A rare piece of Anoka County’s natural history, including nearly a dozen threatened and endangered plants, is being preserved as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) dedicates a Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) in Blaine on Thursday, July 25th at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to a guided tour of the site to learn about its features.

The dedication of the Blaine Preserve Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) will start at 6:30 p.m. with remarks by state and local officials. The program will be followed by a site tour. Following the tour, people can stay on for 45 minutes of site stewardship work, such as cutting invasive buckthorn or pulling knapweed. Participants should come with waterproof footwear, drinking water and bug repellent.

Located a few hundred yards east of Interstate 35W, just off 95th Avenue, the 63-acre Blaine Preserve SNA site represents one of the state’s rarest types of wetlands, a rich fen, where layers of peat and slightly acidic groundwater create the conditions needed by unusual plants such as cross-leaved milkwort, twisted yellow-eyed grass and the tubercled rein-orchid.

To reach the SNA site from I-35W, take the 95th Avenue exit and travel about 0.3 miles east to the Blaine Preserve Business Park, 3787 95th Ave. NE in Blaine, where free parking will be available for the dedication. Activities will take place at the SNA on the opposite side of the street. (See the DNR News Release)