Larix Wildlife Management Area: Calcareous fens, Tamarack Seepage Swamps, and Rich Fens

Leaders:
Steve Eggers, Senior Ecologist for the St. Paul District Corps of Engineers
Scott Milburn, Senior Botanist/Ecologist for Midwest Natural Resources

Larix WMA is located in the extreme southern portion of the Minnesota aspen parkland. It is a large undeveloped wooded WMA, which is immediately adjacent to the Gully Fen SNA and contains many of the same habitat types. Its location in the Glacial Lake Agassiz Lake plain is notable as it is located just north of the high beach ridge at Gully.

The Larix WMA is one of the true treasures of the MN DNR Wildlife Management Area lands in terms of native plant communities and rare plant species. This area is where east meets west and includes several very unique plant communities including calcareous fen, tamarack seepage swamp, and rich fen. Highly unusual for calcareous fens statewide is the presence of pitcher plants (Sarraceniapurpurea), bog buckbean (Menyanthestrifoliata), and lantern sedge (Carex limosa), but commonly observed within the calcareous fen components here. Field trip attendees will also encounter a number of rare species including sterile sedge (Carex sterilis), Beaked Spike-rush (Eleocharis rostellata)Hair-like Beak-rush(Rhynchospora capillacea), Twig Rush (Cladium mariscoides) and much more.

Field trips are open to MNNPS members only and pre-registration is required. To register, send an email to: Ken Arndt <ken.arndt@mnrinc.us>