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Chimney Rock Scientific And Natural Area
Chimney Rock is a protected scientific and natural area in rural Dakota County, Minnesota. The area features a sandstone rock pillar; the last remaining in the county. History Natural sandstone pillars have been noted in two other areas of the county. The community and township of Castle Rock are eponymous with a similar formation which later collapsed. Lone Rock in Empire Township was noted by Zebulon Pike in the early 1800s, but has since eroded significantly. Chimney Rock was noted as a landmark for settlers who moved to Dakota County in the 1800s. It was described as "the most picturesque and perfect example of columnar rock weathering in Minnesota" in 1905. Efforts to preserve Chimney Rock began in 2002 with a county bond issue preserving natural areas. In 2011, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bought 76 acres of land surrounding the formation, which became the Scientific and Natural Area. A local group of DNR volunteers, the Hastings Environmental Protecto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dakota County, Minnesota
Dakota County is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota, located in the east central portion of the state. As of the 2020 census, the population was 439,882. The population of Dakota County was estimated to be 442,038 in 2021. The county seat is Hastings. Dakota County is named for the Dakota Sioux tribal bands who inhabited the area. The name is recorded as "Dahkotah" in the United States Census records until 1851. Dakota County is included in the Minneapolis–St. Paul– Bloomington, MN– WI Metropolitan Statistical Area, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States with about 3.64 million residents. The largest city in Dakota County is the city of Lakeville, the eleventh-largest city in Minnesota and sixth-largest Twin Cities suburb. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. History The county was the site of historical events at Mendota that defined the st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minnesota Scientific And Natural Areas
Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas (SNAs) are public lands in the state of Minnesota that have been permanently protected to preserve any one or combination of the following: * Native plant and animal communities * Rare species * Places of biodiversity significance * Geological features or formations * Seasonal havens for wildlife and vantage points for observing them * Successional processes * Relict flora or fauna * Fossil evidence The SNA Program is housed within the Division of Ecological and Water Resources at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The primary goal of the program is to ensure that none of Minnesota's natural heritage is lost from any ecological region of the state. The secondary goal is to provide opportunities for compatible scientific research, education, and nature-based recreation. The Program currently oversees 166 SNAs. See also * Geology of Minnesota * List of ecoregions in Minnesota * Natural history of Minnesota * Wisconsin State Natural ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
