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Cindy Gonzalez
ST. PAUL, Minn.

DNR to dedicate wetland in Anoka County

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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on Thursday will set aside a rare tract of wetland in Anoka County.

The Blaine Preserve Scientific and Natural Area includes nearly a dozen threatened and endangered plants in a wetland known as a fen, where layers of peat and acidic water create conditions that supports unusual plants.

Preserving the 63-acre site is important, said Larissa Mottl a DNR scientific and natural area coordinator.

"This is one of extremely few habitats of this kind that remain within Anoka County," she said. "We would lose existence of several rare species that only occur in a couple of other known locations in the state," including cross leafed milk wort, twisted yellow eyed grass and tubercled-rein orchids.

Users of the area should expect some changes, she added.

"When the site is protected it is made available to the public but we do have some limitations on how the site is used," Mottl said. "It's available for low-impact uses, for hiking, and wildlife watching, visiting and seeing some of the rare plants and animals that are protected."

The state has more than 150 scientific and natural areas that represent examples of plants and vegetation as they existed before European settlement.

If you go: Dedication of the Blaine Preserve Scientific and Natural Area, July 25, 6:30 p.m., 3787 95th Ave. NE in Blaine. The DNR is looking for volunteers to help cut down invasive species during the event.