Missouri/Natural Areas System

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The Natural Areas Committee (MoNAC) of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is tasked with listing, and very occasionally delisting, tracts of land in the Missouri Natural Areas System[1]. These natural areas comprise "remnant prairies, old-growth forests and woodlands, rare wetlands, caves, and many other kinds of native habitat"[2] that preserve Missouri's pre-settlement natural landscape. The vast majority occur on public land, and many occur within parks and conservation areas. Others are found on private lands with legal arrangements to protect them and facilitate some level of public access. They are preserved for their aesthetic, cultural, and research value, but many are open for low impact recreational purposes. However, some of the more fragile sites require permission to visit them to protect their ecosystems from damage by visitors.[3] This is not an encyclopedic article; rather, this page is meant to provide geographical context and tagging guidance for Missouri's natural areas and document mapping progress along the way.

Generally, our state natural areas are mapped in OpenStreetMap using areas (via closed ways or boundary relations) with boundary=protected_area, leisure=nature_reserve for those areas open to leisurely visits, and with owner and operator and their corresponding subtags set appropriately. Wikidata items exist for all state-designated natural areas as of July 2024, so wikidata can be included for semantic linkage. Also, the MDC's website, itself, has a page for most of its natural areas, so the website tag can be thrown in to point to that.

List of natural areas

Alley Spring Natural Area

Alley Spring Natural Area

https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/natural-areas/alley-spring

[W]Q127816525

This natural area is split between the Angeline Conservation Area, owned and maintained by the state Department of Conservation, and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways of the National Park Service. It is not currently mapped.

Allred Lake Natural Area

Allred Lake Natural Area

https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/natural-areas/allred-lake

[W]Q127855179

Ashe Juniper Natural Area

Ashe Juniper Natural Area

https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/natural-areas/ashe-juniper

[W]Q127855147

Auxvasse Natural Area

Auxvasse Natural Area

[W]Q127846203

This natural area in Callaway County lies within the Reform Conservation Area. While the enclosing conservation area is largely owned by Ameren Missouri (officially called Union Electric Company) and leased to the Department of Conservation for public use, the Auxvasse Natural Area in particular is on state land. This area does not have a public page on MDC's website.

Ava Glades Natural Area

[W]Q127855153

Babler Southwoods Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127846250

Bald Hill Glade Natural Area

[W]Q127855050

Ball Mill Resurgence Natural Area

[W]Q127855154

https://ladfoundation.org/other-l-a-d-lands/ball-mill-resurgence-na

This natural area is owned by the L-A-D Foundation, a nonprofit conservation charity, but it's maintained by the Missouri Department of Conservation. When referring to the geological formation, the shorter name Ball Mill Resurgence is appropriate; but the state designation for the area is Ball Mill Resurgence Natural Area, and L-A-D itself uses this suffixed form to refer to the area.

Barn Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q34893506

Bat Cave Natural Area

[W]Q127855101

In Miller County, this natural area is owned and maintained by the Department of Conservation within the larger Bat Cave Conservation Area.

Beech Springs Natural Area

[W]Q127855081

Bennett Spring Hanging Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127855188

This natural area lies within Bennett Spring State Park. It's open to the public, but permission is required to visit due to the site's fragility.

Bennett Spring Savanna Natural Area

[W]Q127846190

https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/bennett-spring-savanna

This natural area near Bennett Spring State Park is owned and maintained by The Nature Conservancy, a private conservation charity.[4] When referring to the area as the TNC tract, their shorter name Bennett Spring Savanna is appropriate; but the state designation for the area follows the convention of suffixing names with "Natural Area", so the area is named Bennett Spring Savanna Natural Area in that context.

Big Barren Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855062

Big Buffalo Creek Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127855150

Big Oak Tree Natural Area

[W]Q127855078

Big Spring Natural Area

[W]Q127855145

This natural area lies within, and is owned and maintained by the National Park Service as part of, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.

Big Spring Pines Natural Area

[W]Q127855129

This natural area lies within, and is owned and maintained by the National Park Service as part of, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.

Big Sugar Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855091

Blair Creek Raised Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127855020

Blue Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855116

Blue River Glades Natural Area

[W]Q127855071

Blue Spring Natural Area

[W]Q127855026

Bona Glade Natural Area

[W]Q127855012

Botkins Pine Woods Natural Area

[W]Q127855106

Bradyville Natural Area

[W]Q127855111

Brickey Hills Natural Area

[W]Q127855200

Brickyard Hill Loess Mound Natural Area

[W]Q127840130

Brush Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855057

Brushy Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855054

Bryant Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127846238

Buck Mountain Natural Area

[W]Q127846271

Buffalo Hills Natural Area

[W]Q127846249

Bur-Reed Slough Natural Area

[W]Q127846257

Butler Hollow Glades Natural Area

[W]Q127846261

Caney Mountain Natural Area

[W]Q127855018

Cardareva Bluff Natural Area

[W]Q127846229

Carman Springs Natural Area

[W]Q127855165

Cash Swamp Natural Area

[W]Q127855046

Castor River Shut-Ins Natural Area

[W]Q127846243

Chariton River Hills Natural Area

[W]Q127839843

Chloe Lowry Marsh Natural Area

[W]Q127840124

Clifty Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855059

Coakley Hollow Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127846188

Coonville Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855199

Cowards Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127846263

Cupola Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855060

Current River Natural Area

[W]Q127855191

Danville Glade Natural Area

[W]Q127846237

This area is also known as Danville Glades Natural Area.

Dark Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127855039

Dave Rock Natural Area

[W]Q49481990

Des Moines River Ravines Natural Area

[W]Q127846247

Diamond Grove Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855184

Donaldson Point Natural Area

[W]Q127855028

Dripping Springs Natural Area

[W]Q127846227

Dupont Natural Area

[W]Q127846225

Eck Memorial Natural Area

[W]Q127855075

Elephant Rocks Natural Area

[W]Q127855189

Elk River Breaks Woodland Natural Area

[W]Q127855104

Elmslie Forest Natural Area

[W]Q127855207

Engelmann Woods Natural Area

way 580582424 [W]Q5377554

Fern Nook Natural Area

[W]Q127846195

George A. Hamilton Forest Natural Area

way 612826244 [W]Q127846270

Golden Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855143

Golden Seal Natural Area

[W]Q127855031

Graham Cave Glades Natural Area

[W]Q127846221

Grand Bluffs Natural Area

[W]Q127846198

Grand Gulf Natural Area

[W]Q127855148

Grasshopper Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127855073

Grassy Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127846245

Great Spirit Cave Natural Area

[W]Q127846220

This natural area is coextensive with Great Spirit Cave Conservation Area, and both are owned and managed by the Department of Conservation. The cave is closed to the public to "[protect] endangered species and [provide] for ongoing scientific research into cave life".[5]

Greer Spring Natural Area

[W]Q127846192

Ha Ha Tonka Karst Natural Area

[W]Q127855025

Ha Ha Tonka Oak Woodland Natural Area

[W]Q127846196

Haney Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855205

Helton Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855141

Hickory Canyons Natural Area

[W]Q127855168

Hidden Valley Natural Area

[W]Q127846232

Holly Ridge Natural Area

[W]Q127855094

Hopewell Prairie Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127855125

Horseshoe Bend Natural Area

[W]Q127855080

Horton Bottoms Natural Area

[W]Q127846211

Hughes Mountain Natural Area

[W]Q127840122

Huzzah Narrows Natural Area

[W]Q127846253

Indian Trail Natural Area

[W]Q127846240

Island Branch Natural Area

[W]Q127855100

Isley Park Woods Natural Area

[W]Q127855042

This natural area is within East Valley Park, a municipal park of the City of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, and is maintained by their Parks and Recreation Department.

Jacks Fork Natural Area

[W]Q127855175

Johnson's Shut-Ins Dolomite Glade Natural Area

[W]Q127846242

Johnson's Shut-Ins Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127855048

Johnson's Shut-Ins Natural Area

[W]Q127846205

Kelso Sanctuary Natural Area

[W]Q127855083

This natural area is on land owned by the Missouri Birding Society, a private nonprofit charity, and is maintained by the Department of Biology at Southeast Missouri State University, a public state university.

LaBarque Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855196

This natural area lies entirely on public state land, but it's owned and maintained by two different agencies. Half of the area exists within LaBarque Creek Conservation Area, which is owned and maintained by the Department of Conservation, and the remaining half exists within Don Robinson State Park of the Department of Natural Resources.

Lamotte Sandstone Barrens Natural Area

[W]Q127855193

La Petite Gemme Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127846267

Lichen Glade Natural Area

[W]Q127846209

Lily Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855202

Lincoln Hills Natural Area

way 612821714 [W]Q127846206

Linden's Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127846235

Little Bean Marsh Natural Area

[W]Q49517942

Little Niangua River Natural Area

[W]Q127846186

This natural area is fully within Burnt Mill Cave Conservation Area.

Little Osage Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855115

Little Tarkio Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855178

Locust Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855156

Maple Woods Natural Area

[W]Q127855016

Marg Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855098

Marmaton River Bottoms Natural Area

[W]Q127846214

McCormack Loess Mounds Natural Area

[W]Q127855064

This natural area lies within the Jamerson C. McCormack Conservation Area which is comprised of parcels owned by both the Department of Conservation and The Nature Conservancy, a private conservation charity. It's unclear to me whether the natural area exists solely on the parcels of one entity or the other. In any case, the Department of Conservation maintains the entirety of the natural area.

Meramec Mosaic Natural Area

[W]Q127855056

Meramec Upland Forest Natural Area

[W]Q127846259

Mill Mountain Natural Area

[W]Q127846223

Mingo Natural Area

[W]Q127846268

Mint Spring Seep Natural Area

[W]Q127855121

Montauk Upland Forest Natural Area

[W]Q127855044

Morris Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855040

Mossy Spring Cave Natural Area

[W]Q127855113

This natural area exists wholly within the Pea Ridge Conservation Area and is owned and maintained by the Department of Conservation.

Mount Vernon Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855120

Mud Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855085

Mudlick Mountain Natural Area

[W]Q127855108

Mule Hollow Glade Natural Area

[W]Q127855092

Niangua River Hills Natural Area

[W]Q127855014

Niawathe Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127846233

Orchid Valley Natural Area

[W]Q127846183

This natural area in Sainte Genevieve County is owned and maintained by the Department of Natural Resources as an exclave of Hawn State Park. According to this blog post, permission is required to enter the area.

Osage Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127846184

Otter Slough Natural Area

[W]Q127855067

Oumessourit Natural Area

[W]Q127846200

Oval Lake Natural Area

[W]Q127846216

Overcup Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127846208

Paint Brush Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855136

Also known as Paintbrush Prairie Natural Area, this area is owned and managed by the state Department of Conservation as part of the larger Paint Brush Prairie Conservation Area.

Pawhuska Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127846276

Pawnee Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127846213

Pelican Island Natural Area

way 669562526 [W]Q127855089

Pickle Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855052

Pickle Springs Natural Area

[W]Q118875918

Piney River Narrows Natural Area

[W]Q49543071

Pin Oak Slough Natural Area

[W]Q127855077

Pioneer Natural Area

[W]Q127855032

Pipestem Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127855097

Poplar Bluff Forest Natural Area

[W]Q127846201

Powder Mill Cave Natural Area

[W]Q127855181

Prairie Hollow Gorge Natural Area

[W]Q127855144

Prairie Slough Natural Area

[W]Q127855139

Pump Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127855065

Quercus Flatwoods Natural Area

[W]Q127855167

Razor Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127855183

Red Maple Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855172

Regal Tallgrass Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855096

Ripgut Prairie Natural Area

way 667818509 [W]Q127855127

Roaring River Cove Hardwoods Natural Area

[W]Q127855034

Rock Spring Bluff Natural Area

[W]Q127855137

Rocky Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127840128

This natural area is located in Monroe County on a tract of land owned by the L-A-D Foundation, a private conservation charity. It is maintained by the Department of Conservation.

Royal Gorge Natural Area

[W]Q127855186

Sand Ponds Natural Area

[W]Q127846181

Schnabel Woods Natural Area

[W]Q127846273

Shaw Bottomland Forest Natural Area

[W]Q127855185

Solomon Hollow Glades Natural Area

[W]Q127846265

Spiderlily Natural Area

[W]Q127855194

Spring Creek Gap Glades Natural Area

[W]Q49564621

Spring Creek Ranch Natural Area

[W]Q127855151

Spring's End Forest Natural Area

[W]Q127840132

Spurgeon Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127855029

Star School Hill Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855132

Stegall Mountain Natural Area

[W]Q127846230

Stellata Natural Area

[W]Q127855103

St. Francis River Natural Area

[W]Q127855122

St. Francois Mountains Natural Area

[W]Q127855130

Sunklands Natural Area

[W]Q127846275

Taberville Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855174

Tarkio Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855074

The Pinnacles Natural Area

[W]Q127855049

https://pypark.org/ (enclosing park)

This natural area is within Pinnacles Youth Park, a park owned and maintained by the private nonprofit Boone County Pinnacles Youth Foundation for public access by day and youth group camping at night.

Tingler Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855023

Tower Rock Natural Area

[W]Q127855087

Tucker Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127859651

Tunnel Bluff Woods Natural Area

[W]Q127855118

Tupelo Gum Pond Natural Area

[W]Q127855124

Twenty-Five Mile Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855037

Valley View Glades Natural Area

relation 17854376 [W]Q127723172

This natural area is located in Jefferson County, and it's owned and operated by the Department of Conservation.

Vancill Hollow Natural Area

way 670336832 [W]Q127855134

Vilander Bluff Natural Area

[W]Q127846255

Wah-Sha-She Prairie Natural Area

[W]Q127855170

Washington State Park Hardwoods Natural Area

[W]Q127855109

Also known as Washington State Park Hardwood Natural Area, this area lies completely within Washington State Park and is owned and maintained by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Weldon Spring Hollow Natural Area

[W]Q127855069

Wells Branch Fen Natural Area

[W]Q127855035

This natural area lies within the Mark Twain National Forest, and is owned and maintained by the United States Forest Service.

Western Star Flatwoods Natural Area

[W]Q127846218

Westport Island Natural Area

[W]Q127855021

Whetstone Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127855204

White River Balds Natural Area

way 1227928302 [W]Q49580025

Wildcat Glade Natural Area

[W]Q127832189

This natural area is partly owned by the Department of Conservation and partly owned by the City of Joplin, but MDC manages the whole area.

Wolf Bayou Natural Area

[W]Q127846252

Yellow Creek Natural Area

[W]Q127846194

See also

References