Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Reed Lake Meadow (No. 395)

Overview

Location

Within Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, Burnett County. T39N-R18W, Section 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16. T40N-R18W, Section 34, 35. 3568 acres.

Access

From the junction of County D and F in Grantsburg, go north on County F 10.7 miles, then east on Reed Lake Road 3.1 miles, then south on James Road to Wallin overlook. Walk southwest into the meadow and barrens.

Description

Description

Situated within the gently rolling terrain of glacial outwash sands is Reed Lake Meadow -- a landscape mosaic of extensive wetlands, barrens, and brush prairie and savanna with scattered small lakes. A huge, open wetland south and west of Reed Lake is dominated by few-seeded sedge while to the east, leather-leaf and bog birch are dominant. A small stand of black spruce and tamarack is present on the eastern edge of the wetland. Sphagnum moss is present but not dominant in this “wire-grass” meadow. Numerous rare wetland birds are found here including yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracesis), Le Conte’s sparrow (Ammodramus lecontii), sharp-tailed sparrow (Ammodramus nelsonii), and short-eared owl (Asio flammeus). The natural area also supports distinct phases of barrens community including brush prairie, oak savanna, and oak woodland that vary in canopy cover and shrub density. The brush prairie contains Hill’s oak grubs over a sand prairie understory while the oak savanna contains shrub patches of New Jersey tea, American hazelnut, and prairie willow. Herbaceous plants include little blue-stem, June grass, prairie goldenrod, rough blazing-star, western sunflower, and wild lupine. The woodland consists of Hill’s oak with thickets of Pennsylvania sedge and hazelnut in the understory. Other herbaceous plants present include lyre-leaved rock cress, prairie phlox, Carolina puccoon, bird’s-foot violet, and showy goldenrod. Of interest is the presence of the federally-endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), whose caterpillar feeds only on wild lupine leaves. Management activities such as controlled burning help keep the site open and free from woody vegetation --the necessary conditions for maintaining the lupine population. Reed Lake Meadow is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2003.

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.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 172 KB]

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)