Cherry Lake Sedge Meadow

State Natural Area (No. 120)

Location: Within Honey Creek Wildlife Area, Racine County. T3N-R19E, Sections 10, 15. 80 acres.

Access: From Rochester go south one mile on CountyW to the Honey Creek Wildlife Area parking lot. Walk west and southwest 0.5 mile into the area.

Description: Cherry Lake Sedge Meadow is located in a serpentine basin in glacial till and contains southern sedge meadow, fen, and northern wet forest communities. With only a few openings in the deep sedge mat, Cherry Lake is a misnomer. The sedge meadow contains both alkaline- and acid-loving plants. Of special interest are round-leaved sundew, shrubby cinquefoil, yellow twayblade, marsh St. Johns-wort, marsh fern, and sphagnum moss. To the north of the sedge meadow is a small fen. Shrub-carr is scattered throughout the area, and a tamarack-poison sumac bog lies to the northeast. There has been some tamarack die-off, which promotes even more bushy growth. A portion of an esker runs along the west boundary. This upland area has been grazed in the past and is now brushy oldfield. Cherry Lake Sedge Meadow is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1975.