The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, with help from Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Reinvest in Minnesota, recently acquired and designated 25 acres in Cook County as the new Icelandite Coastal Fen Scientific and Natural Area. This new SNA has very old and rare geologic and wetland features that provide a unique experience for visitors of any interest.
Scientific and natural areas are lands open to the public, but with a purpose distinct from other DNR-managed public lands which guides allowable public uses. SNAs protect the best of Minnesota’s remaining rare species, native prairies, old-growth forests, geologic features and other exceptional aspects of the state’s natural heritage. Recreational activities consistent with protection of natural conditions are allowed. SNAs are ideal for activities such as photography, nature observation, education and scientific research.
A dedication of the new Icelandite Coastal Fen SNA, with guest speakers and a guided walk through the site, will start at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Anyone interested in enjoying a fun day at this new SNA is invited to attend.
Located 11 miles northeast of Grand Marais, the new Icelandite Coastal Fen SNA has one of only two known fens on coastal wetlands on Lake Superior’s north shore.
A fen is a grassy or shrubby wetland fed by slow-moving groundwater with a buildup of peat. Because of the extreme rarity of this wetland type along Lake Superior and this fen’s outstanding quality, the site was deemed a high priority for protection. The site also contains a tamarack-alder swamp, a small spruce-fir woodland and about three-quarters of a mile of shoreline and cobble beach. A stretch of the Superior Hiking Trail that runs along Lake Superior follows the cobble beach through this SNA.
The geology of this site is also unusual. John Green Ph.D., professor emeritus in geology at the University of Minnesota Duluth, said the bedrock at this site is a volcanic lava rock called icelandite. This rock is a lighter gray than the dark basalt that is more abundant on the North Shore. While both types formed about 1.1 billion years ago, Icelandite is relatively rare, especially in the Midwest.
Many DNR staff and partners have worked for more than 25 years to establish an SNA on this site. Judy Elbert, SNA program supervisor, said the new SNA is exceptional.
“We don’t have anything like it protected in the state,” Elbert said. “The SNA is truly unique, for both its ecological and geological features.”
Two people who were instrumental in early efforts to preserve this special place agree.
Pat Collins, conservation program manager with the Minnesota Land Trust, said, “When a team of ecologists came together in 1998 for an early site evaluation, everyone was surprised by the quality of the native plant community and the uniqueness of the setting of a rich fen right on the shore of Lake Superior.”
Steve Wilson, retired SNA specialist for northeast Minnesota, said, “This gem is ecologically very special, with an impressive combination of natural features that are unique in this area.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about this new SNA, including a map and directions, visit the DNR’s website or email [email protected].