain in this rapidly developing part of the metropolitan region.

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Blaine Preserve Scientific and Natural Area Virtual Hike
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
 
   
 
About

Apr 2, 2020

Blaine Preserve SNA is near I-35W in Blaine, and is a site of very high biodiversity. It provides a colorful show of flowers and grass during the growing season, but the prairie blazing star is especially astounding in late July and early August.

Find the wild places!
mndnr.gov/snas/sna02036

 

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Share your sightings or comments about of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
         
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

5/14/2013   9/11/2013            
 
 

Amphibians

 
 

boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)

wood frog (Rana sylvatica)

  wood frog  
 

Birds

 
 

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

 

American Goldfinch

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Mourning Dove

Song Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

 
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
  Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)   Black Knot  
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

Minnesota Bee Atlas

 
 

common green darner (Anax junius)

dill (Anethum graveolens)

dog day cicada (Neotibicen canicularis)

goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

goldenrod spindle-gall moth (Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginis)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)

mustard white (Pieris oleracea)

orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

polished lady beetle (Cycloneda munda)

viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

 

common green darner

monarch

mourning cloak

 
 

Mammals

 
 

eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  eastern gray squirrel  
 

Plants

 
 

Twelve plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:

Endangered

cross-leaved milkwort (Polygala cruciata)

grassleaf rush (Juncus marginatus)

Missouri dewberry (Rubus missouricus)

slimspike three-awn (Aristida longespica var. geniculata)

tall nutrush (Scleria triglomerata)

twisted yelloweyed grass (Xyris torta)

winter bentgrass (Agrostis hyemalis)

Threatened

Clinton’s bulrush (Trichophorum clintonii)

lance-leaved violet (Viola lanceolata ssp. lanceolata)

pale green orchid (Platanthera flava var. herbiola)

Special Concern

autumn fimbristylis (Fimbristylis autumnalis)

St. Lawrence grapefern (Botrychium rugulosum)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

 

alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa)

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus)

American burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius var. hieraciifolius)

American hazelnut (Corylus americana)

American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

Amur maple (Acer ginnala)

Bebb’s willow (Salix bebbiana)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus)

black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina)

black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

blood milkwort (Polygala sanguinea)

blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

bog birch (Betula pumila)

bog willow (Salix pedicellaris)

bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

broad-leaved panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium)

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

butter and eggs (Linaria vulgaris)

Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis)

Canadian horseweed (Erigeron canadensis)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)

cleavers (Galium aparine)

common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)

common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

cross-leaved milkwort (Polygala cruciata)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

curlytop knotweed (Persicaria lapathifolia)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

eastern marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)

field thistle (Cirsium discolor)

flat-topped aster (Doellingeria umbellata)

Fraser’s marsh St. Johnswort (Triadenum fraseri)

giant foxtail (Setaria faberi)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus)

grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia)

gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

green foxtail (Setaria viridis var. viridis)

ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

hairy vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. villosa)

hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana)

Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

interrupted fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana)

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

long-spine sandbur (Cenchrus longispinus)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

narrow-leaved meadowsweet (Spiraea alba var. alba)

narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

northern blue flag (Iris versicolor)

northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis)

northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

orange daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)

ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica)

paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera)

prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya)

prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus)

prairie goldenrod (Solidago ptarmicoides)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

purple false foxglove (Agalinis purpurea var. purpurea)

purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

rabbit’s foot clover (Trifolium arvense)

rabbit-tobacco (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium)

red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea)

red pine (Pinus resinosa)

rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra)

rough rattlesnake root (Nabalus asper)

round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata)

royal fern (Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis)

sandbar willow (Salix interior)

sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

slender willow (Salix petiolaris)

small-flowered false foxglove (Agalinis purpurea var. paupercula)

smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra)

Sphinx ladies’ tresses (Spiranthes incurva)

spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata var. villicaulis)

spotted Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum)

spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos)

spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis)

steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

swamp betony (Pedicularis lanceolata)

swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata)

swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum)

tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima var. altissima)

threeway sedge (Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana)

white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides)

white poplar (Populus alba)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

wool grass (Scirpus cyperinus)

yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila ssp. pumila)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer ginnala (Amur maple)

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Agalinis purpurea var. paupercula (small-flowered false foxglove)

Agalinis purpurea var. purpurea (purple false foxglove)

Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot)

Agrostis scabra (rough bentgrass)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)

Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Berteroa incana (hoary alyssum)

Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera (paper birch)

Betula pumila (bog birch)

Cenchrus longispinus (long-spine sandbur)

Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos (spotted knapweed)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium discolor (field thistle)

Cirsium muticum (swamp thistle)

Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood)

Corylus americana (American hazelnut)

Doellingeria umbellata (flat-topped aster)

Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum (threeway sedge)

Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)

Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)

Erechtites hieraciifolius var. hieraciifolius (American burnweed)

Erigeron canadensis (Canadian horseweed)

Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane)

Eupatorium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (common boneset)

Euthamia graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod)

Eutrochium maculatum (spotted Joe Pye weed)

Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry)

Frangula alnus (glossy buckthorn)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Gentiana andrewsii (bottle gentian)

Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy)

Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed)

Helenium autumnale (common sneezeweed)

Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke)

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra (smooth oxeye)

Hemerocallis fulva (orange daylily)

Impatiens capensis (spotted touch-me-not)

Iris versicolor (northern blue flag)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)

Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya (prairie blazing star)

Linaria vulgaris (butter and eggs)

Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus (bird’s-foot trefoil)

Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed)

Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower)

Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern)

Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa)

Monarda punctata var. villicaulis (spotted beebalm)

Nabalus asper (rough rattlesnake root)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)

Claytosmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern)

Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (royal fern)

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum (cinnamon fern)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip)

Pedicularis lanceolata (swamp betony)

Persicaria lapathifolia (curlytop knotweed)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Pinus resinosa (red pine)

Pinus strobus (eastern white pine)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Polygala cruciata (cross-leaved milkwort)

Polygala sanguinea (blood milkwort)

Populus alba (white poplar)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)

Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (rabbit-tobacco)

Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Salix bebbiana (Bebb’s willow)

Salix interior (sandbar willow)

Salix pedicellaris (bog willow)

Salix petiolaris (slender willow)

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Scirpus cyperinus (wool grass)

Setaria faberi (giant foxtail)

Setaria pumila ssp. pumila (yellow foxtail)

Setaria viridis var. viridis (green foxtail)

Solidago altissima var. altissima (tall goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod)

Solidago ptarmicoides (prairie goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Spiraea alba var. alba (narrow-leaved meadowsweet)

Spiraea tomentosa (steeplebush)

Spiranthes incurva (Sphinx ladies’ tresses)

Symphoricarpos occidentalis (wolfberry)

Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster)

Symphyotrichum laeve (smooth blue aster)

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium (broad-leaved panicled aster)

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Thelypteris palustris var. pubescens (eastern marsh fern)

Tilia americana (American basswood)

Triadenum fraseri (Fraser’s marsh St. Johnswort)

Trifolium arvense (rabbit’s foot clover)

Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Verbena hastata (blue vervain)

Vicia villosa ssp. villosa (hairy vetch)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

 

alfalfa

alsike clover

black cherry

black raspberry

bottle gentian

bur oak (var. macrocarpa)

butter and eggs

Canada mayflower

common boneset

common evening primrose

common sneezeweed

curlytop knotweed

early meadow-rue

field thistle

giant foxtail

gray dogwood

hairy vetch

hoary alyssum

interrupted fern

long-spine sandbur

New England aster

orange daylily

prairie rose

rabbit-tobacco

red osier dogwood

red pine

round-headed bush clover

spotted touch-me-not

swamp milkweed

swamp thistle

purple meadow-rue

wild parsnip

yellow wood sorrel

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created:

Last Updated:

© MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.

About Us

Privacy Policy

Contact Us