State Natural Areas Program
State Natural Areas (SNAs) protect outstanding examples of Wisconsin's native
landscape of natural communities, significant geological formations and archeological
sites. Wisconsin's 607 State Natural Areas encompassing 326,000 acres
are valuable for research and educational use, the preservation of genetic and
biological diversity, and for providing benchmarks for determining the impact
of use on managed lands. They also provide some of the last refuges for rare
plants and animals. In fact, more than 90% of the plants and 75% of the animals
on Wisconsin's list of endangered and threatened species are protected on SNAs.
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Featured State Natural Area
Waterloo Quartzite Outcrops, Dodge County
Waterloo
Quartzite Outcrops is one of 5 new State Natural Areas located within the newly
created Glacial Heritage Area (GHA)
in southern Wisconsin. Originating from the Wisconsin Land Legacy Report, the
GHA is a series of parks, preserves, wildlife and natural areas that will provide
new opportunities for visitors to enjoy and learn about nature. The Waterloo
Quartzite Outcrops consists of two separate geological features with Precambrian
red quartzite and Paleozoic conglomerate rock. The southernmost outcrop, Stony
Island, is a 23-acre quartzite island in the Crawfish and Maunesha River floodplain.
Learn more...
State Natural Area Guidebook:
Wisconsin,
naturally features 150 of our finest State Natural Areas. This award-winning
publication contains site descriptions, photos, and driving directions.
Order yours today!
Related Sites
Questions? Please contact the State Natural Areas Program
Last Revised: March 4, 2010
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