Forested habitat comprises 13% of the Oak Lake station. Much of this forest occupies East and North facing slopes around the perimeter of Oak Lake. Bur oak, green ash, peach willow and wild plum are common species.
Tallgrass prairie comprises 66% of the station area. Fire is used as a management tool to reduce dominance of introduced cool season grasses and promote native warm season grasses and prairie forbs.
Aquatic habitats comprise 8% of station area. The field station sits within the Prairie Pothole Region and harbors several temporary and seasonal wetland basins. Oak Lake (shown left) lies adjacent to station property. Several small spring-fed drainages flow into Oak Lake.
Much of the Oak Lake watershed is managed for agricultural production. Grazed and cultivated acreages are prevalent throughout the watershed. One small field is maintained on field station property as a food plot for wildlife.
Spring snowmelt contributed water to the Oak Lake basin during March 2002.