The Battle at Lake Bronson State Park

            In the middle of sugar beet fields is an ongoing battle between two ecosystems: the tallgrass prairie and aspen parkland. It’s a territorial battle over land that began as Glacial Lake Agassiz began to dissipate in Northeast Minnesota some 10,000 years ago. The glacial lake in its prime extended over Manitoba and Ontario in Canada reaching through Northwest North Dakota and the Northeast corner of Minnesota, creating large, flat, fertile plains as it melted. Early Pioneers took advantage of nature’s nutrition and began converting the majority of land into agricultural fields – inadvertently moving the battleground to Lake Bronson State Park (a protected 3598 acres) where visitors can now view a historical battle up close.   

The fight is intense and dependent on two main factors: humans and weather (or more importantly, fire). And before pioneers – grazing bison and elk were major factors too.  

But, before going into more detail on those, let’s set the stage for the battleground first. The areas known as aspen parkland are transitional pieces of land diving the tallgrass prairie of the dry, Western edge of Minnestoa from the well-sought moist coniferous forests that dominate the Northeast corner of the state. The parkland consists of deciduous hardwoods including Quaking Aspen (obviously) and Bur Oaks while the prairie produces tall grasses and various wildflowers.   

Now begins the disagreement of who grows and survives where. As each side claims seniority, it attempts to invade the opponent’s side with the assistance of the factors stated earlier. Before grazing herbivores combed the area, wildfires burned the land, settling the score (every 5 years or so) while also providing the prairie with a head start once it receded. Grazing animals favored the prairie too it seemed as the tree saplings became a part of the food chain. Don’t feel bad for the deciduous forest however because some years the bison and fires never arrived, giving the tree the upper hand in the fight.   

One could argue that this is the current reality within the state park as neither bison nor fire range the 3,598 acres as they once did. As of now, the prairie is highly dependent on humans conducting prescribed burns and deer or elk munching on the continuous supply of tree saplings or tree seeds. And in my opinion, the prairie is losing.    

 

To see this, I would recommend the interpretive Aspen Parkland Trail in Lake Bronson State Park and be the judge of who’s currently winning in a battle being fought for decades. (And us humans thought it was only us who fight over land domination.) The trail itself loops you through both ecosystems, providing interpretive signs explaining the history of the battle as well as fun facts about the surrounding land.   

It’s the trail I experienced and learned from in my visit to Lake Bronson. The weather wasn’t ideal as moisture spit in my face or rained down entirely throughout my hike. The lake breeze, lack of sun, and below-average temperatures for the day didn’t necessarily help either. Surrounding Quaking Aspen (mature and saplings) were the lone tree species still holding their deep yellow fall color while barren Bur Oaks and other species had already given back theirs to nature. Mature stands of both species guarded the Lake Bronson shoreline, extending to the frontline of the battlefield, where saplings of Aspen already a few years old standing taller in the surrounding tallgrass prairie. The prairie wildflowers too had completed their perennial cycle for the year and becoming dormant. Prairie grasses were the only species providing color – a golden brown – almost reflecting the color within the trees. Their swaying in the breeze brought a hypnotized peace- the prairie habitat transitioning into an Oak Savana seemingly endless, just like the history stored in their roots.    

The history doesn’t stop there as remnants of the WPA (Works Progress Administration) which the park was created from are scattered within the park – one of which is the observation tower, providing a beautiful 360-degree view of the park. A gorgeous sight in all seasons.  If you’re more into nature walks (and seeing wildlife), I’d also recommend the Meander Trail, which is the most remote path Lake Bronson State Park has to offer (the one I’d wish I had time in my visit to experience).   

Overall, like most state parks, Lake Bronson offers many opportunities to get outside to learn and discover nature year-round. Thus, you may never know what you’ll find in the middle of those surrounding sugar beet fields...