Tallgrass Aspen Parkland - Protection 2012-001

Fee acquisition of 160 acres. This property is surrounded by 27,000+ acres of MN DNR land. The owner seeks to sell the property. Not conserving this property would threaten its conservation values (and those of adjacent WMA land due to the possibility of having to allow vehicle access if the tract is purchased by a non-conservation buyer) and make management of adjacent WMA land more difficult. The property is composed of Lake Plain Wetlands, a major plant community targeted in the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland Conservation Area Plan. It provides habitat for mobile mammals such as elk and wolves. It is also suitable habitat for any parkland species identified in the State Wildlife Action Plan that require sedge meadow, including Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow and American Bittern.