Knob Noster State Park - Ecology

Ecology

The Knob Noster area was described in 1861 during the American Civil War by Confederate soldier, Ephraim McDowell Anderson, as an area of "beautiful prairies, dotted with clumps of trees." The park lies in the Osage Plains, a transition zone between prairie and forest. Tall wild grasses and wild flowers grow among scattered trees making habitat similar to a savanna. In recent years the savanna has been overgrown with trees as the land is transitioning to a forest. There are efforts underway to restore some parts of the park to its original condition through controlled burning.

Clearfork Creek is a slow flowing meandering creek that passes through the park. It provides water for a corridor of trees along its banks. The trees growing along the banks and in other parts of the park include pawpaw, various species of hickory and oak, hackberry and redbud. The creek, prairie and woods provide a habitat for numerous birds and mammals including Great Blue Herons, Pileated Woodpeckers, Wild Turkeys, White-tailed deer, fox, Opossum, Raccoons, Screech Owls and Eastern Bluebirds.

A 4-acre (1.6 ha) section of the park has been specially designated as a protected natural area. Pin Oak Slough Natural Area is in a former oxbow slough of Clearfork Creek. The area is a wet-mesic forest and shrub swamp. Water pools during spring in depressions making vernal pools. Trees growing in the Pin Oak Natural Area include Pin Oak, Swamp White Oak and Bur Oak as well as Silver Maple. The rare pale green orchid can also be found in the natural area.