Minnesota Seasons - Lost Valley Prairie Scientific and Natural Area


Lost Valley Prairie Scientific and Natural Area

County	Washington
GPS	N44 47.830 W92 49.467
Size	200 acres
Habitat	Bluff prairie
Hiking Trails	None

Links	Minnesota DNR

Comments	Restoration activities in 2006 included pulling knapweed and thistle, collecting seeds, and planting little bluestem.

Images	Click on an image for a larger view.



Birds

	American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)


Insects

	American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) monarch (Danaus plexippus) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)


Plants	Two plant species with protected status in Minnesota are found here: Special concern – Hill’s thistle (Cirsium hillii), rock sandwort (Minuartia dawsonensis) Other plants that can be found on this site, along with those listed below, include big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula), hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta var. hirsuta), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), prairie smoke (Geum triflorum var. triflorum), birdfoot violet (Viola pedata), and yellow star grass (Hypoxis hirsuta). Minnesota DNR Plant List

	alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa) black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) Canada lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis var. canadensis) catnip (Nepeta cataria) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) common plantain (Plantago major) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium var. millefolium) curly dock (Rumex crispus ssp. crispus) cylindric blazing star (Liatris cylindracea) Deptford pink (Dianthus armeria) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis) field thistle (Cirsium discolor) flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata) giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida var. trifida) golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) musk thistle (Carduus nutans) oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya) prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata var. fasciculata) prairie sagewort (Artemisia frigida) prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper) purple giant hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia) purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea) Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota ssp. carota) red clover (Trifolium pratense) rough blazing star (Liatris aspera) rough false pennyroyal (Hedeoma hispida) rough-fruited cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) tall cinquefoil (Potentilla arguta ssp. arguta) Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba) white sweet clover (Melilotus albus) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) wild grape (Vitis riparia) wild oat (Avena fatua) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)


Visits	04/14/2006 04/21/2006 07/27/2008