Sanders Park Hardwoods State Natural Area

Sanders Park Hardwoods is a 33-acre designated State Natural Area within the 80-acre Sanders Park & Campground, owned by Racine County Parks. The natural area consists of two slightly elevated swells separated by a shallow swale on an ancient terrace of Lake Michigan. Southern dry-mesic forests occupy the two swells with basswood, white oak, black walnut, red oak, and white ash. An elm-ash forest dominates the swale. Dutch elm disease and oak wilt have killed some of the larger canopy trees. The sapling layer is composed of ash, basswood, ironwood, and black cherry. The forest is maturing second-growth with dominant trees over 100 years old. A wildflower guide lists 89 species of flowers and ferns including showy orchis, yellow lady's-slipper, false mermaid, false Solomon's seal, Trillium, sharp-lobed hepatica, spring-beauty, wild geranium, blue cohosh, and the introduced helleborine orchid. Ferns of interest are ostrich, rattlesnake, rusty woodsia, and ebony spleenwort. Breeding birds include great-crested flycatcher, eastern wood pewee, red-eyed vireo, mourning warbler, and indigo bunting. Originally purchased by Racine County in 1930, this area was later dedicated to Edwin Sanders, a local biology teacher. Sanders Park Hardwoods is owned by Racine County and was designated a State Natural Area in 1967.