Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Clifford F Messinger Dry Prairie & Savanna Preserv (No. 230)

Overview

Location

Within Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Jefferson, Walworth and Waukesha County. 246 acres.

Access

The preserve encompasses 16 separate units. Contact the State Natural Areas Program for more information.

Description

Description

Stretching across more than 20 miles of kettle moraine topography of kettle holes, interlobate moraine, and outwash plains in southeastern Wisconsin, this preserve consists of sixteen separate sites, grouped into five units, containing prairie and oak opening communities. Each site has a unique flora which together characterize the presettlement flora of the region. The prairies are dominated by big and little blue-stems, Indian grass, prairie drop-seed, and side-oats grama. Flowering plants include pasque flower, bird's-foot violet, purple prairie-clover, hoary puccoon, old-field goldenrod, and blazing-star. Although each has its distinctive character, two sites deserve discussion here. Bald Bluff Dry Prairie is the largest dry prairie of the group and the most diverse in terms of plant species. It also has historical significance: it was visited by Abraham Lincoln when he was in the U.S. Army and it is thought to be a Native American signal hill. Whitewater Oak Opening, covering 120 acres of rugged morainal topography, is dominated by bur oak on the ridge tops and south- and southwest-facing slopes, by red oak on the north-facing slopes, and by white oak in other places. Like the few other remnant oak openings in the state, it has been invaded by shrubs and other woody growth over the years, especially honeysuckle and prickly ash. However, a wildfire in the 1950's opened up the site to a certain extent, and this natural fire is being mimicked by prescribed burning, reinstating this crucial process of the oak opening ecosystem. Clifford F. Messinger Dry Prairie and Savanna Preserve is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1990.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)