Johnson's Shut-Ins Fen

Johnson's Shut-Ins Fen is a combination of a seep forest and calcareous fens in the St. Francois Mountains Section of the Ozark Natural Division. The fen community is found within the floodplain of East Fork Black River. Seep forests are infrequently found in Missouri. The dominant trees are red maple, green ash, slippery elm and honey locust. Two rare plants are found here along with other notable wetland species including closed gentian, silky willow and an uncommon variety of southern blue flag. A combination of seasonally ponded rainwater and calcareous groundwater seepage on the level floodplain promotes this unusual wetland community. Typically saturated, the soils can become dry during drought.