Princeton Prairie

State Natural Area (No. 343)

Location: Green Lake County. T16N-R12E, Section 2 E½NE¼NW¼. 61 acres.

Access: Currently land locked. Access for public use is pending acquisition of additional parcels.

Description: Located in an extensive basin where the meandering White and Puchyan Rivers empty into the Fox River, Princeton Prairie features a high quality wetland complex with numerous rare plants and animals. The site contains a diversity of wetland communities with southern sedge meadow, wet-mesic prairie, and open marsh. A low wet-prairie-marsh-sedge meadow complex can be found at the edge of the Puchyan River wetlands and contains a rich diversity of species including a large population of the state threatened prairie parsley (Polytaenia nuttallii). Many other wet-mesic species can be found here including yellow star-grass, white wild indigo, cream wild indigo, tall green milkweed, Kalm's St. John's-wort, wood lily, blazing-star, prairie phlox, and prairie alumroot. A rich fauna includes such rare species as the state-threatened blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), king rail (Rallus elegans), northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), and Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii). The area is also important waterfowl breeding habitat. Princeton Prairie is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002.