Mazomanie Oak Barrens State Natural Area
Situated on a broad and gently undulating sand terrace along the Wisconsin River, Mazomanie Oak Barrens features a significant oak barrens remnant containing large scattered black oaks with bur oak, black cherry, and small amounts of white oak. Groves of smaller oaks occur amid sand prairie openings with species such as big and little blue-stem, bronze-headed oval sedge, goat’s-rue, Carolina puccoon, June grass, clammy ground-cherry, rough blazing-star, prairie coreopsis, few-leaved sunflower, and spiderwort. Common prickly-pear cacti are scattered throughout the site, attesting to the arid conditions. Within the matrix community are patches of oak woodland with white and black oaks and a shrub layer composed of American hazelnut and huckleberry. A wet prairie dominated by prairie cord grass is also present. Past disturbances include grazing and fire suppression, which diminished available habitat for sun-loving grasses and forbs but management activities such as tree thinning will help invigorate the area. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
- Parking
