Minnesota Scientific & Natural Areas

Minnesota Scientific & Natural Areas 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

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.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day at Lost Valley Prairie SNA in Washington County! 🎉Give back to your public lands at ...
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.

It’s starting! 🌾Across Minnesota, the first hints of fall color are quietly spreading across prairies. You might notice ...
09/25/2026

It’s starting! 🌾

Across Minnesota, the first hints of fall color are quietly spreading across prairies. You might notice prairie grasses shifting from summer green to warm gold. Like this Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) at Oronoco Prairie SNA.



mndnr.gov/snas/sna01095

Photo: Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) at Oronoco Prairie SNA in Olmsted County, Minnesota. ©Coldsnap Photography

The fall edition of Nature Notes is out! 🌿This issue features:-Sprague Creek and Winter Road Lake Peatland SNAs: The Lea...
09/23/2026

The fall edition of Nature Notes is out! 🌿

This issue features:
-Sprague Creek and Winter Road Lake Peatland SNAs: The Leading Edge of Minnesota’s Peatland Resilience Initiative
-Site Highlight: Beva Paulson Memorial Hardwood Forest SNA
-Staff Highlight: Shannon Kearney
-Site Steward Notes
-SNA Events
-Minnesota Native Plant Highlight: Bottle Gentian

If you are not currently a subscriber, a copy will be posted later in the week at:
mndnr.gov/snas/enews.html



Photo: Showy lady’s slipper icon as seen in the Nature Notes Newsletter.

If you’ve been out in Minnesota’s prairies lately, you may have noticed spider webs catching the morning or evening ligh...
09/23/2026

If you’ve been out in Minnesota’s prairies lately, you may have noticed spider webs catching the morning or evening light. 🕷

Some of these are made by large orb-weaving spiders such as the Banded Garden Spider, building webs between grasses and wildflowers.

Have you seen any orb-weaving spiders recently? Let us know in the comments!



mndnr.gov/snas/sna01095

Photo: Banded Garden Spider at Oronoco Prairie SNA in Olmsted County, Minnesota. ©Coldsnap Photography

Happy birthday to Watrous Island SNA!Nine years ago today, this special place on the Rainy River became an SNA. It prote...
09/18/2026

Happy birthday to Watrous Island SNA!

Nine years ago today, this special place on the Rainy River became an SNA. It protects two islands along Minnesota’s border with Canada, including an impressive 44-acre Black Ash-Silver Maple Terrace forest.

With 10,000 feet of undeveloped shoreline, these islands provide habitat for bald eagles, wood ducks, sandpipers, sturgeon and more.

Have you ever visited Watrous Island SNA? Let us know in the comments!

mndnr.gov/snas/sna02063



Photo: Watrous Island in the fall.

09/17/2026

What does finding a rare plant in the field look like?

In this video, Minnesota Biological Survey botanist Derek Anderson finds rare kittentails while surveying Franconia Bluffs SNA. It’s one of several exciting discoveries featured in the latest edition of the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Magazine.

MBS + SNA work together to find, understand and protect Minnesota’s rare species and natural places.

Read more: mndnr.gov/mcvmagazine/issues/2026/sep-oct/rare.html



Video: MBS botanist Derek Anderson finds rare kittentails at Franconia Bluffs SNA.

Help search for invasive species at Avon Hills Forest SNA! 🌾🌿Join us Sunday, Sept. 20 for an Invasive BioBlitz. Spend th...
09/13/2026

Help search for invasive species at Avon Hills Forest SNA! 🌾🌿

Join us Sunday, Sept. 20 for an Invasive BioBlitz. Spend the morning exploring the SNA while helping search for and document invasive plants.

No need to be an expert. Come learn, explore and lend a hand!

Sunday, Sept. 20
9 am to 12 pm
Avon Hills Forest SNA, about 20 miles from St. Cloud

Learn more and register here:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/events/event.html?id=1036



Photo: Volunteers with buckthorn at Avon Hills Forest SNA.

Happy 30th to Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA.🎂Established in 1996 this SNA stretches over 900 acres along the Cannon R...
09/11/2026

Happy 30th to Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA.🎂

Established in 1996 this SNA stretches over 900 acres along the Cannon River in Goodhue County. It is a fine example of a mosaic of native habitats that provide home to a variety of species, including turtles.

Here you can explore southern terrace and floodplain forests dominated by silver maple, green ash and cottonwood. Oak-hickory woodland, and smaller areas of maple-basswood forest are found on higher ground. A few dots of bluff prairie can be spotted high above the river in the SNA.

A great way to explore the site is from the Cannon Valley Trail! See our post last week about a ride SNA staff led in August.

mndnr.gov/snas/sna01030



Photo: The Cannon River flowing through the Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA.

Address

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

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Minnesota Scientific & Natural Areas posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category