Pine Point Research Natural Area
Encyclopedia
Pine Point Research Natural Area is a natural area that is protected by the United States Department of Agriculture
, specifically through the branch of the Forest Service
. It was established in 1932 and consists of 1239 acres (5 km²) of land. It is located in Cass County, Minnesota
and is part of the Chippewa National Forest
.
ed area that consists mostly of Jack pine
and Red pine
, as well as areas of meadow
. It also contains a 24 acres (97,124.6 m²) lake and 493 acres (2 km²) of marshland.
White-tailed deer
(Odocoileus virginianus), black bear
(Ursus americanus), snowshoe rabbit (Lepus americanus), and North American porcupine
(Erethizon dorsatum) are common in the area.
under the Historic Sites Act
. It received this designation in May 1975 from the United States Secretary of the Interior
, giving it recognition as an outstanding example of the nation's natural history. The designation describes it as containing "undisturbed stands of red pine and mixed pine that have been protected for over 70 years, as well as bald eagle and osprey nests".
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
, specifically through the branch of the Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
. It was established in 1932 and consists of 1239 acres (5 km²) of land. It is located in Cass County, Minnesota
Cass County, Minnesota
Cass County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 28,567. Its county seat is Walker. A portion of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation is in the county.-Geography:...
and is part of the Chippewa National Forest
Chippewa National Forest
Chippewa National Forest is a National Forest located in northcentral Minnesota, United States, in the counties of Itasca, Cass, and Beltrami. Forest headquarters are located in Cass Lake, Minnesota. There are local ranger district offices in Blackduck, Deer River, and Walker.-History and...
.
Ecology
Pine Point is a forestForest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
ed area that consists mostly of Jack pine
Jack Pine
Jack pine is a North American pine with its native range in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains from Northwest Territories to Nova Scotia, and the northeast of the United States from Minnesota to Maine, with the southernmost part of the range just into northwest Indiana...
and Red pine
Red Pine
Pinus resinosa, commonly known as the red pine or Norway pine, is pine native to North America. The Red Pine occurs from Newfoundland west to Manitoba, and south to Pennsylvania, with several smaller, disjunct populations occurring in the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia, as well...
, as well as areas of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
. It also contains a 24 acres (97,124.6 m²) lake and 493 acres (2 km²) of marshland.
White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
(Odocoileus virginianus), black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
(Ursus americanus), snowshoe rabbit (Lepus americanus), and North American porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
(Erethizon dorsatum) are common in the area.
Natural Landmark designation
The area has been designated a National Natural LandmarkNational Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
under the Historic Sites Act
Historic Sites Act
The Historic Sites Act of 1935 was enacted by the United States Congress largely to organize the myriad federally-own parks, monuments, and historic sites under the National Park Service and the United States Secretary of the Interior...
. It received this designation in May 1975 from the United States Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
, giving it recognition as an outstanding example of the nation's natural history. The designation describes it as containing "undisturbed stands of red pine and mixed pine that have been protected for over 70 years, as well as bald eagle and osprey nests".