Compass Prairie SNA

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

Minnesota DNR logo

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Minnesota DNR

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

 

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

 

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
  Printable map      
         
 

Size

 
 

20 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

There is a field access (ditch crossing) at the designated parking area.

N43 34.357, W95 44.660

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

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          Nobles County  
          Southwest Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

No maintained trails

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Prairie Parkland Province

   
  Ecological Section    

North Central Glaciated Plains

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Coteau Moraines

   
  Land Type Association    

Buffalo Ridge

Slayton Moraine

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Dry Hill Prairie (Southern)

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

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

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Parking

 
    Compass Prairie SNA   Compass Prairie SNA  
           
    Compass Prairie SNA   Compass Prairie SNA  
           
 

Wood Routed Sign (2011)

 
    Compass Prairie SNA      
           
 

Wood Routed Sign (2013)

 
    Compass Prairie SNA   Compass Prairie SNA  
           
 

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

 
    Compass Prairie SNA   Compass Prairie SNA  
           
 

Unnamed Creek/ Wet Prairie

 
    Compass Prairie SNA   Compass Prairie SNA  
           
    Compass Prairie SNA   Compass Prairie SNA  
           
    Compass Prairie SNA      
           
 

Dry Hill Prairie (Southern)

 
    Compass Prairie SNA   Compass Prairie SNA  
           
    Compass Prairie SNA      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Compass Prairie SNA
minnesota_snas
  Compass Prairie SNA  
 
About

A small SNA at 20 acres, Compass Prairie is nonetheless the largest known native prairie remnant in all of Nobles County. The site's namesake compass plants rise 6-8 feet tall on gentle slopes beside a creek that feeds the Rock River.

 

 

slideshow

       
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

7/17/2004

  9/9/2011   8/27/2013        
 
 

Amphibians

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

 
         
 

Birds

 
 

Minnesota DNR Bird checklist

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)

     
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

One insect and arachnid species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Endangered

Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Insects List

 
 

black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)

cabbage white (Pieris rapae)

Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus)

mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)

orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

summer azure (Celastrina neglecta)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

 

goldenrod gall fly

monarch

twelve-spotted skimmer

 
 

Mammals

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Mammals List

 
 

plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)

thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  plains pocket gopher  
 

Plants

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Dry Hill Prairie (Southern) UPs13d

Mesic Prairie (Southern) UPs23a

     
 

 

alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa)

American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

American plum (Prunus americana)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara)

bracted vervain (Verbena bracteata)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis)

candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica)

clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

compass plant (Silphium laciniatum)

cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum)

dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata var. punctata)

downy phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida)

field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

field thistle (Cirsium discolor)

Flodman’s thistle (Cirsium flodmanii)

giant foxtail (Setaria faberi)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

giant sumpweed (Cyclachaena xanthiifolia)

gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

green foxtail (Setaria viridis var. viridis)

green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora)

hairy sunflower (Helianthus hirsutus)

heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea)

heart-leaved golden alexanders (Zizia aptera)

hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

lowland hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa)

marsh vetchling (Lathyrus palustris)

Maximilian’s sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)

narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)

panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides ssp. acanthoides)

prairie cordgrass (Sporobolus michauxianus)

prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata)

prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper)

purple locoweed (Oxytropis lambertii var. lambertii)

purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)

purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

redroot amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus)

rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)

sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula)

silverleaf scurfpea (Pediomelum argophyllum)

smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra)

smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum)

spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus)

tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum)

velvet-leaf (Abutilon theophrasti)

water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia)

western marbleseed (Lithospermum occidentale)

western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides)

white prairie clover (Dalea candida var. candida)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

white sweet clover (Melilotus albus)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila ssp. pumila)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

 

Abutilon theophrasti (velvet-leaf)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Allium stellatum (prairie onion)

Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot amaranth)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa (lowland hog peanut)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone)

Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Asclepias viridiflora (green milkweed)

Asparagus officinalis (asparagus)

Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama)

Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed)

Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle)

Cicuta maculata (spotted water hemlock)

Cirsium altissimum (tall thistle)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium discolor (field thistle)

Cirsium flodmanii (Flodman’s thistle)

Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed)

Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis)

Cyclachaena xanthiifolia (giant sumpweed)

Dalea candida var. candida (white prairie clover)

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover)

Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)

Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)

Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush)

Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Helianthus grosseserratus (sawtooth sunflower)

Helianthus hirsutus (hairy sunflower)

Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian’s sunflower)

Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus (stiff sunflower)

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra (smooth oxeye)

Lathyrus palustris (marsh vetchling)

Liatris aspera (rough blazing star)

Liatris punctata var. punctata (dotted blazing star)

Lithospermum occidentale (western marbleseed)

Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa)

Melilotus albus (white sweet clover)

Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover)

Mirabilis nyctaginea (heart-leaved four o’clock)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Oxytropis lambertii var. lambertii (purple locoweed)

Pediomelum argophyllum (silverleaf scurfpea)

Persicaria amphibia (water smartweed)

Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida (downy phlox)

Physalis heterophylla (clammy groundcherry)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Prunus americana (American plum)

Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Sambucus canadensis (American elderberry)

Setaria faberi (giant foxtail)

Setaria pumila ssp. pumila (yellow foxtail)

Setaria viridis var. viridis (green foxtail)

Silphium laciniatum (compass plant)

Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (cup plant)

Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Sonchus asper (prickly sow thistle)

Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed)

Sporobolus michauxianus (prairie cordgrass)

Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster)

Symphyotrichum laeve (smooth blue aster)

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (panicled aster)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbena bracteata (bracted vervain)

Zizia aptera (heart-leaved golden alexanders)

 

American elderberry

American plum

Canada anemone

common evening primrose

common yarrow

compass plant

downy phlox

field bindweed

gray-headed coneflower

green milkweed

leadplant

prairie onion

prairie rose

purple prairie clover

red clover

sawtooth sunflower

spotted water hemlock

stiff sunflower (ssp. subrhomboideus)

yellow goat’s beard

yellow sweet clover

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

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