Browse Map

Explore away

Explore Map Collection

Check out our basemaps

Print a Map Plus

Generate a high-quality PDF

Field Guide

Discover local flora, fauna, geology, and more

Local Flora & Fauna

Learn the ecology of your area

Local Geology

Learn the geologic formation at your feet

Get Started or Sign In

Welcome

Continue with Apple

Already have an account? Sign In

MAP

Topo

Measure

Topo

Ecoregions

Public Lands

...

BASEMAPS

Default Weather

Temperature

Smoke

...

WEATHER

Big Woods

Ecoregion in MN

Print Map

Generate High-Quality PDF

This is a distinctive ecoregion in southern Minnesota in its presettlement vegetation and soils. This was an island of oak, maple, basswood and other hardwoods surrounded by prairie and savanna. The woods had many small patches of wet prairie and a number of lakes. The moraines that cover the area have a rolling topography. The predominant soil suborder is forest Udalfs with a patch of wet prairie Aquolls in the southern part of the ecoregion. Within a radius of 30 to 45 km from the center of Minneapolis this ecoregion is a mixture of suburban development, lakes, woods, and pasture. In the rest of the ecoregion there are several sections of corn and soybean agriculture and other sections of mixtures of row crops, woods, lakes and pasture. About 40% of this ecoregion was corn and soybeans, 15% deciduous forest, 15% developed, 13% wetlands, 7% pasture or grassland, and 7% open water in 2013.

— EPA

Taxonomy

Classified As

Ecoregion