06/11/2026
Wisconsin state natural areas have been protecting special natural spaces in Wisconsin for 75 years! For example, Avoca Prairie and Savanna State Natural Area in Iowa County is 2,208-acres and contains the largest remnant tallgrass prairie east of the Mississippi River.
Oak barrens, oak savanna, sedge meadow and flood plain forest add to the rich variety of plants and habitat at this site. Over 200 species of plants are found at this property.
Because it has maintained its native plant diversity for thousands of years, the seeds here are collected by DNR state natural areas staff and dispersed to nearby sites to ensure the genetic legacy of the plants that have long called the riverway home. This practice helps build resiliency for these sites for generations to come.