remain relatively pristine. On the bay mouth bars that separate the river from Lake Superior, there are rare plant communities that are found only in the Great Lakes region. Major site features include several miles of open sand beach and dunes, small interdunal wetlands, and a xeric forest of white and red pines. The transition zone between boreal forest, northern hardwoods forest, and Great Lakes pine forest is also unique. Components The Lake Superior Reserve is a combination of four distinct land components and portions of the connecting waterways in the northwest corner of Wisconsin where the St. Louis River flows into Lake Superior. Each component possesses its own combination of habitats. The Reserve includes uplands and submerged lands; riparian and riverine habitat; riverine islands; emergent freshwater marshes, interdunal wetlands and scrub swamp; aspen, dry and hardwood forests; and open sand beach and dunes. The four components are not contiguous but are located within of each other. The Red River Breaks This component consists primarily of state-owned upland and wetland habitats along the St. Louis River. Its make it the largest component within the Reserve. Pokegama Bay component Unique to the Reserve System, the Pokegama Bay component, downstream of Red River Breaks, contains one of the largest municipal forests in the United States. Its contain extensive forested wetlands, uplands, clay flats and submerged lands. South of Pokegama Bay South of Pokegama Bay is the smallest component, the Pokegama-Carnegie Wetlands. Owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), this area is part of the largest and most intact red clay wetlands remaining in northwest Wisconsin. Wisconsin Point The Wisconsin Point component is approximately of estuarine wetlands, dry forest and Lake Superior water and lake bed. Wisconsin Point has exceptional habitat value and includes a bay mouth bar separating the waters of Lake Superior from Allouez Bay. Native American tribal cultural sites are found on Wisconsin Point and throughout the lower St. Louis River freshwater estuary. The lands within this component are owned by a combination of city, county, state, and university entities. Sponsors and facilities The Reserve is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension division of University of Wisconsin-Extension and hosted at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Reserve offices and research facilities are on Barker's Island in Superior Bay, part of the Duluth-Superior harbor. Freshwater estuaries The Lake Superior Reserve site represents a previously unrepresented biogeographic region within the National Estuarine Research