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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Dry oak forests have the potential to support some rare and endangered animal species (Wovcha et aI., 1995). Two of these species are the fox snake (Elphe vulpina) and the milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum). The red shouldered hawk is another rare species that benefits from the dry oak forests in the Trott Brook Corridor. Red shouldered hawks are often seen around the Rum River. They require large tracts of mature forest for nesting and wetlands for hunting. Keeping natural areas in the Trott Brook can only benefit this species. Oak woodlandlbrushland is a transitional habitat located between the dry oak forest and willow swamp. The habitat is an open forest community consisting of scattered or groved pin and bur oaks. This habitat is the secondary succession of the dry oak savanna common to the Anoka Sandplain, (Wovcha et aI., 1995). Plant species common to this habitat are similar to those found in the dry oak forest but include more open land species such as shrubs and grasses. Some of the animal species include deer, squirrels, toads, skinks, song birds, and snakes. Oak woodlandlbrushland areas have the potential to support a few rare plant species and two rare animal species. The plant species include: round-stemmed false foxglove (Agalinis gattinggeri), kitten-tails (Besseya bullii), Illinois tick-trefoil (Desmodium illinosense), and wild petunia (Reulla humilis). The animal species include the bull snake (Spilogale putorius) and the Eastern spotted skunk (Pituophis melaneucus). The bull snake, also known as the gopher snake, is Minnesota's largest native snake and important in rodent control. Loss of habitat and human persecution have been its greatest trouble. Willow swamp covers the greatest portion of the Trott Brook Corridor. Willow swamps characteristically have continuous to nearly continuous shrub canopies of willow, alder, dogwood, and birch. Saturated soil conditions limit tree growth in these areas. The swamps also support many bird and animal species. A complete listing of common plant and animal species in these habitats is located in Appendix I. The Trott Brook willow swamp is not in its natural condition due to ditching, haying, cropping, and use as pasture land, and does not contain any known rare plant or animal species. Willow swamps have the potential to support the rare Blandings turtles. Blandings turtles feed in emergent marshes and wetlands but prefer dry open habitats for laying eggs. This preference results in a need to travel across often hazardous areas for reproduction. Protection of wetlands and surrounding areas is vital to this species. Trott Brook provides both a wetland area and uninterrupted corridors to dry upland areas. Although reintroduction of Blandings turtles has not been attempted in other areas, Trott Brook could provide an ideal habitat for an attempt. The benefits of reintroducing rare and endangered plant and animal to these areas is twofold. Reintroduction provides a way out of endangerment for these species and an unequaled 5