Kettle Moraine Low Prairie

State Natural Area (No. 88)

Location: Within the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Waukesha County. T5N-R17E, Sections 3, 4, 9, 10. 250 acres.

Access: From the intersection of State Highways 67 and 59 in Eagle, go north on Highway 67 2.1 miles to a gated access lane leading west. Walk west 0.5 mile to the southeast corner of the site.

Description: Kettle Moraine Low Prairie lies near the center of the Scuppernong Basin, a broad lowland drained by the Scuppernong River that once supported a vast prairie and sedge meadow complex. Situated in the glacial plain of southeastern Wisconsin, the northern portion of prairie is on gently undulating topography with standing water in depressions. Wet prairie and fen species such as blue-joint grass, shrubby cinquefoil, valerian, grass-of-Parnassus, and the uncommon Ohio goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) dominate this area. Rich wet-mesic prairie lies to the south where the land slopes down to the river. Dominant species include Indian grass, big and little blue-stem, rattlesnake-master, and prairie dock. Small, upland islands within the wetland contain recovering oak opening and dry-mesic prairie. The natural area harbors significant populations of rare plants and animals and is an important refuge for them. These include prairie Indian plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum), marsh blazing-star (Liatris spicata), the state-endangered Powesheik skipperling (Oarisma powesheik), state-threatened Butler's garter snake (Thamnophis butleri) and Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii). Other rare animals of note include the two-spotted skipper (Euphyes bimaculata), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), and western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). Kettle Moraine Low Prairie is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1971.