Howard D. Colman Dells

Description

Howard D. Colman Dells Nature Preserve historically supported a mixture of forest, savanna, prairie, and cliff communities. The forest communities and cliff communities are largely intact, but the savanna and prairie communities have been lost (or nearly so) to fire suppression and agricultural conversion. The site currently consists of dry-mesic upland forest, mesic upland forest, mesic floodplain forest, dry-mesic savanna, dry dolomite prairie, dolomite cliff, and perennial stream. A series of dolomite cliffs, or dells, rise nearly 50 feet above the narrow floodplain of Hall Creek. Extant boreal species of native white pine (Pinus strobus) and Canada yew (Taxus Canadensis) persist due to the cool and moist micro-climate provided by natural springs in association with the narrow canyons of the dells.