Glenn Creek Barrens State Natural Area

Glenn Creek Barrens is situated on the sandy uplands along both sides of Glenn Creek just east of its confluence with Robinson Creek. This Area features a superb pine barrens with jack pine, white pine, and black oak.

The denser stands of jack pine are quite open underneath except for scattered thickets of hazelnut. In the late 1990’s, the northern stands of jack pine were thinned by an outbreak of budworm, which killed or seriously damaged roughly 50% of the trees. While this native needle-feeding caterpillar is generally considered the most significant pest of jack pine in the North Central Region, it has evolved to play an integral part in perpetuating jack pine ecosystems. After the outbreak, the ground layer responded with vigorous growth by many barrens species.

Plants include little bluestem, June grass, flowering spurge, lyrate rock-cress, bastard toadflax, whorled loosestrife, long-leaved bluets, northern slender lady’s-tresses, and the state-threatened dwarf milkweed. This Area also supports the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly.

Glenn Creek Barrens is owned by Jackson County and was designated a State Natural Area in 2010.

Source: WDNR