Buena Vista Quarry Prairie provides habitat for the the state-threatened Greater prairie chicken (Tympanachus cupido). Parking areas in the form of a gravel cul-de-sacs can be found at the end of 130th Street, 2/5 mile south of CTH W and 120th Street 2/5 mile east of CTH F.
Truth be told, I did not find this natural area to be all that exciting. Wildflowers were limited to an abundance of flowering spurge. In lieu of spotting any prairie chickens, the highlight of this site was the oak knoll in the southeastern quadrant which provided the hint of topographic relief in an otherwise largely flat landscape. The prairie soils and diversity that accompanied it were lost years ago due to agricultural uses and erosion. This would seem to be a site that could be restored, were there adequate money and staff to do so. In the meantime, it should suffice as prairie chicken habitat and one day I may actually get to see one!
More of my photos (and full-res) from Buena Vista Quarry Prairie can be viewed here.
Additional Information
| SNA # | 29 |
| County | Portage |
| Natural Communities / Geology | Oak Knoll, Dry Prairie, Dry-Mesic Prairie |
| Size (Acres) | 40 |
| Parking | Parking Area (gravel) |
| Trails | No |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | |
| Dates Visited | 6.16.12 |
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