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 ach spring across the woods and wetlands of northern Anoka County, sandhill cranes repeat an ancient mating dance, bowing, leaping, and flapping six-foot wings. Once nearly extinct in Minnesota, the graceful birds are making a comeback, with growing numbers pairing up in places such as the Sandhill Crane Natural Area in East Bethel.
Sandhill Crane Natural Area in East Bethel consists of 533 acres of jointly managed city, county, and state lands surrounded by another 600 privately owned acres of high quality oak forest and lakeshore interspersed with wetlands. It's home to eagles, turkey, and several rare species of plants and animals, in addition to more common animals and the namesake cranes.
Located in an area of rapid growth, the future health of this rich habitat complex will require ongoing commitment to public and private conservation efforts. Guided by a citizens advisory committee, city and county officials are developing plans for low-impact trails, habitat restoration, and long-term management on public lands. At the same time, they're hoping to minimize further habitat loss by expanding outreach to landowners, encouraging good stewardship through technical help and cost sharing. Anoka County Parks has been approved to receive DNR Metro greenways funds to purchase conservation easements from two landowners, which will permanently protect key parcels while keeping the properties in private hands.
East Bethel also has been exercising its land use authority to make sure the area remains preserved. The city council recently denied a variance that would have allowed a cement plant to be built next to the natural area, citing the impacts such a facility might have on habitat and wildlife. The city also is exploring other funding sources to permanently protect more of the surrounding land.
About the photographs
In conjunction with this campaign, we invited 10 Minnesotan photographers to photograph each of our Twin Cities Treasures. This page includes low-resolution images of the Sandhill Crane Natural Area by Wayne Gudmundson, who also received McKnight Artist Fellowships for photography in 1984 and 1998.
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