The School NatureArea Project (SNAP),a program of St. OlafCollege, assists schoolsin establishing and usingoutdoor learning sites forenvironmental education.If you would like moreinformation on thispublication, the SchoolNature Area Project, andgrants that may beavailable for schools toplan and fund schoolnature area projects,please contact SNAP at1520 St. Olaf Avenue,Northfield, MN, 55057,by phone at507-646-3599, or visitour World Wide Web siteat http://www.stolaf. edu/other/snap
SNAP wishes to thank thefollowing for theirassistance and generouscontributions in theproduction of this booklet:Minnesota Department ofNatural Resources, theMinneapolis Star Tribune,Dean Savola, University ofMinnesota Press, St. OlafCollege, the Trygg LandOffice of Ely, Wild RiverState Park, MariaThompson, The CannonRiver Watershed Partner-ship, Beth Holmes ofHolmes Art and Design, theU.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, the C.K.Blandin Foundation, andthe Legislative Commissionon Minnesota Resources ofthe Minnesota StateLegislature.
Minnesota School Nature Areas:
NOTES ON
BENEFITING THE BIOMESby Matt Nielsen and the School Nature Area Project
Produced Spring of 1996, Reprinted in Spring, 1999
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
3Introduction
How to UseThis Booklet
Whether you are begin-ning a new school naturearea, or enhancing anestablished natural area,this booklet will assistyou. The four sections takeyou from learning aboutMinnesota’s ecologicalregions to incorporatingthis information into aproject plan of your own.
Part 1 will familiarize youwith the Biomes ofMinnesota from 10,000years before present to thetime when Europeansettlement was justbeginning. This sectionillustrates three mainecological regions of thestate, how they came to beand the plant and animalcommunities that areunique to them. It will helpyou locate your naturearea within them.
Part 2 is about theBounding of the Biomesand illustrates the pace ofchange within the biomesin the years followingEuropean settlement. Itexplains the system usedto identify the biomes’resources and how thebiomes’ plant and animalcommunities have fared.Part Two also provides alist of organizations thatprotect the best examplesof Minnesota’s woodlands,wetlands, and prairies.
Part 3 is a Checklist for aNatural Area. It suggeststhe general qualities ofecologically healthy natureareas.
Part 4 is a Step by StepGuide to creating schoolnature area projects. Itexplains how to documentthe existing features ofyour nature area and howto use this information in aproject plan of your own.
INTRODUCTION
surrounded by nature. If you look closely,you’ll discover that where you are is anamazing natural community of living things.People, green plants and brilliant flowers,browsing animals and darting birds, insectsand spiders and tiny bacteria each have aplace where you are.
This booklet was produced by the SchoolNature Area Project (SNAP) to help youdiscover your school nature area’s place in aworld of living things. It will assist you inplanning a nature area that is beneficial toyou and Minnesota native plants and animals.By exploring the landscape of your naturearea, you’ll discover just how natural it is.You’ll see how each animal and every plant,
each person past and present,has connections to thelandscape where you are.Through this connection,you may address realenvironmental problems
and discover ways to protectand enrich your nature area. Most
importantly, involvement in yournature area will provide an opportunity for
a closer personal connection with nature.The pages that follow are filled with
resources that will aid your effort to look atyour nature area in Minnesota and answer thequestion “where are you?” With the turn ofevery page useful publications and programsare identified to assist you in finding more
information about your nature area and thelarger landscape of which it is a part —
what its past was like, what it’s liketoday, and what it might be liketomorrow.
Perhaps you would describe winding roadscutting through forests, or bridges acrosslakes and wetlands. Perhaps you’d describe acomplex “checker-board” of fields, forests,and city blocks surrounding your nature area.Each of these is certainly a part of where youare. But your nature area is much more. Fromtowering blufflands, rolling prairies, wet-lands teeming with life, ancient bogs, darkforests and rocky shores, to fence-rows, farmfields, mown lawns and city blocks, you are
Where Are You?
Simply— you are here. But where is here?
Put your finger on the map of Minnesota where you and your home and yournature area are. Imagine flying high above your nature area. Looking far beneathyou, what do you see?
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
4Part One
Minnesota: Touched By Three Biomes
Your nature area in Minnesota is a part of one, two or even three largeecological regions, or biomes, that cover over 84,000 square miles of land andinland waters in Minnesota.
A biome is a major type of ecosystem with distinctive organisms determined byclimate, soil, and landform. Minnesota’s location on the North American conti-nent at the merging of the northern coniferous (or Boreal) forest, eastern decidu-
ous forest, and the prairie resulted in tremendous diversity. Eachecological region supports distinct plant and animal
communities that together include over two thousand five-hundred species of plants and animals. Although the
changes in the past two hundred years havedrastically reduced the popula-
tions of plants andanimals distinct toeach biome, the
North American PrairieMinnesota is on the northeastern edge of theNorth America Prairie. The mountain rangesof North America block a large amount of themoisture that moves across the continentfrom the west. This rain shadow creates a dry,arid climate on the downwind side of theranges, providing conditions favorable for amixture of prairie grasses and forbs – orprairie wildflowers. In the west, where thereis little moisture, a short grass prairie thrives.As moisture increases toward the east, andthe prairie is able to grow taller, a mixed-grass prairie results. Minnesota is in thetallgrass prairie region characterized byvegetation reaching six feet or more.
Minnesota’s NaturalHeritage: an EcologicalPerspectiveJohn Tester. 1995. $29.95The Univ. of Minnesota Press11030 S. Langely AvenueChicago, IL 606281-773-15501-800-621-8476 (fax)www.upress.umn.edu
Unfolding chapter after chapterare the stories of Minnesota’sfamiliar ecosystems - lakes,rivers, forests, prairies, andwetlands. The books informa-tive text and many engagingmaps, diagrams, andphotographs illustrate theecological processes andrelationships happening in ourown backyards.
Minnesota VolunteerMagazineMinnesota VolunteerCirculation, MN - DNR500 Lafayette RdSt. Paul MN 55155800-766-6000 (toll free)651-296-6157www.dnr.state.mn.usMinnesota residents mayrequest a free subscription tothis attractive and informativemagazine that presents timelyarticles and stories aboutissues affecting Minnesota’secological regions. It includesa feature called “YoungNaturalists.”
Coniferous ForestMinnesota is touched by the southern edge ofthe Northern Coniferous (or Boreal) Forest.Pines, spruce and fir are typical in thisecological region where the growing season isshort, the winters severe and the soils shallowfrom repeated glaciation.
Deciduous ForestThe North American Deciduous Forest is anecological region of trees, shrubs and herba-ceous plants that are characterized by the lossof leaves in the winter. Minnesota is on itsnorthwestern edge. In Minnesota deciduousforests are found primarily on glaciated soilswhere there is adequate rainfall and moderatetemperature variation. In Minnesota, thisbiome forms a boundary between the grass-lands to the west and the coniferous forests tothe northeast.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
6Part One
Climate:Precipitation and Temperature in Minnesota
5,000 Years Ago
Pine
Oak
Prairie
7,000 Years Ago
Pine
Oak/Prairie
Prairie
3,000 Years Ago
PineOak
Prairie
11,000 Years Ago
Spruce
9,000 Years Ago
Spruce
Pine
Oak-Elm
Vegetation Se-quence:11,000 Years BeforePresent
ConiferousForest
DeciduousForest
Prairie
Present
Maps adapted from H.E. Wright Jr. et al., 1992.The Patterned Peatlands of Minnesota. Universityof Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.
Minnesota ecological regions were not always where they are today.
This sequence of illustrations shows the shifts in the biomes as temperature andmoisture levels changed during the past 11,000 years. Generally, a cooler climatefavored the spruce and pine forests; a warmer, drier climate favored grasslands andprairie species. Deciduous forests formed the transi-tion between the coniferous and prairie communities.Have pine trees ever grown where you are now? Haveprairies? List the ecological regions that have been apart of your place and when theyoccurred.
Glacial LakeAgassiz
Glacial LakeUpham Aitkin
Glacial LakeAgassiz
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
7Part One
Average AnnualTemperature (C °)
Places within Minnesota havevery different temperatures. Every
species of plant has a temperature rangewithin which it thrives; temperatures outsideof this range may be tolerated for a time, butwill eventually reduce the plant’s ability tocompete with other species that are betteradapted to that temperature. Notice thedifference in average temperature from thesouthwest to the northeast corners of thestate. How might temperature interact withprecipitation to influence the distribution of
Minnesota’s grasslands and forests?
Map redrawn and modified to metric from Baker
and Strub, Climate of Minnesota, 1965.
Average Annual Precipitation (cm)Where is the driest part of Minnesota?Where is it the wettest? Can you draw anyconclusions about the different moisturerequirements of Minnesota’s biomes?
Map redrawn and modified to metric from Baker and
Strub, Climate of Minnesota, 1965.
81.2876.20
71.1271.1266.04
60.96
55.88
55.88 60.96
66.0466.04
71.12
76.20
71.12
66.0460.96
55.88
50.80
50.80
71.12
76.20
66.04
6.667.77
7.778.886.66
7.77
6.666.66
5.555.55
4.44
4.44
3.33
3.33
2.22
2.22
8.88
Climograph of World’sMajor BiomesThe world’s biomes,including those in Minne-sota, are formed in part bythe interaction of tempera-ture and moisture. Wherethere is low moisture andhigh temperature, desertsare found. Where there ishigh moisture and hightemperatures, tropical rain-forests are found. Whatwould a climograph forMinnesota’s prairie,deciduous woodlands, andconiferous forests look like?
Interesting stories combinedwith maps, bar graphs andtables provide data onMinnesota’s diverseweather patterns.
Weather Station Equip-mentDown to EarthRt. 1, Box 135AGordon, WI 54838
Supplier of weather relatedresources includingobservation notebooks,cloud charts, weathercurriculum, barometers, andpsychrometers.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
8Part One
Landform:Minnesota’s TopographicFeatures
The vegetation of Minnesota’s terrestrialbiomes is also influenced by complexlandforms. Between two million and twelvethousand years ago glaciers scoured most ofMinnesota. Grinding as they moved acrossthe earth’s surface, the ice lobes containedbillions of tons of rock, gravel, and sand.With the final retreat of the ice around10,000 years ago, all of Minnesota – exceptthe extreme southeast and southwest – wascovered with landforms created by theglaciers. The typical landforms includeterminal moraines, sandy outwash plains,ground moraines, and broad glacial lakeplains. Covering most of central and southern
Can you identify any ofthe landscapeformations that havegiven shape to yournature area?
For more information onthe origin of Minnesota’slandforms, read:
Minnesota’s GeologyOjakangas, Richard W.;Matsch, Charles L.
(out of print)
Contents include Minnesota’splace in geologic history.Examines Minnesota’smineral resources andexplores the state’s regionalgeology through landmarksfound throughout the state.
Terminal Moraines and Highlands
Outwash Plains
Ground Moraines (Till Plains)
Lake Plains
Ice Scoured Bedrock
Stream Dissected Lands
portions of the state, terminal moraines andoutwash plains are familiar to Minnesotanstoday as hilly lake country and flat agricul-tural fields.
The other major land form types – lakeplains, glacially scoured bedrock, and stream– dissected lands – also relate to the state’sglacial history. They provide variability fromthe predominantly flat till plains and mo-raines of Minnesota’s core. Located in thefour corners of the state, these landform typesenrich the state’s diversity with areas of vastwetlands, sharp topographic relief, andbedrock devoid of glacial debris.
Map adapted from Wrightin Sims and Morey,Geology of Minnesota: aCentennial Volume, 1972.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
9Part One
Minnesota Landforms Fall IntoSix General Categories
Terminal MoraineThis glacial feature, common to the Minne-sota landscape, is formed of glacial debrisdeposited at the edge of an active ice sheet.Hilly, high and often studded with lakes,these moraines form dramatic relief com-pared with the extensive flat plains of groundmoraine. For example, the rugged terrain ofthe Alexandria Moraine reaches 500 metersabove sea level, the highest elevation inwestern Minnesota. The moraine’s varyingtopography has had interesting implicationsfor the development of vegetation, due inpart to its effect on wild fire patterns. Sincethe location of the prairie/forest border isdetermined largely by fire, the topographicrelief of moraines has played an importantrole in determining the patterns of distribu-tion of prairie species from the west anddeciduous forest species from the east.
Outwash PlainFormed by glacial melt-waters carrying asuspended load of rock flour, pebbles, andcobbles, an outwash plain is a topographicfeature characterized by its sandy soils andflat relief. The Anoka Sand Plain just northof the Twin Cities metropolitan area, thelargest sand dune area in the state, is anexample of this landform type. Sand dunes,created by wind action after glacial outwashstreams ceased to exist, provide habitat forpioneer species adapted to disturbance. Thecommunity that develops on these dunes ischaracterized by species tolerant of thedrought conditions and the relative infertilityof the shifting sandy soils.
Ground MoraineDuring times of rapid glacial retreat, broadplains of glacial till were deposited, forminglevel to gently rolling topography known asground moraine. This feature explains thegenerally flat topography throughout muchof the state. In south-central Minnesota, richprairie soils have developed on such broadtill plains. This highly fertile land hasundergone extensive alteration because of itsvalue as agricultural land.
Lake PlainIn the northwesterncorner of Minnesota,old beach lines andlake sedimentscovering glacial till provide evidence ofancient Lake Agassiz, which once extendedfar into central Canada as the largest freshwa-ter lake on the continent. This lake graduallyreceded as ice-dammed outlets to the northand east of Minnesota were opened. Lakedeposits of considerable depth and abandonedbeach lines of former lake-shores remain asevidence of this former lake. Today waters inthis part of the state flow north through theRed River to their eventual outlet in HudsonBay.
In the saturated soils of the poorlydrained, gently sloping lake bed, extensivepeatlands developed. A peatland is a water-logged terrestrial ecosystem in which a layerof organic matter (peat) accumulates to athickness of at least 30 cm. (12 inches)because of perennial saturation with water.They exhibit extensive patterns when viewedfrom above, and are recognized worldwide asa unique landscape feature. These peatlands,a composite of bog and fen habitats, formedas a result of a complex interaction betweentopography, surface and groundwaterhydrology, and vegetation.
Glacial Scoured BedrockThe bedrock of the Border Lakes and theNorthshore regions in the northeastern cornerof the state forms a rugged, almost mountain-ous terrain compared with that of the rest ofthe state. Elevations in Minnesota reach theirlowest level (183 meters above sea level onthe shore of Lake Superior) and highest level(701 meters above sea level at Eagle Moun-tain in Cook County) in this region, all withina distance of a few kilometers. Here, repeatedglacial scour exposed resistant Precambrianrocks. Water action from stream flow andwave action continued the modification of thebedrock surface. Because the history of thisarea is one of glacial erosion rather than ofglacial deposition, little if any glacial driftcovers the rock.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
10Part One
highland rises 200–275 meters aboveneighboring till plains to the northeast. Itsprominence relates primarily to a thick coverof glacial drift on a bedrock upland. The crestof the plateau is formed by the BemisMoraine, which is an important drainagedivide. Streams flowing to the northeast aretributaries of the Minnesota River. Streamsflowing to the south and southwest lead intothe Des Moines and Big Sioux rivers, all apart of the Missouri drainage. These streamsflow through channels obviously cut in a timeof much greater water-flow. Stream erosion,both past and present, has dissected thetopography and in certain areas exposed thepink quartzite bedrock.
As its name suggests, the Prairie Coteau’sthick mantle of drift oncesupported a rich prairie ecosystem much likethe one that covered the broad till plains tothe north and east. With the exception of afew preserves specifically established toprotect remnants of this once diverse andextensive system, all has been transformed byagriculture. Although not directly affected byagricultural development, other habitats in theregion are indirectly impacted by erosion,siltation, or grazing.
Stream-Dissected LandThe stream-dissected lands of southeasternand southwestern Minnesota are alsointimately related to the glacial history ofMinnesota. Although today both areasexhibit a landscape formed by streamerosion, the evolution of these landforms isquite distinct. The southeastern corner of thestate, commonly referred to as the “driftlessarea” is more accurately identified as thePaleozoic Plateau. This area is underlain byflat-lying limestone rocks and is covered invarying thickness with glacial debris datingfrom earlier glacial advances, as well as bywindblown silt (loess) from the outwashplains of the last glaciation. Visually, themost remarkable features are the steepravines and valleys that have been cut 100 to200 meters through glacial cover exposingthe limestone beneath. Although this regionwas not directly impacted by all glacialadvances, large volumes of glacial melt-water from adjacent lands dissected thegently rolling uplands, leaving behind steepvalleys that wind their way to the Missis-sippi.
The stream-dissected landscape ofsouthwestern Minnesota is dominated by aplateau known as the Prairie Coteau. This
Illustration by Maria Thompson
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
11Part One
Nature’s Heartland:Native Plant Communi-ties of the Great Plains(out of print)Bill Boon and Harlen Groe(1990)Iowa State UniversityPress,2121 South State AvenueAmes, IA, 50014www.isupress.edu
Contents include descrip-tions of native plantcommunities of theMidwest including thosefound in Minnesotaincluding: dry prairie,marsh-pothole prairie, wetprairie, oak savanna,maple-basswood,woodland flower, pine-fir-birch, and floodplain forest.1,400 color photographs ofnative plants and plantcommunities in allseasons. Not all specieslisted are native toMinnesota.
Vegetation:Minnesota’s Plant Communities
The Natural Vegetation ofMinnesota at the Time ofthe Public Land Survey
Wendt, Keith andBarbara CoffinMinnesota’s Bookstore117 University Ave.St. Paul, MN 551551-651-297-3000$2.00www.comm.media.state.mn.us
This six page colorpamphlet describesMinnesota’s naturalcommunities and mapstheir occurrence through-out Minnesota at the timeof the public land surveyfrom 1847-1907. Mapincludes county linereferences.
Broadly influenced by landform and climate,Minnesota’s biomes contained diverse plantcommunities. Influenced by localized factorssuch as soil type, the vegetation in eachcommunity was continually modified bynatural disturbances such as fire, windstorms,insects, and disease. Throughout the state firewas the most important agent affectingvegetation patterns before European settle-ment. The complex interaction of fire withclimate, soils, and topography created adynamic landscape characterized by aconstantly shifting mosaic of vegetationtypes.
The following pages describe and locatethe most common vegetation types inMinnesota at the time of the Public LandSurvey from 1854-1907. Knowing the type
of vegetation that existed in your nature areain the past provides clues to the plants andanimals best suited to your site today.
In limited areas across the state, veryspecialized communities occur whereparticular or adverse local environmentalconditions restrict typical vegetation develop-ment. These sites range from loose sand tobare rock and are characterized by little or notrue soil development. Three classes of theseprimary communities are recognized inMinnesota: cliff, rock, and lakeshore.Although uncommon in distribution, theyharbor a large number of the states endan-gered species.
About FireHistorically fire was an integral and necessary part of Minnesota’s forests and prairies. In the absence oftowns and cities a natural fire could burn unchecked across a tremendous area until rain, humid wood-lands, or a natural barrier stopped its progress. Without periodic fires sweeping through them, thegrasslands of the prairie and savanna quickly became woodland, and the northern pine forests could notregenerate.
Minnesota’s prairies frequently burned. Occasionally lightning strikes set the vast grasslands on fire.In addition, Native Americans set fires to herd animals or create corridors for movement. Seeminglydestructive, fire benefited the prairie. Burns increased productivity by removing the dead plant material.Removing the litter increased the soil temperature in the early spring, allowing prairie species to emergesooner. In addition, the burn removed small woody plants and brush, keeping the burned area open andunshaded. The burned vegetation increased microbial activity in the soil which, in turn, released morenutrients earlier in the growing season.
While a prairie plant may project several feet above the surface, much of the plant is safe belowground. Prairie grasses and forbs have root systems that may extend as deeply as 15 feet, and many alsopossess underground stems, or rhizomes. Grasses and many forbs also grow “rosettes” for much of thegrowing season, sending up tall leaves, but keeping the vulnerable shoot tip close to the ground until thestem elongates at flowering time. When fire (or grazing animals, or lawn mowers) destroys the above-ground parts of the plant, the plant regrows from the protected shoot tip, or from buds on the buriedrhizome.
Fire was also common in Minnesota’s forests. It sometimes burned the forest canopy; sometimes, theground layer beneath the canopy; sometimes, both. Fire opened pockets within the forest allowing for acontinuum of forest types and ages important for wildlife and biodiversity. In addition, some species requirefire to release seeds. The pine cones of the Jack Pine, for instance, remain tightly closed until the heat of aforest fire opens them. The seeds fall onto newly burned mineral soil in sunny openings created by fire.
Today, in natural areas, fire is used as a management tool only under tightly controlled conditions.Periodic controlled burns are used to manage examples of Minnesota’s prairies, savannas, and wood-lands. Burns are usually scheduled in early spring or late fall. Weather is the key to a successful burn.Relative humidity, temperature and wind are particularly important. Generally the best day for a controlledburn is one with a relative humidity between 45 and 60 percent, an air temperature between 40°F and60°F, and a wind speed less than 10 miles per hour.
In many communities, burn permits are required and fires must be supervised by local fire officials. Ifburning becomes important to your school nature area be sure to remember the following:
1. Secure appropriate permits.2. Involve local fire safety officials in burn planning and execution.3. Have students inform neighbors about the importance of burning and what to expect.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
12Part One
Vegetation Types of the
PrairieUpland PrairieTallgrass prairie, at the time of the public landsurvey, covered one-third of the state. Itoccupied a wide variety of landforms,including beach ridges and swales, glaciallake beds, morainic hills, steep bluffs, androlling till plains. Along these landforms,important variations occur in the plants andanimals that compose the prairie ecosystem.The most striking indicator is the predictablechange in dominance of a few major prairiegrasses. The distribution pattern of thesegrasses coincides with differences in soilmoisture levels related to topography. Ingeneral, prairie cordgrass, big bluestem andIndian grass occupy the deep fertile soils ofthe moist uplands; little bluestem and sideoatsgrama occur on the thin soils of dry uplands.
Prairie WetlandThroughout the prairie biome, numerouswetland communities dominated by sedgesand rushes, rather than grasses, were inter-spersed with upland prairie. The glacialmoraine landforms of the prairie region wereideally suited for wetland formation; theirhilly knob and kettle-type topographyabounded with prairie pothole marshes.Extinct glacial lake beds and present-day lakeand stream margins were occupied by sedgemeadow. The mixture of grassland andwetland areas provided diverse and minglinghabitats. The diversity and abundance ofprairie wildlife was a direct function of thisvegetation mosaic.
The Prairie Garden:70 Native Plants YouCan Grow in Town or CountrySmith, Robert J. and Beatrice S.(1980)Order DepartmentUniversity of Wisconsin Pressc/o Chicago Distribution Center11030 S. Langley AvenueChicago, IL 606281-773-568-1550 (fax): 800-621-8476$12.95 + S&Hwww.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress/
Descriptions of prairie plant habitat needs,common names, height, flower color,flowering time, seed collection dates,seed propagation, and companion plants.
Where the Sky Began:Land of the Tallgrass PrairieMadson, John (1985)Iowa State University Press2121 South State AvenueAmes, IA 50014www.isu.press.edu$21.95 + S&H1-800-862-6657
Engaging literature that blends historywith natural science to give a sense of theprairie experience.
Prairie CommunitiesRobison, Roy and Donald White(1995 ed.)Minnesota Extension ServiceDistribution Center3 Coffey Hall1420 Eckles Ave.St. Paul, MN 55108-60641-800-876-8636; 612-625-8173www.extension.edu(U of MN No. 280 AG-FO-3238-GO)$1.50 + S&H
Lists plants commonly found in Midwestprairie landscapes. Provides detailedinformation about each species: height,form, flower color, growing requirements,propagation techniques and the authors’remarks. Some species listed are notnaturally found in Minnesota.
Prairie Resources
Prairie Restoration for Schools:A Guide to Restoration fromSite Analysis to Management.Murray, Molly Fifield (1996 ed.)University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum1207 Seminole HwyMadison, WI 53711608-263-7888608-262-5209 (fax)$21.10 + S&Hwww.wisc.edu/arboretum
Shows how the process of ecologicalrestoration enables people to learnabout the cultural and natural history ofthe prairie and to forge a positiverelationship with it. Clearly outlines theprocess of involving students in smallscale restoration projects. Plantpropagation, curriculum, species list,appendices of resources and referencesare useful.
The Prairie World
(out of print)
David Costello. (1975)University of Minnesota Press11030 S. Langley Avenue1-773-568-1550
fax: 800-621-8476$9.95 + S&Hwww.upress.umn.edu
Describes in detail the history, ecology,plants, and animals of the mid-continental prairie. 244 pages.
How to Manage Small PrairieFiresPauly, Wayne R. (1985)Dane County Parks4318 Robertson RoadMadison, WI. 53714608-246-3896; 608-246-3898 (fax)$4.00www.co.dane.wi.us/parks/parkhome.htm
This booklet answers commonquestions about fire as a tool formaintaining prairie landscapes.Describes common fire tools and theiruses, how to gauge proper weatherconditions for a burn, constructing firebreaks, burn procedures and dealingwith hazards.
Restoring the Tallgrass Prairie:An Illustrated Manual for Iowaand the Upper MidwestShirley, ShirleyOrder DepartmentUniversity of Iowa Pressc/o Chicago Distribution Center11030 Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-155016.95 + 3.50 shipping
Describes site planning considerationsincluding soil and moisture require-ments, as well as seed collection,propagation, and site preparation.Descriptions of individual grass and forbspecies includes seed handling,germination, and identificationinformation. Appendices includeillustrated glossary of plant parts, bloomtime, butterfly habitats, plant familycharacteristics, and sources ofequipment and seeds.
Project Bluestem:A Curriculum on Prairiesand SavannasNeal Smith National Wildlife Refuge9981 Pacific Street, PO 399Prairie City, Iowa 50228www.tallgrass.org515-994-3400$27.50 to Friends of Walnut Creek
Nearly 350 pages – 75 new or adaptedenvironmental education activities –developed by a team of classroomteachers, naturalists, and schooladministrators for use at school and inthe field. Multi-disciplinary activitiesorganized for elementary, middle andsecondary school students through 6themes: prairie soils, prairie plants,prairie wildlife, human/prairie interactionsand prairie ecosystem. Pre- and post-visit activities, materials, references, andteachers’ background included.
Illustration by Maria Thompson
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
14Part One
Aspen Parkland
Oak Woodland-Brushland
Floodplain Forest
Maple-Basswood Forest
Aspen ParklandAspen parkland formed a transitionbetween the prairie and coniferousforest of extreme northwest Minne-sota and adjacent Canada. It coveredvast acreage within the poorlydrained flatlands left by GlacialLake Agassiz. Sometimes referred toas brush prairie, the aspen parklandwas a fire-maintained mosaic of wetprairie, sedge meadow, shrubthicket, and aspen groves. Extensiveareas of this vegetation type stillremain today.
Vegetation Types of the
Deciduous Forest
14Part One
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
15Part One
Oak Woodland and BrushlandOak woodland and brushland was a commonecotonal type between the prairie anddeciduous forest. Fire, more than landformtype or climate, was the significant factorinfluencing the position and extent of thiscommunity.
The oak woodland and brushlandvegetation type has often been referred to assavanna. However, in Minnesota the imageof a tallgrass prairie dotted with trees tocreate an orchard-like appearance is moremyth than fact. Careful study of the originalpubic land survey records has led to a newinterpretation. The oak woodland andbrushland ranged from small groves of treesintermixed with open prairie to a chaparral-like community of scrub forest and denseshrub thicket. The structure of the commu-nity was largely determined by soil condi-tions and fire frequency. Oaks, especiallybur oak and northern pin oak, were thedominant trees. In the southeast, white oakand black oak were also common.
Floodplain ForestFloodplain forests line major and minorwatercourses throughout the state. They areespecially well developed in the valleys ofthe Mississippi, Minnesota, and Red rivers.The lowland sites occupied by these forestsare subjected to periodic flood and drought.Spring floodwaters enrich the soil as theydeposit silt over the forest floor. Silvermaple, American elm, green ash, blackwillow, and cottonwood are the dominanttrees, and poison ivy and stinging nettle thecharacteristic understory plants.
In southeast Minnesota along theMississippi River Valley, a number ofsouthern species reach their northern limits,such as swamp white oak, river birch, andbutton birch, a state special concern species.The floodplain forests of this region are alsocritical habitat to two of Minnesota’s rarereptiles - the wood turtle and the massasauga(a species of rattlesnake). In northwesternMinnesota, the floodplain forest reaches itsnorthern limit. The narrow bands of forestoccurring along prairie streams here areoften called gallery forests. Their speciesrichness is reduced, compared to southernstands, and bur oak and boxelder aredominant trees.
ForestPublicationsand Programs
A Natural History of Trees ofEastern and Central NorthAmericaRandom House DistributionCenter400 Hahn RoadWesminster, MD 21157800-726-0600; 617-351-5000$19.95ISBN: 0395-581-745
Succinct, non-technical descriptionof each species: leaves, flowers,fruit and geographic range:followed by an essay on eachtree’s place in historic andcontemporary culture.
Trees of MinnesotaMN DNR - ForestryMinnesota’s Bookstore117 University Ave.St. Paul, MN 551551-651-297-3000$5.95 + S&H
Provides information on 50 treespecies that grow in Minnesotaincluding identification notes anddrawings, range maps and forestproduct uses.
Managing Landscapesin the Big Woods EcosystemMature Conservancy of MinnesotaSoutheast Minnesota OfficePO Box 106Wabasha, MN [email protected]
A 23 page booklet on the history,management and future of the BigWoods. Diagrams and graphicsillustrate changing land usepatterns and ecological concepts.
The Great Lakes Forest:An Environmental andSocial History(out of print)Flader, Susan L., editor. 1983University of MN Press2037 University Ave SEMinneapolis, MN 554551-800-388-3863;$34.95 + S&H
A multi-disciplinary approach tothe history of the forest region ofnorthern Minnesota and adjacentstates. Published with the ForestHistory Society. 337 page, 8 pagephoto essay, maps.
(Forest resources continued)
Maple-Basswood ForestMinnesota’s maple-basswood forest, domi-nated by elm, basswood, sugar maple, and redoak, occurs at the western edge of thedeciduous forest biome of eastern NorthAmerica. The largest continuous area ofmaple-basswood forest in Minnesota at thetime of the original public land surveycovered over 3,000 square miles in the south-central part of the state. The early settlerscalled this area the “Big Woods.” Smallerareas of maple-basswood occurred in therugged, stream-dissected lands of southeast-ern Minnesota and in the west-central part ofthe state. The boundaries of this forest werein a large part controlled by the frequency offire. The dominant trees are highly fire-sensitive and were restricted to areas wherenatural firebreaks such as rivers, lakes andrough topography prevented the spread of firefrom the adjacent prairie lands.
Division of Forestry Programs500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul MN 55155651-296-4491, 1-800-766-6000
“Where Are All the Trees:A Minnesota Primer and Discovery Guide?”Written for K-9 students and educators, topics includeinformation and activities on tree growth, importancefor wildlife, forest history, cultural uses, and forestmanagement for wood products.
Project Learning TreeSupplemental environmental education curriculum ontrees, forestry, and forest ecosystems. Curriculum isonly distributed through workshops.
School Forest ProgramSchools in Minnesota can register their school natureareas as official school forests. School forests receive“Dialogs” a monthly newsletter detailing the eventsand activities of over 70 school forests throughout thestate.
Minnesota ReLeafA statewide campaign to encourage local govern-ments, citizens, and businesses to plant trees andshrubs. The program is part of the internationalGlobal ReLeaf campaign headed by the AmericanForestry Association. It is an effort aimed at reducingcarbon dioxide buildup in the earth’s atmosphere.Grants are available to fund tree planting projects.
Minnesota’s Native Big Tree RegistryA DNR program to locate and identify Minnesota’slargest native trees. Trees are measured andawarded points according to circumference, height,and crown size. A champion tree has amassed themost points.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
16Part One
Northern Hardwood ForestThe northern hardwood forest in Minnesotarepresents the western-most expression ofthis forest type, which extends from northernMinnesota through the Upper Great Lakesregion and eastward along the Canadianborder to New England. In Minnesota, thenorthern hardwood forest is dominated bysugar maple, basswood, yellow birch, andred oak. Conifers, particularly white pine,northern white cedar, and balsam fir are oftenfound scattered through the forest. Due to thefire sensitivity of the dominant trees, thisforest association was relatively rare in thestate. It was generally restricted to rich,morainic soils where fire frequencies werelow. The most conspicuous area of northernhardwoods was the narrow belt along theNorth Shore Highlands that stretched fromDuluth to the Canadian border. It was alsofound in fire-protected pockets across north-central Minnesota, as far west as Cass Lake.
Great Lakes Pine ForestThe Great Lakes pine forest occurs inMinnesota principally on glacial till overbedrock in the Canadian-Minnesota borderlakes area and in the gravel moraines andsandy outwash plains in the north-central partof the state. This forest is defined by itscharacteristic trees – eastern white pine andred pine. Historically, tree composition andage structure of the pine forest were largelydetermined by natural fire cycles. Fires ofvarying frequency and intensity created adynamic ecosystem composed of early post-fire stands of jack pine and red pine andmature old-growth stands of white pine. Ingeneral, red pine was more abundant thanwhite pine and occurred on coarsely-textured,dry sites prone to fires. White pine standsoccurred on the mesic sites of lake marginsand lower slopes less subject to fires. Thegeneral successional trend for the pine forestcommunities – in the absence of fire – waslong-term development toward northernhardwood forest or, farther to the north,toward boreal forest.
Vegetation Types of the
Coniferous Forest
Northern Hardwood
Great Lakes Pine
Jack Pine
Boreal Hardwood-Conifer
Peatland
More ForestPublicationsand Programs
Tree Trust6300 Walker StreetSt. Louis Park, MN 55303(612) 920-9326willow.ncfes.umn.edu/treetrust/[email protected]
Through Tree Trust’s Time forTrees program, communitiesand schools are able toorganize and implementplanting projects in theirneighborhoods and on theirschool grounds. The schoolprogram provides studentsand teachers with classroomeducation and the opportunityto develop outdoor environ-mental learning areas. TreeTrust provides schools withGreen Team coordinators,classroom presenters, plantmaterials, manuals, ProjectLearning Tree training andsome funding.
16Part One
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
17Part One
Jack Pine ForestThis forest community occurs on the driest,least fertile soils of the pine region. It isespecially prevalent on sandy outwash plainsin north-central Minnesota and on bedrockoutcrops north of Lake Superior. Jack pinegrows in pure stands or in mixtures withaspen, northern red oak, and red pine. Mostnatural stands originate following fire. Fireopens the habitat to direct sunlight andexposes a mineral soil seedbed-both require-ments for jack pine reproduction. The dry,open conditions under the jack pine canopyallow for a variety of understory plants.Acid-tolerant shrubs such as wintergreen andblueberry are especially common. On deepersoils, hazel may form impenetrable thickets,whereas on rocky soils, a dense blanket offeather mosses may be the only understory.
Boreal Hardwood-Conifer ForestThe boreal hardwood-conifer forest inMinnesota is a southern extension of thelarge Boreal Forest region of Canada. Thisforest type occupies much of northeasternMinnesota—a region characterized by ashort, moist growing season and deep snow.The dominant tree species are balsam fir,white spruce, black spruce, trembling aspen,and white birch. They occur in pure or mixedstands. Species composition varies consider-ably in response to differences in siteconditions and natural fire cycles. Balsam fir,owing to its great shade tolerance, tends toform extensive stands in the absence offrequent fires. Natural disturbances, includ-ing fire, wind, and spruce budworm epidem-ics often result in extensive areas of even-aged stands of spruce-fir or aspen-birchforest. Far less extensive on upland sites, andfound mainly in extreme northeasternMinnesota, old-growth white cedar forestsoccur on fire-protected lower slopes.Northern white cedar typically grows indense pure stands or was mixed with lesseramounts of balsam fir, mountain ash andwhite spruce. In the absence of disturbanceby fire or wind-storm, upland white cedarforests are long-lived communities and havethe potential to dominate large areas of thelandscape.
PeatlandExtensive peatlands blanket the nearly flatlandscape left when the waters drained fromthe ancient glacial lakes of north-centralMinnesota. Scattered throughout northernMinnesota, smaller peatlands occur in thebasins of glacial moraines. Although therewere several attempts-mostly unsuccessful-todrain the largest peatlands, the vegetationmosaic of these areas is relatively unchangedsince pre-European settlement.
The extensive peatlands that developed inancient glacial lake plains exhibit the fullrange of vegetation associations typical ofbogs, fens, and swamps. Bogs developed onnutrient-poor acid peat and receive theirwater supply only from precipitation. Theyare isolated from groundwater influence.Bogs may be forested, with stands of blackspruce or tamarack, or they may be open –dominated by sphagnum mosses, sedges, andlow acid-tolerant shrubs. In contrast, fensdevelop on mildly acid to highly alkaline peatdeposits. Fens receive their water supplyfrom mineral-rich groundwater as well asfrom precipitation, and thus maintain arelatively rich flora compared with that ofbogs. Fens are dominated by grasses andsedges. Fens occur in the prairie region ofMinnesota as well, but these wetlands arevery small compared to the vast acreage ofthe peatland region fens. These communitiesare characterized by a distinct assemblage ofplants specifically adapted to areas wheregroundwater rich in calcium and magnesiumbicarbonate is discharged. Many of theseplants, called calciphiles (or calcium loving),are rare in Minnesota, such as three state-threatened species – whirled nut-rush, sterilesedge, and beaked spike-rush. Swamps arealso mineral-rich wetlands, but they aredominated by woody plants and are associ-ated with springs or seepage streams and mayconsist of either coniferous trees (e.g.,northern white cedar) or deciduous trees (e.g.,black ash).
Northwoods WildlifeBenyus, Janine M. (1989)Creative Publishing Interna-tional5900 Green Oak DriveMinnetonka, MN 55343800-328-0590www.howtobookstore.com$19.95 + S&H
This publication explores theuniqueness of the northwoods: itshabitats and accompanying wildlife.Includes descriptions for a varietyof habitats, tips for wildlife watchinghot spots, and a wildlife eventcalendar.
Contains information onimproving timber stands, creatingwildlife habitat, marketing andharvesting timber, or enhancingwoodland beauty. Maps of theNorth American distribution ofspecies found in Minnesota areincluded as well as steps to taketo learn about a forest’s age,structure, resource value, andwildlife.
A Beginners Guide toMinnesota TreesDavid Rathke (1996)$1.00 + S&HPublication #BU-6593-GO
Casual nature observers andelementary and secondary youthmay prefer this inexpensive 20page guide. It identifies 35 treespecies commonly found in MN.
Key to common Minnesotawoody plants. Identificationinformation and line drawings areuseful. Contains youth projectsection and species checklist.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
18Part One
Aquatic Communities:Lakes, Streams and Rivers in Minnesota
A review of the communities that form asignificant component of Minnesota’sbiological diversity would be incompletewithout a discussion of the state’s aquaticcommunities. Water covers more than fourmillion acres of our state. This 8% ofMinnesota’s landscape is composed of morethan 15,000 lakes and over 22,000 kilometersof streams and rivers. In this discussion,aquatic communities refers to the greatdiversity of Minnesota’s lakes, streams andrivers. Aquatic areas dominated by floating,emergent or standing vegetation are consid-ered to be wetland types and have beendescribed in sections on bog, fen, swamp,and prairie wetland. As would be expected,variability in the aquatic systems is closelyrelated to differences in landform andclimate. A general classification ofMinnesota’s lake, stream, and river typesprovides a framework for understanding theoccurrence and distribution of Minnesota’saquatic organisms. However, the history ofregional land-use patterns and the humanmanipulation of these systems is in manycases the most important factor influencingthe current status of rare and endangeredaquatic communities and their plants andanimals.
LakesIn Minnesota, lake types typically correlatewith geologic and climatic trends on a linefrom the northeast to the southwest. Alongthis gradient the chemical composition of theglacial till and bedrock is a major influenceon the level of dissolved minerals andnutrients available to lakes from surfacerunoff and groundwater. Climatic factors –precipitation, temperature and evapo-transpiration – also have an importantinfluence on lake environments. Thesedifferences are reflected in the abundanceand kinds of organisms that occur in lakes.
Lakes in northeastern Minnesota occuron glacially scoured landscapes. Their watersusually have very low levels of dissolvedminerals. Many of these lakes are very deep,and most are connected with swift-flowingstreams. Precipitation in this part of the stateexceeds evaporation, so that outlets areactive throughout the year. The waters,although clear and aesthetically pleasing, are
Watershed AddressYou live in the watershed ofthe waterbody into whichyour land drains. This waterbody may flow into a largerone, which flows into alarger one and eventuallyinto an ocean.
Every time it rains, watercarries materials from yourschool’s grass, sidewalks,and driveways into nearbylakes, streams, or wetlands.Fertilizers, soaps, sediment,and other materials oftencontained in the water haveput watersheds underconsiderable stress. Overtime the effects of thesematerials could be harmfulto water quality. Pleaselearn where your watergoes and what you can doto protect it.
Using topographic mapstrace the path of a drop ofwater from the time it hitsthe ground near your schooluntil it reaches a wetland,stream, river, lake, maybeeven an ocean. How farcould it travel?
A. Locate your place on atopographic map. If the mapis old, your house, or schoolmay not be shown. Mapresources are listed in Part4 of this booklet.
B. Numbers on the mapstell how many feet abovethe sea the land is located.They are located on“contour lines.” Contourlines close together indicatesteep slopes. Contour linesfar apart indicate flat land.
C. Examine the elevationcontours to see thetopography of the land andfind examples of differentlandscape types: hill, valley,wetland. How does the mapillustrate the differences?
D. Water will flow towardthe lower numbers. A dropof water flowing off yourland will flow across thecontour lines toward lowernumbers to the neareststream, lake, ditch orwetland.
Where does your waterflow, and how can it beprotected?
Adapted with permission fromThe Cannon River WatershedPartnership, Faribault.
biologically unproductive. Forms of algaeand other aquatic plants that depend onmoderate to high nutrient concentrations findthese lakes inhospitable. They are unproduc-tive for fish as well. However, certain speciessuch as lake and brook trout are specificallyadapted to them. The relatively low biologi-cally productivity typical of these lakes is areflection of their cold temperatures andnutrient-poor status.
Lakes in central Minnesota occur inshallow to moderately deep basins in calcare-ous drift. The waters are much richer indissolved minerals, and organisms arecorrespondingly more abundant. In thisregion of the state, the rate of evaporationbalances with that of precipitation so thatwater flow through the lakes decreaseseasonally and outlets are frequently inactive.These lakes are generally intermediate innutrient levels and productivity. They are bestknown for their walleye and bass populations.
Lake chemistry strongly reflects thechange from precipitation surplus in north-eastern Minnesota to the negative waterbalance in the southwestern lakes. Hot drysummers in the region elevate evaporationrates, causing lakes to have high concentra-tions of dissolved minerals. This phenomenonis so pronounced that in some cases crusts ofwhite salts are deposited on the mud flats oflake margins when the water level dropsduring the summer season. These prairielakes are shallow, fertile, and turbid. Of allMinnesota lakes, these have suffered thegreatest alteration by humans. Agriculturaldrainage and runoff has greatly altered thebiological composition and water quality ofmany of them.
Streams and RiversJust as the changes in geology, topographyand climate across the state influence lakes,so do they similarly affect streams and rivers.The rivers of northeastern Minnesota areclear, fast-flowing and cold, with lowbiological productivity. The rivers of south-western Minnesota are turbid, sluggish, andwarm with relatively higher biologicalproductivity. Nevertheless, within each regionof the state there is considerable variabilitythat cannot be detailed by such broadgeneralizations. For the purposes of
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
19Part One
Great Lakes Drainage
Hudson Bay Drainage
Gulf of Mexico / Mississippi River
Drainage
describing the distribution of river organ-isms, two factors, habitat requirements andwatershed boundary, are most informative.On a local scale, habitat conditions (e.g.stream gradient, water clarity and tempera-ture, and substrate) are important variablescontrolling the abundance of river species.
Major Watersheds of MinnesotaLocated on a slight elevation in north-eastern Minnesota it is a spot where arain shower splits into three parts thatflow in three different directions. Afterlong journeys one part meets icy HudsonBay, another the North Atlantic, andanother the warm water of the Gulf ofMexico. Does water from your naturearea flow through rivers and streams toone of these seas?
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
20Part One
Aquatic Publications and Programs
Minnesota Wetlands:A Primer on Their Natureand FunctionNational Audubon Society (1993)26 E. Exchange St., Suite 207Saint Paul, MN. 55101651- 225-1830$2.50, first copy free
This Primer describes Minnesota’swetland communities, what wetlandsare and how wetlands work. Thecommon plants and animals, value,location and status of different wetlandtypes such as marshes, swamps,bogs, and fens are included.
Wetland Plants and PlantCommunities of Minnesota andWisconsinEggers, Steve D. and Reed, DonaldM.US Army Corps of EngineersAttention - Library Sales190 Fifth St. EastSt. Paul, MN 55101-1638651-290-5680$11.00 + S&H
Provides keys and descriptions toMinnesota’s aquatic communities andassociated plant life. Descriptions ofplants are included for marshes, wetmeadows, bogs, shrub swamps,wooded swamps, floodplain forests,and seasonally flooded basins.
A Guide to Aquatic Plants:Identification and ManagementMinnesota DNR Fisheries500 Lafayette RdSt. Paul MN 551551-800-766-6000 (toll free)651-296-6157-free to public-
The guide uses drawings to identify 25common aquatic plants. It discussesthe need to protect valuable plantsand control harmful species,summarizes state regulations andexplains the DNR Aquatic PlantManagement Program.
Environmental education curriculumon wetland plants, habitats andecosystems. Curriculum is onlydistributed through workshops.
The Patterned Peatlandsof Minnesota.Wright, H.E., Barbara Coffin andNorman Aaseng. (1992).University of MN Press11030 South Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550 (fax: 800-621-8476)www.upress.umn.edu$44.95 + S&H
Explores the ecosystem of thepeatlands of Minnesota, whichexhibit one of the most remarkabledisplays of complex adjustment ofliving organisms to their environ-ment. 544 pages, line drawings,photographs.
Fabulous WetlandsDNR - Film Library500 Lafayette RdSt. Paul MN 551551-888-646-6367 (toll free)651-296-6157
An entertaining video on the usesand values of wetlands. One of manyfilms available from the DNR filmlibrary: free loan of films, videos, andslide shows. Borrower pays insuredreturn postage. Schools obtain auser number.
Mississippi Headwaters River Watchis a scientific ambient water qualitycollection and monitoring program,that involves middle school and highschool volunteers in the collection ofwater quality data.
A monitoring plan, fieldprocedures and reporting sheetshave been developed by qualifiedbiologists, chemists and limnologists.These professionals then trainvolunteers, who have the responsibil-ity of implementing the monitoringplan, under the direction of the RiverWatch Coordinator, a trainedlimnologist.
All results collected by RiverWatch volunteers will be recorded bythe state pollution control agencyand entered into the national waterquality data bank. These results willidentify trends in water quality andhelp government officials makedecisions about future riverprotection programs.
WOW: The Wonders ofWetlands, An Educator’s GuideSlattery, Britt EckhardtEnvironmental Concern210 West Chew Ave., PO Box PSt. Michaels, MD 21663410-745-9620 (fax: 410-745-3517)$15.95 + $4.50 S&Hwww.wetland.org
Reader-friendly wetland education.Includes activities to discover what awetland is, its unique soils, plants andanimals. It explores the role ofwetlands and provides recommenda-tions for applying knowledge andskills to the task of wetlandrestoration and protection.
Streams and Rivers of MinnesotaWaters, Thomas F. (1980).University of MN Pressc/o Chicago Distribution Center11030 South Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550 (fax: 800-621-8476)www.upress.umn.edu$13.95 + S&H
Describes the physical characteris-tics, history, biology, and recreationaluse of the principal rivers ofMinnesota and their tributaries. 361pages, maps, drawings.
Wetlands: Investigating Swamps,Bogs, Fens and MarshesHickman, Pamela. 1993.Available from: Acorn Naturalists17300 E. 17th St. #J-236Tustin CA 927801-800-422-8886 (fax: 800-452-2802)www.acornnaturalist.com$10.95
Wetland education for elementarystudents (K-8) that focuses onwetland plants, animals, and ecology.Includes both activities anddiscussions of wetlands as naturalfilters, fish nurseries, and wildlifehomes. Perfect introduction to aquaticenvironments.
Wetland TrunkUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceMinnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge4101 East 80th StreetBloomington, MN 55425-1600612-854-5900
A trunk containing many wetlandeducational materials is available forcheckout from the USFWS. Trunkcontains wetland resources including:videos, posters, articles, magazines,activities and resource directory.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
21Part Two
PART TWO
BOUNDING THE BIOMES
Since the First Continental Congress createdthe Public Land Survey in 1785, its employ-ees have surveyed more than 1 billion acresof the United States, including all of Minne-sota.
Any piece of land that is bought and soldtoday in that vast expanse is just a smallpiece of the large rectangular squares — theoriginal townships — laid out by the survey-ors. The only areas not surveyed by therectangular system are Hawaii, parts of theSouth, and the states that constitute theoriginal thirteen colonies.
And the work goes on: Alaska has notbeen fully surveyed, nor have some nationalforests and parks in the western states. Butwhile laying a straight line through theoutback still can be hard work, it’s not thetask that the early surveyors faced.
“If you were to walk in the woods today,you probably would take the path of leastresistance,” said Rob Nurre, a privatebiologist in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. “Butthe surveyors had to walk prescribed lines,and that often meant hacking their waythrough some very rugged unsettled country.”
Through centuries of slowly shifting climates and localized disturbances of fireand storm, Minnesota’s plant and animal communities were constantly changing.However, during the nearly 200 years of European settlement the pace and scaleof change increased dramatically.
The location and features of Minnesota’s woodlands, wetlands and prairieswere systematically recorded when Minnesota was surveyed for settlement.Between 1847-1907 nearly two-hundred government-appointed land surveyors,with the aid of hardy assistants, walked every mile of the state. They determinedthe lay of the land, divided the state into a rectangular grid of artificial bound-aries and provided settlers with the opportunity to buy land from the federalgovernment. Their records describe Minnesota as settlement of the Upper Mid-west was just beginning.
Today, after more than a century of settlement, very few remnants of the nativewoodlands, wetlands and prairies described by the surveyors remain. The loca-tion and condition of these remaining scattered areas is once again being docu-mented. The Minnesota County Biological Survey and other state, federal, andprivate agencies and individuals are working to protect remnants of Minnesota’snative landscapes.
1847 – 1907
Surveying the United States: 209 Years, A Billion Plus Acres and Still Going
The following article, reprinted with the permission of the Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul,“Surveying the US: 209 Years, a Billion Plus Acres and Still Going.” Dean Rebuffoni. 1/2/94.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
22Part Two
He emphasized that interpreting the old,sometimes cryptic survey notebooks“requires that we also understand the mindset of the surveyors and what they wereexpected to do.”
Their employer, the General Land Office,expected them to survey the land intotownships, each 6 miles square, with linesrunning due north and south and otherscrossing at right angles. They were to clearlymark these lines and their corners byinscribing trees, the so-called bearing treesand, on the prairie, with earthen mounds andwooden posts. These artificial boundarieswere to be recorded in the surveyors’ fieldnotes.
They were also expected to recordsignificant natural features such as soils,plants, topography, waterways, lakes, hills,caves, and mineral deposits. And they wereto record artificial features — Indian villagesand mounds, for example, and Europeansettlements, fields, trails, and roads.
For doing all that, the deputy surveyor,the man in charge of the survey crew, waspaid $2 to $4 for each surveyed mile duringthe mid-1800’s, In turn, he had to providetransportation and provisions and pay theother crew members. They each got about $1a day.
However, a buck went a long way then.For example, an acre of surveyed land couldbe bought for $1.50 from the General LandOffice.
The size of the survey crew depended onhow much work it was expected to do, butoften there were five men: the deputysurveyor, two ax-men, a cook, and a coupleof chain-men.
The surveyor handled the compass, theax-men cleared a path through the woods andthe cook handled the food and other campwork. The chain-men, of course, handled themetal measuring chain. It was 66 feet longand weighed from 4 to 10 pounds.
“To survey a township, including its 36sections, meant laying out and walking 72miles of measured chain, but it frequently
Formula’s of landscape division:Surveyor’s Chain= 66 feetOne Mile = 5,280 feet or 80 chainsOne Section = 1 square mile or
640 acres640 Acres = divided into multiple
acreage based on thequartering of sections
One Acre = 43,560 square feet
Land SurveyResources
Trygg Land MapsTrygg Land OfficePO Box 628, Ely MN 55731218-365-5177, $4.00
Maps compiled from originalland survey data and otherdocumentary sources.Twenty three maps describeMinnesota’s vegetation atthe time the land surveywas completed (1847-1907)as well as notable land-scape or cultural features:settlements, cleared fields,mill sites, roads and trails.These resources provide aninteresting and easy to usepicture of the past.
The Field Notes of thePublic Land SurveyMinnesota History Center345 Kellogg Ave W.,St. Paul, MN 55102-1906651-296-2143
Although originally federalproperty, the field notes ofthe Public Land Survey arenow owned by the state.There are more than300,000 pages of notescovering all of Minnesota,and they are contained inmore than 1400 leatherbound volumes. Because oftheir value and fragility,access to the volumes isrestricted, although theircontents have beenreproduced on microfilmand optical discs and areavailable for research. Asite’s township name, rangenumber, tier number, andlegal description isnecessary to accessinformation.
meant walking 120 to 130 miles through thewilderness, and a good day’s work would beperhaps 10 measured miles.”
The work generally was easiest on thetreeless prairie, tougher in the woods, anddownright miserable in the bogs, marshes andother wetlands that then covered so muchland. And while they frequently traveledthrough areas teeming with fish and game, thesurveyors didn’t spend much time angling andhunting.
“It just wasn’t time efficient. They carriedtheir food supplies, and often it was salt porkand hardtack (hard biscuits).”
They were afield in all types of weather,usually far from the nearest pioneer settle-ments. Sickness was common, and Indianssometimes hindered the work.
“The European settlers usually didn’tshow up until after the surveyors,” Nurre said.“For the native Americans, seeing the survey-ors do their work, seeing the survey stakespounded into the land, was the first tangibleevidence that the treaties they had signedwere, indeed, to come to pass.
“Those survey stakes became the harbin-gers of change to the landscape.”
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
23Part Two
Townships
1,320 FeetNW 1/4SW 1/440 Acres
1,320 FeetNE 1/4SW 1/440 Acres
SW 1/4SW 1/440 Acres
36 Sections in a Township
Acreages
660 Ft.W 1/2
NW 1/4SE 1/4
20 Acres
10Chains
NW 1/4160 Acres
W 1/2NE 1/4
80 Acres
E 1/2NE 1/4
80 Acres
T3N
T2N
T1N
T1S
T2S
N
➜
Baseline
Meridian
R3W R2W R1W R1E R2E
T1NR1W
36 Sq.Miles
T1SR2W
T2SR1E
Organizing the Landscapefor Buying and Selling
Every piece of land that is bought or sold inMinnesota and most of the United States ispart of a grid system of land division thatoverlays natural communities and systems.
First the surveyors divided the landscapeinto townships that were numbered northand south from a baseline into Tiers andnumbered east and west from the principalmeridians into Ranges.
Then the surveyors divided each townshipinto 36 sections. Each section was onesquare mile or 640 acres. Note the number-ing system used to designate the sections.
Finally each section was broken down intoparcels of land or acreages. Each acrecontains 43,560 square feet.
Township
10 Acres
36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31
1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6
12 7 8 9 10 11 12 7
13 18 17 16 15 14 13 18
28 19 20 21 22 23 24 19
25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30
36 31 32 33 34 35 36 31
1 6 5 4 3 2 1 6
A Section, 640 acres,1 square mile
Township
1 Section in a township
NE 1/4SE 1/4SE 1/4
10Acres
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
24Part Two
“Eyewitnesses to Wilderness”
Reprinted with the permission of the Star Tribune,
Minneapolis-St. Paul. Eyewitnesses to Wilderness 1/2/94
Field notes written by the original landsurveyors are largely businesslike and profes-sional, but sometimes they show flashes ofhumor and insightful predictions. They alsoreveal the tough conditions that surveyorsoften endured in the wilderness that now isMinnesota. And sometimes the pristine landmoved them to lyricism.
When the surveyors were afoot, Minnesota’swetlands were still vast and undrained. Thatcreated problems because the surveyors had tomark section corners, either by blazing trees,building earthen mounds or driving long,wooden stakes into the soil.
A. Wilcox, who surveyed Clay County in1870, wryly described the woes he encoun-tered: “It being impossible to build a mound atthis point I stuck [a section post] into themarsh. But when last seen, it was fast goingdown out of sight.”
When he surveyed Chippewa County in1871, George Stuntz found rich soil andflat terrain - sure bets to attract farmers. Buthe also encountered a form of wildlife thatlater would plague county farmers: “Mil-lions of grasshoppers. Sun clouded withgrasshoppers in the middle of the day. Allflying to the SE”
Surveying could be exceedingly hardwork, as is revealed in C. H. Armstrong’sfield notes from the wild of St. LouisCounty: “This township was surveyedduring the coldest weather I have everexperienced, it being often thirty degreesbelow zero and seldom reaching minus tendegrees [and] the snow being an average oftwo or more feet. I have striven to hold myinstruments at proper adjustment but I feelpositive that no instrument … is now orever will be manufactured that will give aperfect meridian while subjected to suchintense cold, and the proper handling of asensitive instrument is a physicalimpossibility.”
1
George Stuntz,Chippewa County
2
A. Wilcox,Clay County Nathan Butler,
Itasca County
E. Darling andGeorge Wright,Aitkin County
Jesse Jarrett,Hennipen County
7Joe Bailey,Winona County
1
C. H. Armstrong,St. Louis County
3
2
3
4
5
6
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
25Part Two
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
The Surveyor’s Instruc-tions: What They WereLooking For
The instructions to the landsurveyors were as follows:“Your field notes are to form afull and perfect history of youroperations in the field. You areto enter in their proper placesin the field notes of yoursurvey, a particular descriptionand the exact location of thefollowing objects.”
1. The length and variationof every line you run.
2. The name and diameterof all bearing trees, withthe course and distanceof the same from theircorners.
3. The name and materialfrom which youconstruct mounds, withthe course and distanceto the pits.
4. The name, diameter andexact distance to allthose trees which yourlines intersect.
5. At what distance youenter, or at whatdistance you leaveevery river, creek or“bottom,” prairie,swamp, marsh, grove,or windfall, with thecourse of the same atboth points of intersec-tion.
6. The surface whetherlevel, rolling, broken, orhilly.
7. The soil, whether first,second, or third rate.
8. The several kinds oftimber and undergrowth,naming the timber inorder of its prevalence.
9. All rivers, creeks andsmaller streams ofwater, with their actualor right angled widths,course, banks, current,and bed, at the pointswhere your lines cross.
10. A description of allbottom lands —whether wet or dry, andif subject to inundation,state to what depth.
11. All springs of water,and whether fresh,saline, or mineral,with the course andwidth of the streamflowing.
12. All lakes and ponds,describing their banksand the depth andquality of water.
13. All coal banks,precipice, caves, sink-holes, quarries andledges with thecharacter and qualityof the same.
14. All waterfalls and millsites.
15. All towns and villages,houses, cabins, fieldsand sugar camps,factories, furnacesand other improve-ments.
16. All minerals or ores,and all diggingsthereof, with particulardescriptions of boththat may come to yourknowledge, whetherintersected by yourlines or not.
17. All roads and trailswith the courses theybear.
18. All offsets orcalculations by whichyou obtain the lengthof such parts of yourlines as cannot bemeasured with thechain.
19. The precise courseand distance of allwitness corners fromthe true corners whichthey represent.
Provided by the Trygg LandOffice, Ely, Minnesota.
Nathan Butler spent the winter of 1872-73 surveyingin northern Minnesota, in what is now Itasca County. Inone area, the magnetic needle in his compass acted soerratic that he had to switch to a solar compass to get anaccurate bearing. Butler later wrote, “There were millionsof dollars of the best kind of iron ore under my feet, and Idid not know it.” He had been atop what now is theMesabi Iron Range.
Surveyor E. Darling didn’t especially like what hefound in part of Aitkin County in 1860. He described “wet& boggy” swamps, “ridges of poor soil” and “no timberis worth cutting.” But another surveyor, George Wright ,was awed by what he saw in another part of AitkinCounty, along the Mississippi River: “The river … isperhaps not excelled for beauty by any streams in theworld; with a perfectly uniform width ... handsomelyrounded banks of ten to twenty feet high and a current attwo to three miles per hour, it sweeps away in thosegraceful curves which never fail to delight the eye … itcan only be appreciated through an … acquaintancetherewith. It must be seen and felt.”
Jesse Jarrett summed up a six square mile tract ofland that he visited on Aug. 17, 1853. At the time, the landwas at the edge of the frontier; today, it’s a big chunk ofMinneapolis, including the city’s chain of lakes. “Thistownship contains a number of lakes of clear deep water,also a number of small lakes. There are also a consider-able number of marshes generally suitable for meadows.The soil of this township is good second rate, sandy, welladapted for farming in this country where the summersare short.”
Joe Bailey, while roughing it across Winona County in1854, predicted that the area could someday provide its
settlers with an abundance of fattening food, the sort ofdiet then believed to cause gout, or “rich man’s disease.”The county, he wrote: “… is well adapted to the culture ofthe gout, but will doubtless be, for many years to come,the peaceful abode of the large Yellow Rattlesnake, sometwelve of which were killed by (his surveying crew) duringour short but painful sojourn.”
Bailey and his crew also encountered stinging weeds,troublesome brush and one family of settlers: “… thevalleys are narrow and fertile, but generally wet andthickly coated with bull nettles and undergrowth ofvarious kinds. One family had just pitched their tent …but their protracted stay was exceedinglydoubtful.”
7
6
5
4
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
26Part Two
Today: ProtectingWhat Remains
As the original land survey in Minnesota wascompleted, the pace and scale of settlementincreased dramatically. In 1850 there were lessthan 7,000 settlers living in Minnesota. In adecade the number jumped to over 172,000.By 1900 there were almost 2 million people inall regions of the state.
By 1950 Minnesota’s population increasedto nearly 3 million, and only fragments ofnative vegetation remained. As prairie,woodland, and wetland acres were eliminated,diversity suffered. Habitat was lost. Thecomplexity of the landscape was simplified.
As the 20th century draws to a close 4.5million Minnesotans live in a landscape thatholds few clues to the places of two centuriesago. Only isolated remnants of Minnesota’snatural communities remain. Scattered pocketsof prairie persist along railroad corridors, onthe edges of pioneer cemeteries and in a fewplaces left untouched by plows or graders.Fragments of forests line rivers and stand likeancient islands scattered through the state.
The Minnesota County Biological Surveyof the Minnesota DNR, using 20th-centurytools of aerial photography, computers, andsophisticated mapping techniques, are onceagain surveying the landscape. Initiated in1987, and operated by the Natural Heritageand Nongame Wildlife programs, the surveysystematically gathers, county-by-county,information on Minnesota’s biotic communi-ties and the plants and animals they shelter. Italso documents the existence of rare plantsand animals in each county, producing a mapof significant natural features that can be usedin local land-use planning.
The Prairie Today …Large scale habitat destruction and alterationin the prairie biome has been more completethan in any other area of the state. Shortlyafter 1850, when agriculture became animportant factor in the state’s economy, theentire native prairie landscape had all butdisappeared under the plow. Now less than1% of the original prairie remains, usuallyalong railroad rights-of-way, on steep slopes,and in other difficult-to-farm areas. With thedestruction of the continuous tallgrass prairiecame large reductions in population andgeographic distribution of many native prairiespecies. By the early 1900’s the herds ofbison and elk had vanished from the prairiebiome. Prairie birds such as the long-billedcurlew and McCown’s longspur wereextirpated, and the greater prairie-chickenwas pushed out of the southern part of thestate. Today 105 vascular plant and animalspecies associated with the prairie biomehave been identified as endangered, threat-ened, or of special concern in the state. Theisolated remnants of native prairie are the laststronghold for many of Minnesota’s rarestspecies.
Biome Remnants:Protected Sitesin MinnesotaIf you wish to see an example ofone of Minnesota’s naturalcommunities or you areconsidering restoring an area toprairie, woodland, or wetland,you may want to visit anexisting remnant site. Remnantsand restorations of naturalareas can be found throughoutthe state on private and publicland and can serve as a modelfor what your place could belike. Be sure to get permissionbefore venturing into apreserved area. Many of theareas are protected in order topreserve their unique character-istics, and may have specialrestrictions on their use.
The Nature Conservancy1313 5th St. SESuite 320Minneapolis, MN 55414-1588www.tnc.org612-331-0750
The Nature Conservancy is aninternational conservationorganization that works topreserve the best examples ofplants, animals, and naturalcommunities that represent thediversity of life on earth byprotecting the lands and watersthey need to survive. TheMinnesota Chapter owns andmanages 52 Preserves whichinclude native prairie, woodland,and wetland communities. SomePreserves can be visited; AGuide to the Nature ConservancyPreserves in Minnesota isavailable for $16.00.
This free booklet lists landconservation grants andprograms available to Minnesotaland owners including programsin soil protection practices, forestland management, waterconservation, and wildlife,wetland, and prairie manage-ment. The publication number isNR-FO-5946-S.
Minnesota County Biological SurveyMN DNR500 Lafayette Rd, Box 7St. Paul, MN 55155888-646-6367 toll free651-296-6157 metro
Comprehensive data on the distribution andstatus of intact biotic communities is now beingcompiled by the Minnesota County BiologicalSurvey. Maps for the counties that have beencompleted detail plant communities prior tosettlement and remaining tracts of significantplant communities.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
27Part Two
The Aspen Parkland Today …The continuous nature of the aspen parklandis rapidly disappearing because agriculturalclearing continues in the region. The sup-pression of natural fires is also altering thecharacter of the ecosystem. Groves of aspen-oak forest have spread in some areas to forma nearly uniform, continuous cover. Becauseof these changes, some species that inhabitthis ecosystem – sandhill cranes, sharp-tailedsparrows, and western fringed prairie orchid– are rarer today.
The Oak Woodland andBrushland Today …Agricultural activities and fire suppressionhave severely degraded and diminished thisonce widespread community type. Todayremnant examples of this community arerestricted to the sandy soils of dunes andsand plains unsuitable to cultivation. Bothplants and animals typical of this communityhave declined: the loggerhead shrike and thekitten-tail plant are examples.
The Floodplain Forests Today …Owing to the low agricultural and develop-ment value of the floodplain community, theoriginal distribution of this forest type hasnot been greatly impacted. Intact floodplainforests are often the only large pieces ofnative habitat remaining in heavily agricul-tural areas.
The Maple-Basswood Forest Today …Since settlement in the mid 1800’s, theoriginal maple-basswood forest has beenprofoundly altered by agricultural develop-ment and urban growth. The Big Woods itselfhas been virtually eliminated through landclearing. Much of the former deciduousforest is now Minnesota’s dairy region.Today, remnant stands occur only as small,isolated fragments surrounded by cropland.Within the topographically rugged “driftlessarea,” the maple-basswood forests arerestricted to sites of steep, north–and east–facing slopes which were less vulnerable tocultivation efforts. A number of rare wood-land plants occur in this habitat, includinggolden-seal, twin leaf, squirrel-corn, trillium,ginseng, and the federally listed Minnesotadwarf trout lily.
The Northern Hardwood Forest Today …The northern hardwood forest has experiencedprofound alteration from its condition at thetime of settlement. Clear-cutting and subse-quent conversion to other forest types haseliminated much of the northern hardwoods.In addition, high-grading of the forest byselective removal of yellow birch and conifershas resulted in a change of forest compositiontoward the increased dominance of sugarmaple and basswood. Forests that haveremained undisturbed are characterized by aclosed over-story canopy of old-growth trees(150 plus years). These sites are especiallyimportant habitat for species of lichens thatrequire mature forests. The state threatenedlichen Lobaria quercizans is found only onmature trees within the northern hardwood andforested swamp communities. The easternhemlock, a tree species that is common ineastern North America, occurs in Minnesotaexclusively in the northern hardwood forest.
The Great Lakes Pine Forest Today …The red pine and white pine forests were themost thoroughly exploited natural communi-ties in the Upper Midwest. Lumbering,beginning in the 1840’s, virtually eliminatedthe large groves of original pine forest fromthe landscape. Subsequent land-clearingactivities destroyed chances for pine regenera-tion and resulted in their replacement bystands of aspen and birch, now the mostcommon forest type in northern Minnesota.Large stands of virgin pine are now restrictedto the Border Lakes region within the BWCAand Voyageurs National Park. The essentiallyundisturbed character of this area allows thepine forest ecosystem to function much as itdid on the pre-European-settlement landscape.Pine stands in these large pristine areas andsmaller remnant stands scattered throughoutnorth-central Minnesota provide importantnesting habitat for osprey and the threatenedbald eagle.
Many of the state parks haveinterpretive information andmanagement projects thatattempt to restore the naturalcommunities that werehistorically a part of the park’slandscape. Also at the parks,you’ll find information on theJunior Park Naturalist Program.The program invites childrenages 7-14 to observe and learnabout the natural community ofthe park environment. Theprogram includes three bookletsrepresenting Minnesota’s majorbiomes: prairies, hardwoods,and conifer forests. Each bookletoffers three achievement levelsto motivate participants. JuniorPark Naturalist materials arefree and available exclusively atMinnesota state parks.
The Minnesota NaturalistAssociation (MNA)P.O. Box 23435Richfield, MN 55423
The MNA produces a list ofMinnesota’s environmentaleducation facilities. Contactfacilities near you for descrip-tions of their natural featuresand management activities.
This program has established asystem of public natural areasthat include the rarest and mostprecious of Minnesota’s naturalfeatures. The select lands andwaters that qualify are protectedthrough fee acquisitions, gifts,easements, or leases. Specialpermission is required to useSNA’s. For more informationcontact the program.
Educator’s Guide to UsingEnvironmental LearningCentersRELC Green Print Council OfficeMinnesota DNRBox 46500 Lafayette RoadSt. Paul, MN 55155651-282-5788
Describes each of Minnesota’senvironmental learning centers,their mission and services, andeverything a teacher needs toknow to bring a class to them.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
28Part Two
full range of plants and animals native tothese lands. In particular, the shrub bogs ofthe peatlands provide specialized habitat forthe northern bog lemming, and the mineralrich fens provide specialized habitat for therare and intriguing linear-leaved sundew anda moss (Cinclidium stygium), which is anindicator of rich fen habitat.
The Primary Communities Today …The extreme conditions (cliff, sand, etc. )found in primary communities afford fewopportunities for development, hence, unlikemost natural communities in the state, theirdistribution today is probably similar to theirpre-settlement range.
The Lakes Today …Minnesota’s lakes, notably those in thesouthwest, have been extensively altered byhumans. Agricultural drainage and pollutedrunoff has greatly altered the biologicalcomposition and water quality of many ofthem. Much is yet to be known about thedistribution of aquatic organisms as areflection of the health of the environment.There is little information on the distributionand habitat preference of aquatic plants, mostaquatic invertebrates, and fish other thangame species.
The Rivers and Streams Today …Several of the state’s endangered fish andmollusks clearly illustrate both the impor-tance of undisturbed habitat and the impact ofdrainage divides. The shovelnose sturgeonand the paddlefish were once much morecommon in the Mississippi River drainage,but the construction of navigational dams hasaltered habitat and interfered with spawningmigrations. The siltation of once clear uplandstreams due to intensive agricultural practicesis another significant factor in the increasingrarity of fish species. In all cases, the fact thatwatershed boundaries restrict and limitspecies migration and dispersal means thatthe short-term impact of habitat degradationmay mean the long term extirpation of aspecies. Many river organisms are restrictedto their particular drainage system and haveno mechanism for moving to suitable habitatin other watersheds when habitat is destroyedin its native waters. Conservation of river andstream habitats must occur throughoutMinnesota if we are to protect the fullbiological diversity of our waterways.
The Jack Pine Forests Today …Following the early logging of the GreatLakes pine forest and resultant fires, jackpine forest increased in extent acrossMinnesota. Current fire-protection policies,however favor the replacement of jack pineforest by the more shade-tolerant trees of theGreat Lakes pine forests and the borealhardwood-conifer forest. Open jack pinestands, maintained by periodic fires, areimportant habitat for one of Minnesota’srarest plant species, the endangered Ram’s-head lady’s slipper, as well as a threatenedspecies of tiger beetle. The marten, ananimal of special concern, is also aninhabitant of mature jack pine forest andother coniferous forest types in northeasternMinnesota. Once common, this species waspushed to near extirpation by hunting andremoval of forest cover. It is now making alimited comeback.
The Boreal Hardwood-ConiferForest Today …Relatively natural stands of boreal hard-wood-conifer forest are still fairly commonin northern Minnesota. Within the BWCA, avast expanse of this forest type, interspersedwith wetlands and lakes, supports the lastlarge population of federally-threatened graywolf in the contiguous United States.
The Peatlands Today …The vast continuous peatlands of northernMinnesota are the state’s last remainingintact ecosystem. Despite drainage efforts ofearly settlers, this system, unlike any otherecosystem in Minnesota, retains a largeenough area to provide viable habitat for the
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
29Part Three
PART THREE
SITE CHECKLIST:Guidelines for Planning School Nature Areas
Preservation is the most important action you can take to benefit any nature areathat has not been significantly altered. Once a native landscape is gone, the areawill never support the population of plants and animals that it once did. Land-scapes that have been significantly altered – where few original plant and animalresidents remain – can be patiently redirected (but never fully recreated) throughrestoration. In either case, management requires seeing nature areas as a part ofa larger system whose plants, animals, land, water and human components areinterconnected.
Whether preserving, restoring, or managing a particular site, some commonthemes should guide your nature area planning.
Rare SpeciesBegin a program to identify and protectthe plant and animal species that arethreatened or endangered in your area.
Reasonable AccessAccommodate human use and educa-tional opportunities. Monitor yourimpact.
WildlifeProvide indigenous wildlife with food,water, cover and sufficient safe space.
DiversityConserve the full range of naturalhabitats that occur on your site and areappropriate to your biome to help assuresurvival of all plants and animal speciesthat comprise the region’s biodiversity.
Limited FragmentationDevelop and maintain connected habitatareas, allowing for safe, effectivemovement of plant and animal popula-tions.
Native PlantsUtilize native plants because they areadapted to the conditions of your site,have natural “checks and balances,” anddo not require as much maintenance.Remove species that are aggressive orthreaten native plants.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
30Part Three
DiversityBiodiversity (short for biological diversity)has three parts:
Ecosystem diversity – a variety ofhabitats within an ecosystem.
Species diversity – a variety of specieswithin a habitat.
Genetic diversity – a variety of geneticallydifferent individuals within a species.
Without ecosystem diversity, every place onEarth would be the same, and the habitatneeded to support many different types ofplants and animals wouldn’t exist. Withoutspecies diversity, the complex relationshipsamong species that keep life runningsmoothly on Earth wouldn’t exist. Withoutgenetic diversity, a species would not havethe ability to adapt to changes in its environ-ment.
Without diversity, life on Earth would bein trouble. For example, there is a mothspecies in England that has both a dark-colored and a light-colored form. When airpollution began to increase at the time of theIndustrial Revolution, the resulting sootdarkened the bark of trees. Light-coloredmoths stood out against the dark backgroundand were eaten by birds, but the dark-coloredones survived. What would have happened tothe species if there were only light-coloredindividuals? This is an example of theimportance of genetic diversity. A widevariety of individuals helps a species survivechanges in its environment.
Test Your BiodiversityKnowledge
Which of these communitieshave the most biodiversity?
1. a) A farm pasture b) A native prairie
2. a) A wildflower garden b) A mowed lawn
3. a) A group of wild lupineseedlings grown fromseeds from one adultplant
b) A group of wild lupineseedlings grown fromseeds from several adultplants
4. a) An area with wildhuskies, poodles, andChihuahuas living in it
b) An area with wolves,coyotes, and foxes livingin it
5. a) An old-growth forest b) A second-growth forest
that grew where an oldforest was logged
6. a) Ten separate 1,000acre old-growth forests
b) One ten-thousand acreold-growth forest
Answers:1. b: Greater number of species2. a: Greater number of plant
species and the animalspecies they attract
3. b: Greater genetic diversity4. b: Domestic dogs are all the
same species. Wolves,coyotes and foxes are eachseparate species
5. a: Disturbance eliminatesmany species.
6. b: Fragmentation eliminatesedge-sensitive species likewolves, moose, Cooper’shawks, etc.
What about species diversity? No specieslives by itself. Every species depends onothers for what it needs to survive. Forexample, many flowers need bees to pollinatethem so they can produce seeds. Someflowers need a very specific kind of bee. Ifthat one species of bee is eliminated, itdoesn’t matter how many other species ofbees there are in the area, the flower will beeliminated too.
What happens to an ecosystem in whichhabitats become less diverse? Here’s anexample: If you eliminate wetland habitat,you lose all the species that depend onwetlands, like cattails, wild rice, ducks,muskrats, and so on. You also lose both floodcontrol and drought protection. Wetlandsabsorb excess rainwater and let it soak intothe ground, where deep-rooted plants can useit during droughts. Without wetlands, excessrainfall runs off into rivers, washing awayvaluable soil as it goes, and may fill the riversto flood stage. Water doesn’t get a chance tosoak into the ground, so when droughts occurthere is less water in the soil for plants to use,and many plants (and the animals that dependon them) die. Ecosystem diversity is part ofwhat makes our planet healthy, just likespecies diversity and genetic diversity.
Adapted with permission from Wild River State Park,Center City, Minnesota. Written by Park Naturalist DaveCrawford, 1993.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
31Part Three
FragmentationResources
Reconstruction ofFragmented Ecosystems:Global and RegionalPerspectivesSaunders, D. and Paul Ehrlich,editors. (1993).(out of print)
Discusses the role of ecologistsand conservation biologists inecosystem reconstruction. 466pages, color photographs,graphs and tables.
The Ecology ofGreenways: Design andFunction of LinearConservation AreasSmith, Daniel and PaulHellmund. 1993.University of MN Pressc/o Chicago Distribution Center11030 Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550fax: 800-621-8476www.upress.umn.eduISBN: 0816621578$39.95 + S&H
Reference book and practicalguide. Includes discussions oflandscape ecology, conserva-tion biology, water resourcemanagement, ecologicalplanning, and recreation design.222 pages, line drawings, blackand white photographs.
The Role of CorridorsSaunders, D. and R. Hobbs,editors. 1993(out of print)
Brings together new data on theimportance of corridors forbiological management.
The Role of Remnants ofNative VegetationSaunders, D. and G. Arnold.1993(out of print)
Integrated research onmanagement of remnants ofnative vegetation.
Fragmentation
Limited Fragmentation
Scientists who are concerned about the lossof many species (over 550 animal specieshave become extinct in North America sincethe Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock) havefound that certain plant and animal speciesneed undisturbed habitat to survive. Supposea particular species of hawk needs 100 acresof forest in which to establish a nestingterritory. If someone builds a road throughthe forest, splitting it in half, the hawk willgive up trying to nest and move somewhereelse because the area has been fragmented.But will it be able to find another suitableterritory?
Suppose your house were split up into200 rooms, each the size of a telephonebooth? You’d still have the same floor spaceas in a normal house, but split up into tinypieces. It wouldn’t bother your pet hamster,but what about you? Would you be able tolive in it?
Some species actually do better infragmented habitats. White-tailed deer,raccoons, and cowbirds all increase innumbers when they are provided with habitatthat is split up into alternating patches ofwoods and open areas. These species arecalled opportunists – they can take advantage
of habitat that has been disturbed. If yougarden you know all about opportunists,except you probably call them “weeds”.While fragmentation may cause an increasein these few species, there may be fiftyspecies – habitat specialists – that areeliminated when a habitat is fragmented.What happens to overall species diversitythen?
Fragmentation also affects geneticdiversity. Suppose someone builds a shoppingcenter on top of a prairie, leaving only twoprairie fragments on the east and west edgeswith the shopping center and its parking lotsin between. A moth-pollinated wildflower,blue lupine, is found in both fragments. Butthe small moths that pollinate the flowerscan’t survive the flight over the acres-wide,black-topped “desert” in between. So theeast-fragment lupines interbreed with eachother, and the west-fragment lupines inter-breed with each other. With no geneticexchange between fragments, both popula-tions become less diverse genetically and lessable to survive.
Adapted with permission from Wild River State Park,Center City, Minnesota. Written by Park Naturalist DaveCrawford, 1993.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
32Part Three
Consider these fourreasons for choosingnative species overornamentals.
1. Native plants areadapted to the soil,rainfall, and sunlightconditions of your region,so they are apt to thriveonce established. Nativeplants have a home courtadvantage.
2. Native plants form thefood base that nativewildlife species adapted toyour area depend on. Theirpresence in your naturalarea supports the speciesthat live there.
3. Because natives haveevolved adaptations tolocal conditions theyrequire less maintenanceand resources.
4. Non-native plants oftenlack the natural controlsthat help keep theirpopulations in check. Asthey proliferate, they chokeout the native plantspecies.
Native Verses Exotic Species
The plants you want in your natural area arenatives, or those that grow naturally in yourregion. Ornamentals, or exotics, are plantsthat are imported from another place.
Plants and animals brought to thiscontinent from other parts of the world donot have the same “checks and balances” thatour native species do. Non-native species arecalled alien or exotic species. Some exoticspecies, like purple loosestrife and Eurasianwater milfoil, are spreading across NorthAmerica choking out native species. Theseinvading aliens reproduce rapidly, spreadeasily, and have no natural enemies on thiscontinent to control them. When an entiremarsh - home to dozens of plant species thatare used for food and shelter by dozens ofanimal species - is replaced by a dense
What’s in a Name? The Problem With CultivarsThe next time you visit a plant nursery or a greenhouse look at the names of the plants.You will soon discover that plants often have more than one name. Many plants have bothcommon names and scientific names.
For example, the native red maple’s common name is “red maple” but its scientificname is Acer rubrum. Acer is Latin for maple and defines all of the plants in the worldthat have maple characteristics: similar fruit, flowers, roots, leaves, stem, etc.. Rubrum isits species name and describes a particular kind of maple with a defining characteristicthat is distinct through generations — meaning a characteristic that a parent will alwayspass on to children and grandchildren and so on.
Sometimes a scientific name for a particular kind oftree will also have a cultivar name after its species name.For example there is a red maple tree that is known asAcer rubrum ‘Northwoods.’ This means that a particu-lar tree was selected and propagated for its uniquecharacteristics.
Cultivars are often made for special charac-teristics: fall color, flower structure, short stature, allkinds of reasons. But cultivars – because they areplants propagated from a single set of parents – donot have the opportunity to go through the naturalprocess of random pollination. Therefore there ismuch less genetic diversity in a forest of cultivated‘Northwoods’ red maples than would be found in anaturally occurring forest of red maples. Native plants
– not cultivars – are important because without a widevariety of genetically different individuals, the ability of a
species to survive changes in its environment is threatened.
Native Plants
growth of purple loosestrife, which nativeanimals can’t eat or hide in, what happens tospecies diversity?
Our common house cat is another exoticspecies. We brought it to this continentbecause we like the company and because“working cats” on farms help control miceand other small mammals that damage crops.But what happens when one of these catsgoes off on its own? A study done in Wiscon-sin estimated that free-roaming cats in thatstate kill 137 million birds every year,especially birds that nest on the ground. Whateffect does this have on species diversity?
Adapted with permission from Wild River State Park,Center City, Minnesota. Written by Park Naturalist DaveCrawford, 1993.
Membership in the Minnesota NativePlant Society provides a forum for theexchange of information about nativeplant species and native plantsuppliers. Monthly speakers, thePlant Press newsletter, field tripopportunities included in themembership.
Vascular Plants of Minnesota:a Checklist and AtlasOwnbey, Gerald B. and Morley,Thomas . (1993)University of MN Pressc/oChicago Distribution Center11030 South Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550; (fax: 800-621-8476)www.upress.umn.edu$29.95 + S&HISBN: 0816623546
This resource is the definitivereference to the 2010 vascular plantspecies (ferns, conifers, and floweringplants) currently found in Minnesota.Maps show the geographicdistribution of each plant. TheChecklist section provides both anauthoritative summary of thenomenclature of Minnesota plantsand extensive references totaxonomic literature. As such it is themost complete list ever prepared forthe entire state.
Northland Wildflowers: A Guidefor the Minnesota RegionMoyle, John B. & Evelyn W. 1977University of MN PressChicago Distribution Center11030 South Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550; (fax: 800-621-8476)www.upress.umn.edu$18.95 paperback + S&HISBN: 0816613559
Primarily a field guide of 300+flowering plants found in woodland,wetland, prairie, and disturbedcommunities in Minnesota. Plants arearranged by family. Common andLatin names are used. Stunning colorphotographs of each species makethis a very useful reference.
Native Plant Resources○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
Minnesota Native Plant NurseriesSNAP does not necessarily endorse the products or services of these vendors
Nurseries are increasing their native plant offerings every year. Before orderingplants it is important to research the origin of the seed. Choose seeds or plants thatoriginate as near as possible to where they will be planted. Seeds from Nebraska, forinstance, don’t carry with them the genetic information and variability necessary tosurvive in Minnesota’s unique climate and soils. Also be certain that plants are nottaken from the wild to be sold. Each nursery will have information on the installationand proper management of the plants that they sell. Be sure to follow theirrecommendations carefully to insure the success of your planting projects.
Country Wetlands Nurseryand Consulting LtdBox 126Muskego WI 53150414-679-6866Specializes in wetland consultation, designand management for gardens andrestorations.
Feder’s Prairie Seed Co.12871 380th AvenueBlue Earth MN [email protected] Minnesota grass and wildflowerseeds. Wayne Feder is a former HSEcology teacher and is available to talk toschool groups.
Landscape Alternatives, Inc.1705 Alban StRoseville, MN 55113-6554651-488-3142Offers 120 species of prairie, wetland, andwoodland seedlings.
Mark E. GullicksonRR #2, Box 150AFertile, MN 56540218-945-6894Native grass seed
Minnesota DNR Tree SalesForestry Box 95Willow River, MN 55795218-372-3183; (fax:218-372-3091)The DNR state nurseries sell tree andshrub seedlings for projects throughout thestate (minimum order of 500 trees).Foravailability, cost, order forms, and a List ofthe tree and shrub seedlings available callor write for updated information.
Mohn Seed Co.3560 265th AvenueCottonwood MN 56229507-423-6482www.mohnseed.comSpecializes in native grass and wildflowerseed and seedlings in woodland, wetland,and prairie mixes. Consultation andinstallation available. Some native shrubsand trees also available. Call for additionalinformation.
Morning Sky GreeneryRR #1, Box 137HancockMN 56244-9654612-795-2436Wildflower and grass seedlings
Oscar CarlsonBox 157Lake Bronson MN 56734218-754-4475Wildflower and grass seed
Outback Nursery15280 110th St. S.Hastings MN 55033612-438-2771; (fax: 612-438-3816)Large selection of container grown nativeshrubs and trees. Informative catalog.
Prairie Hill WildflowersRR #1, Box 191-AEllendale MN 56026507-451-7791Wildflower and grass seeds.Consultation and installationavailable. Call or write for furtherinformation and price lists.
Prairie Moon NurseryRoute 3, Box 163Winona MN 55987507-452-1362Seeds and plants of 216 nativeprairie, wetland, and woodlandplants from the southeastMinnesota. Nursery also stocksnative shrubs and vines. Catalog isa useful guide on how to establishand maintain your plantings.
Prairie NurseryPO Box 306Westfield WI 53964608-296-3679Seeds and plants for 75 prairiespecies. Informative full colorcatalog details species as well asconsulting services: site evaluation,planting design, site preparation,planting, and post plantingmanagement for sites of all sizes.
Prairie Restorations, Inc.PO Box 327Princeton MN 55371612-389-4342Specializes in restoration andmaintenance of prairies. Retail salesof seed and plants is done throughmail order or at the nursery.
Schumacher’s Berry Farm andWholesale Nursery GrowerRR 2 Box 10Heron Lake, MN 56137507-793-2288; (fax: 507-793-0025)Available to schools and retailnurseries only. Minimum order$150.00. Sells multiple varieties andsizes of Minnesota’s native shrubsand trees. Call or write for wholesaleprice list.
Shooting Star Native SeedHwy 11 West & County Road 33PO Box 648Spring Grove MN 55974507-498-3953Wildflower and grass seed; generalseeding contractor
Wildlife Habitat5114 NE 46th StOwatonna MN 55060507-451-6771Native grass seeds. Consultationand installation available.Specializes in "warm season" praireigrass. Orders only accepted for5+acres. Call or write for price lists.
Trees of MinnesotaMN DNR - ForestryMinnesota’s Bookstore117 University Ave.St. Paul, MN 551551-800-657-3757$5.00 + S&H
Provides information on 50 treespecies that grow in Minnesotaincluding identification notes anddrawings, range maps and forestproduct uses.
Wildflowers and Weeds:A Field Guide in Full ColorBooth, CourtenaySimon and Schuster. 1978(out of print)
Color photographs and informationabout native and non-nativeherbaceous plants found inMinnesota’s woodlands, wetlands,and prairies. Plants are arranged byeasy to use family groups. Key to theplant families and diagrams areuseful.
Nature Study Pocket GuidesNature Study GuildBox 972Berkeley, CA 94701$2.00 each + S&H
Easy to use illustrated pocket keys tothe features common in Minnesota’snature areas. Field guide topicsinclude: Flower Finder, Tree Finder,Winter Tree Finder, Fern Finder,Track Finder, Berry Finder, andWinter Weed Finder.
The Ferns of MinnesotaTryon, Rolla. 1980.University of MN PressChicago Distribution Center11030 South Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550; (fax: 800-621-8476)www.upress.umn.edu$12.95 + S&HISBN: 0816609357
This revised edition of the 1954publication is a comprehensive guidefor the identification of ferns in thestate. 176 pages, 201 drawings, 13color photographs.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
34Part Three
Rare Species Management
Species become rare primarily throughhabitat loss or degradation, exploitation, andover-harvesting. All species, whether rare orcommon, contribute to the biologicaldiversity of a region, but “endangered,”“threatened,” or “species of specialconcern” – legal designations – are inimminent danger of disappearing. Speciesthat are eliminated from their normal rangeare said to be extirpated. Species that are
The Minnesota NaturalHeritage Information Systemprovides information onMinnesota’s rare plants,animals, natural communities,and geologic features. Thisinformation assists Minneso-tans in managing the state’sbiological diversity. There is afee for database searches.
Minnesota’s EndangeredFlora and FaunaCoffin, Barbara andPfannmuller, Lee, 1988University of MN PressChicago Distribution Center11030 South Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550; (fax: 800-621-8476)www.upress.umn.eduISBN: 0816616892$19.95 paperback + S&H
This comprehensive resourceprovides a list of over 300 plantand animal species that arethreatened or endangeredwithin the state. Speciesdescriptions includeidentification information,common, Latin, and familynames. The official protectionstatus of the species as well asdistribution maps for both thecountry and the state aregiven. 374 maps, 234 linedrawings, 474 pages.
eliminated entirely are said to be extinct.Both extirpation and extinction have negativeconsequences for species, genetic, and habitatdiversity.
Rare species are typically found whereland and vegetation have not been altered byplowing, grazing, heavy logging, or draining.You can play an important role in protectingrare species in Minnesota by knowing whatspecies are endangered or threatened in yourarea, knowing why they are in danger, andhelping to protect the places where theyoccur.
Rare Species
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
35Part Three
Trails and AccessResources
Recreational Trail Designand ConstructionRathke, David M. and MelvinBaughman, 1994.MN Extension ServiceDistribution Center20 Coffey Hall1420 Eckles AveSt. Paul, MN 55108-6069800-876-8636; 612-625-8173(fax: 612-625-6281)$3.00 + S&H
Guide to trail design andconstruction techniques.Graphic illustrations ofcommon designs are useful.Order publication # BU-6371-S.
Signs, Trails andWayside Exhibits:Connecting People toPlacesTrapp, Suzanne, MichaelGross and Ron Zimmerman.1992.Available from: AcornNaturalists17300 E. 17th St. #J-236Tustin CA 926780800-422-8886; (fax: 800-452-2802)www.acornnaturalists.com$19.95 + S&H
This “how to” guide suggestsways to build signs andexhibits that effectivelytranslate both the content andthe spirit of a place to itsvisitors. Chapters on designbasics, exhibits, the message,sign fabrication, trailconstruction and maintenance,and trail interpretation areincluded. Photographs and linedrawings demonstrate creativesolutions that will give yournature area high visibility.Order Publication #BIN-1102.
Reasonable Access
Trails and other features to accommodatehuman use are often desired within schoolnature areas. While these features facilitateeasy movement and access to interesting,beautiful, and instructional sites, they arenot without their consequences. Trails androads contribute to fragmentation, loss ofdiversity, and displacement of wildlife. They
often provide an opportunity for non-nativespecies to gain a foothold in your naturearea.
Before building a trail, consider theimpact the trail will have on your schoolnature area. Site it to have minimal impactand be aware of the changes that may beoccurring in the area because of the trail.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
36Part Three
WildlifeWildlife Habitat
A crucial step in attracting and keepingwildlife in your natural area is understandingthe needs of the wildlife that you want toattract. To survive, all animals need food,water, shelter and a certain amount and qualityof space. The combination of these elementscomprise a species’ habitat.
Each species has its own habitat needs.Many migrating songbirds seek heavilyvegetated areas in Minnesota for stopover,resting and feeding sites. The ovenbird needsthe protection of the contiguous tree canopy ofthe trees and shrubs of the “Big Woods” forprotection from the cowbird, its competitor.The cowbird prefers to live at the edge of theforest. Therefore the oven bird’s survivaldepends on its ability to find mature forestcover away from the cowbird. By understand-ing the habitat elements present in yournatural area, and the requirements of particularanimals, you can best support the animals thatare already present and perhaps attract newones.
For many species of wildlife, plants arethe fundamental source of food and cover andare, therefore, a critical feature in wildlifehabitat. Because of the key role that nativeplants play, they are essential elements ofhabitat in your nature area.
Wildlife RequirementsFood Sources. Wildlife diversity is
supported by diverse food sources. Ananimal’s diet changes throughout the year asdifferent foods become available and its needschange. Different plant sizes and ages, such asseedlings, saplings and mature trees, thatcreate both an understory and a canopy, alsocontribute to diversity. For this reason it isimportant to include a variety of plants.
Cover. Most wildlife will not spend a lotof time where they are exposed and vulnerableto their predators. Including and arrangingplants and other structures to provide cover,especially near food and water sources, isimportant in creating habitat in your naturearea.
Water. Water is necessary for mostwildlife to drink. In addition, some animalsrequire bodies of water during certain phasesof their life cycle. For example, frogs, toads,and salamanders need water for the develop-
Limiting Factor Graph
ment of their eggs and young.Space. An animal’s living space, or home
range, is the area within which the needs forfood, water, and cover can be met. The size ofthe living space depends on an animal’s bodysize and eating habits. Consequently, certainwildlife need more space than others. A fieldmouse needs less space than a moose. In thecontext of your schoolyard, space will belimited to the number of acres you plan toenhance. Many species require large areasand may exceed the boundaries of your site.
There is a limit to how many animals canbe sustained on an area of land over time.That limit is called the habitat’s carryingcapacity, and is determined by the qualityand quantity of food, water, cover and space.An increase or decrease of one requirementcan influence the limit. If the population ofwildlife exceeds the carrying capacity, theexcess animals will die or leave. Carryingcapacity fluctuates in response to environ-mental influences. These may be naturallyoccurring, such as trees taking over a openfield, or human-induced, such as building ahousing development in the field. Carryingcapacity varies from year to year and fromseason to season. Nature area projects thatprovide food, water, cover, and spaceinfluence carrying capacity.
The need that is in shortest supply, andtherefore prevents the wildlife populationfrom getting any larger, is called the limitingfactor. For example, your site may include awetland that offers food, water, and space forwood ducks, but without cavity trees forcover, wood ducks will not nest there. Thelimiting factor – in this case cover – deter-mines the habitat’s carrying capacity. Limit-ing factors are very important for wildlifemanagement. If you want to increase apopulation, you have to determine what isholding it down. If it is lack of cover,providing more food won’t help. You caninfluence habitat to compensate for limitingfactors
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
37Part Three
Landscaping For WildlifeHenderson, Carrol L., 1987DNR Nongame Wildlife ProgramMinnesota’s Bookstore117 University AvenueSt. Paul, MN 55155(612) 297-30001-800-657-3757$10.95 + S&H
Describes the benefits, the principles,and habitat components oflandscaping for wildlife. Referencetables of plant species and theirrequirements are included. Feederconstruction, animal space andhabitat requirements. Lists sources ofseeds, plants and garden catalogs.
The Mammals of MinnesotaHazard, Evan B., 1982University of MN PressChicago Distribution Center11030 South Langley AvenueChicago, IL 60628773-568-1550; (fax: 800-621-8476)www.upress.umn.eduISBN: 0816609527$16.95 paperback + S&H
A handbook of classification,identification, distribution and ecologyof 81 species of mammals now oronce found in Minnesota’s wood-lands, wetlands, and prairies. Eachmammal is described in terms of size,color, and behavior. Anatomicaldrawings and distribution maps, alongwith a glossary, subspecies lists, andextensive bibliography make thisresource especially valuable. 272pages.
US Fish and Wildlife ServiceResource Catalog3815 East 80th St.Bloomington, MN 55425(612)854-5900
The catalog lists audiovisual materialsoffered by the USFWS. Materials arefree, but you pay for return postage.
Basic Projects in Wildlife WatchingFadala, SamStackpole BooksCameron and Kelker Streets P.O. Box 1831Harrisburg PA 171051-800-READ NOW$16.95 + S&H
Procedures for projects that attractwildlife: watering holes, blinds,woodpiles, calling stations, scentposts etc.
Wildlife Resources
Woodworking for Wildlife:Homes For Birds and MammalsHenderson, Carrol L. 1987.MN DNR Nongame Wildlife ProgramMinnesota’s Bookstore117 University AvenueSt. Paul, MN. 55155651-297-3000800-657-3757$9.95
Contains general bird house, nestboxes and platforms information for avariety of species, and woodworkingplans.
Wild about Birds:The DNR Bird Feeding GuideCarrol L. Henderson. 1995.MN DNR Nongame Wildlife ProgramMinnesota’s Bookstore117 University AvenueSt. Paul, MN. 55155651-297-3000800-657-3757$19.95
Contains color photographs anddescriptions of the habitat andfeeding requirements for birdsthroughout Minnesota includingMinnesota’s permanent residents andmigrants according to range.Discusses problem animals atfeeders, feeder design, food types,and appendices of valuable bird andplant information.
The Minnesota Zoo offers in-servicesfor educators and adults to discoverMinnesota’s wildlife and theirhabitats. Topics have includedwetlands, birds and bats, animalhomes and families. “ExploringMinnesota” instructional units includelearner outcomes, instructionalactivities, field trip ideas, vocabularylists and bibliographies for K-3, 4-6,and 7-12. Topics include phenology,the interdependence of an ecologicalsystem, animal adaptations toseasonal change, vertebrate animals,and food chains.
Bell Museum of Natural History —Learning KitsUniversity of Minnesota10 Church Street SEMinneapolis MN 55455(612) 626-2299$25 per week + shippingwww.umn.edu/bellmuse/mnideals
The Bell Museum offers rentalLearning Kits that contain touch andsee samples of natural history objects,lesson plans, books, activity ideas, anda bibliography. Fourteen kits areavailable on topics such as amphibiansand reptiles, habitats of Minnesota,and migration and flight. Bell Museumwildlife information phone line cananswer wildlife questions. Please callduring afternoon business hours at(612) 624-1374.
Homes For Wildlife: A PlanningGuide for Habitat Enhancementon School GroundsMarilyn Wyzga. 1995.Developed by the New Hampshire Fishand Game Department.Revised for Minnesota by the SchoolNature Area Project1520 St. Olaf AvenueNorthfield, MN 55057507-646-3599$10
The guide provides a step by stepprocedure for assessing and mappingthe schoolyard property, developing aplan for implementing enhancementprojects geared to provide wildlifehabitat.
American Wildlife and Plants: AGuide to Wildlife Food HabitsMartin, Alexander et al. (1985).Dover Press. New York 1951.available at amazon.com- $8.76
Lists the primary food sources monthby month for many North Americanbirds and Mammals.
The DNR Nongame Wildlife Programis funded by taxpayers through acheck-off on state tax forms. Theprogram provides funds and expertisefor projects that have helped preserveand protect the state’s nongamespecies and their habitat requirements.
Roadsides for WildlifeProgram (RWP)MN DNR - Roadsides for WildlifeProgram261 Highway 15 SNew Ulm, MN 56073-8915507-359-6018; (fax: 507-359-6018)www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_and_wildlife/roadsides
Provides technical advice, and insome cases materials andequipment, to county roadofficials, conservation groups,and landowners to improve thequality of roadsides and othergrassland sites for the benefit ofnesting wildlife.
Partner’s for WildlifeProgram - US Fish andWildlife ServicePartners for Wildlife CoordinatorFederal Building-Fort SnellingTwin Cities, MN 55111
If you need help solving a land-management problem, the USFish and Wildlife Service canprovide information on a varietyof issues including: wetlandrestoration, nest structures ornesting islands, food and shelterfor fish and wildlife, soil andwater quality improvements,native plant restoration, waterlevel management, andenvironmental education andoutreach.
A nonprofit organization involvedin the improvement andprotection of waterfowl and itshabitat. The Association’sHabitat Development Programprovides cost-sharing tolandowners for restoration orcreation of shallow wetlands andfunds other wildlife habitatdevelopment projects. All projectproposals are reviewed by theAssociation and by the DNRWildlife Section.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
38Part Three
Illustration by Maria Thompson
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
39Part Four
PART FOUR
A STEP BY STEP GUIDEFOR CREATING SCHOOLNATURE AREAS
In Parts One, Two, and Three of this booklet you located your nature area withina biome and have become familiar with the qualities of Minnesota’s landscaperegions. Utilizing that information it is possible to make plans for projects thatwill benefit your nature area.
Before You Begin
Obtain a Base MapBefore you begin to gather informationabout your site you need to have a place torecord it. Obtain or make a scaled map ofyour site. The margins of this section listwhere base maps of your school nature areacan be obtained. Use your base map torecord information.
Identify The StakeholdersTo Form a Site TeamA stakeholder is an individual or group thatis interested in the nature area use anddevelopment. The success of school naturearea projects is dependent on the develop-ment of a common set of shared ideas andattitudes about environmental education, thevalue of school nature area sites, teachereducation, curriculum, and communityconnections. This booklet is created to assistthe site team in shaping a vision of the naturearea site consistent with the environmentalbenefits of native landscapes.
Stakeholders in school nature areas mayinclude: teachers, students, grounds staff,administrators, parents, community leaders,park and recreation department staff,government agency staff, business leaders,etc.
Once you have assembled the stakehold-ers and have a base map, there are six stepsthe group should consider when planning anature area project.
Minnesota Maps:Where to Get Them
School filesMany times when realestate is bought or sold,built or remodeled, mapsare created to documentthe site, its size, or abuildings’ relationship to itsboundaries. Refer toschool files for a map thatdocuments your site.
Minnesota Catalog ofTopographical and OtherPublished Maps
US Geological Survey (USGS)USGS Information ServicesMap DistributionBox 25286Mailstop 306Denver CO 80225303-202-4700fax: 303-202-4693www.usgs.gov
“Minnesota Catalog ofTopographic and otherPublished Maps” containsdetailed ordering informa-tion for topographic maps,county maps, townshipmaps and maps ofparticular regions inMinnesota. Catalog alsoindicates stores and maplibraries where Minnesotamaps are available. Costsof the maps will vary.Ordering directly from theUSGS is the leastexpensive.
Minnesota DNR has aerialphotographs for sites inmany Minnesota counties.Un-enlarged scale is 4" = 1mile. Enlargements areavailable. Call or write forupdated list of availablecounties and detailedordering information andcosts.
continued on next page
The Six Step Process
1. Gather Site Information
2. Analyze Objectives
3. Plan Projects
4. Create a Site Plan
5. Implementation
6. Evaluation
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
40Part Four
Step 1:Gather InformationAbout Your Site
The tools you will need to plan the bestprojects for your nature area begin with yourown knowledge and observations. Studentsare great at gathering this information andmake strong contributions to planning anature area. Always use their efforts.Utilizing information and resources found inParts One, Two, and Three of this booklet,record the following information on indi-vidual base maps for later use.
Site Information GatheringTasks
1. Property Lines and Neighbors.Draw on your map shared property linesand the names of your neighbors.
2. Service Utilities.Draw on your map utilities (overheadand buried) that service your area.Contact your local utility companies forguidance in locating undergroundutilities, or call Gopher State One Call at1-800-252-1166.
3. Structures.Draw on your map all built structures(buildings, roads, lots) and their accesspoints. Label their function.
4. Needed Open Space.Label all areas of the school campus thatare used for sports, play, playgrounds,outdoor storage and snow piling. Labelthem.
5. Site Size.Use a measuring tool to determine thearea of your school campus. Convert thearea into acres (43, 560 sq. ft. / acre).Create a scale for the base map.
6. Micro-climate.Draw on your map the sunniest andwarmest parts of your site, draw on yourmap the shadiest and coolest.
7. Topography and Drainage.Draw on your map the general lay of theland. If your site has slope, draw arrowson your map in the directions of slope.Draw any stream, pond, lake, irrigationcanal, spring, even the location of anydown-spouts from your roof on yourmap. Using topographic maps, trace thepath of a drop of water from the time ithits the ground until it reaches a wetland,stream, river, lake, or maybe even anocean. Answer the question, where doesyour water go?
8. Soils.Observe your site’s soils. Dig a hole in afew different areas on your campus thatappear to be distinct from each other. Digone on a high place, another in a lowplace. Dig one in a woodland, anotherwhere only plants without woody stemsgrow. Observe each hole and the soilsthey contain. Are the grains rough andgritty, and large textured? This wouldindicate a sandy soil. Are they fairlysmall and shiny and do they sticktogether when you squeeze them? Thiswould indicate that the soil is a clay soil.Are the soils at different places differentcolors or do they smell differently? Makea chart for each of the holes that you dignoting its moisture, soil texture, smells,and anything else you think makes thathole’s soil unique. Note the soil holelocations on your map, then contact yourlocal county Soil and Water Conserva-tion District and obtain a soils map foryour site. Using the soil information,compare it to your field observations.
Platt MapsYour County’sRecorders Office
Platt Maps illustrate thelegal boundaries of yourproperty, and neighboringproperties.
County Soils Survey MapsYour county Soil and WaterConservation District(SWCD)
For more informationcontact: MinnesotaAssociation of Soil andWater ConservationDistricts790 Cleveland Ave. S.Suite 216St. Paul, MN 55116651-690-9028fax: 651-690-9065
SWCD offices haverecords of soil types foundin your area. Maps can beprovided detailing the soiltypes, their characteristics,uses, and land usecapacity. Useful fordetermining soil erodibility,water holding capacity, etc.Keep in mind thatdescriptions are oftenfocused on agriculturaluses. Also, if you haveslopes or erodible bareground your local SWCDoffice will provide recom-mendations on how tostabilize them with nativevegetation to hold andprotect the soil.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
41Part Four
9. Fragmentation.Identify existing stands of vegetationthat could be connected with newplanting projects. Use aerial photographsand your observations of surroundingland to decide if planting projects onyour site could benefit a nearby naturalarea.
10. Vegetation Cover Type Units.Look for areas that have similar charac-teristics: similar trees, shrubs, andherbaceous plants (examples: includeconifer tree area, old field, cattailmarsh). Make up symbols for them anddraw each area on the map. For eachcover type you identify, look for thethree most common plants and writedown the plant species if you know it ormake up a name that describes it. Makedrawings or take photographs todocument the cover type and its com-mon plants.
11. Homes and Habitats.Make a list of the animals you wouldexpect to find in your natural area. Askeach student to draw a picture of wherehe or she lives. Ask them to includewhere they shop for food, sleep, play,work. Discuss what they drew and havestudents point out the things they need tolive. Make a gallery of homes. Point outthat everyone has a home and that homeis more than a building. Decide the fourmost important things that all animalsneed (food, water, shelter, space). Lookfor those things on your school site andindicate on a map where they werefound. “Animal” can include anythingfrom an insect to a mammal. Usewildlife habitat references to make anarea animal chart. List: what eachanimal eats, how much space it needs,how it drinks, where it may live, and ifthey are year-round or seasonal residentsof your nature area. Then decide if thatanimal has everything that it needs tolive in the nature area.
12. Diversity.Locate the places in your nature area thathave the most diversity, or abundance ofdiffering species. Observe the diversityof a lawn, parking lot, edge of a forest,grassland, and a forest. Lay a hoop onthe ground at the different places whereyou want to check diversity. Tally howmany different plant species are withinthe hoop. You don’t need to identify theirnames. Draw an example of each of thespecies you find. Make a map of themost diverse places in your nature area.The places where natural habitats meet,the edges, may have the most diversity.The least diversity will be found inlandscapes that are simple and uniform— the parking lot and lawn.
13. The Life of the Site.Locate and describe ten human-madeand ten nature-made features that arepresently or were historically on or nearyour site (e.g. the last time fire burned inyour area, or previous residents).Interview, research, and document whenfeatures were added or taken away. Makea timeline of events in the life of thenature area.
14. Routes, Paths and Gathering Places.Locate the places where people andanimals have created paths or places togather. Mark their locations on your mapand label whether they are human-madeor animal-made. Measure how long thepaths are and draw them on your sitemap.
15. Endangered Plants and Ani-mals. Use resources in Parts I, II, andIII of this booklet to answer the question,“What plants and animals are missing orthreatened in the nature area?” Make achart that lists what the organism is, howit is recognized, why it might be missing,and what it would need to exist in thenature area.
Adapted from:Observation Cards New Jersey School ofConservation, MontclairState College, Branchville,New Jersey.
Bioregional QuizElmwood Institute forEcoliteracy. 2522 San Pablo
Ave., Berkeley CA 94702.
For Your Information
Acorn NaturalistsCatalog of Resources forthe Field and Classroom17300 E. 17th St. #J-236Tustin CA 92780800-422-8886fax: 800-452-2802www.acornnaturalists.com
and
Common GroundDistributorsP.O. Box 25249Asheville NC 28813828-684-5779www.comground.com
Both catalogs listed aboveare brimming with booksand audiovisual resourcesthat will help you findinformation about yoursite. Materials that can beordered include: environ-mental educationresources, sciencecurriculum materials,observation and fieldequipment, animal trackingand calling supplies,natural history field guides,plant references, animalreferences, earth sciencetopics, animal puppets,nature games, posters,and audiovisual material.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
42Part Four
Step 2:Analyze Information –How Can The Site Be ABetter Nature Area?
Analyze the information you have collectedand set your objectives by answering thefollowing questions.
1. How can biodiversity in the naturearea be increased?
2. How can fragmentation of habitatwithin our nature area be eliminatedor reduced?
3. How can rare or threatened species thatmay be a part of or near to our naturearea be protected?
4. How can wildlife habitat be protected orenhanced within the nature area?
5. How can native plants be used tobenefit the nature area?
6. What areas of the school nature area areneeded for trails and gathering places?How can these have the least impacton habitat?
7. How can your community be involvedin the planning effort?
8. What areas on campus are not currentlyused? Can these be considered naturearea land?
9. What existing features can become thestarting point for nature area projects?
Some examples might include:– An existing stand of native vegetation– large old shade trees– scattered trees and shrubs that could be connected into one large planting– presence of water and sufficient cover– presence of particular wildlife species– areas of diversity to be protected
Step 3:Plan Projects –Discuss ConceptsAnd Options
Once you have a good idea of what exists onyour site and what your nature area objectivesare, conceptualizing action projects may be thenext step in the development of the area. It isimportant to consider and document all projectideas before you discard any of them. Brain-storm a list of options. Decide on the top threeon which the site team can focus their initialefforts.
Project ConceptsAquatic Environments• Limit use of fertilizers, pesticides, and
herbicides and apply them only totrouble spots.
• Do frequent water quality testing tomonitor changes in water quality.
• Establish buffer zones of native vegetationaround wetlands and watersheds.
• Identify the places that animals use forwater and protect them.
• Adopt erosion control measures,especially on construction sites.
• Build earthen dikes to impound water.• Plug drainage ditches and tiles to restore
drained wetlands.
Forest Environments• Do population counts of forest species and
monitor how they change over time.• Plant native tree species.• Participate in the MN DNR Big Tree
Registry and create a big tree registry foryour community.
• Create a community brochure that des-cribes the forests around your community.
• Work towards the reintroduction of aforest-dwelling species that is no longer apart of your site.
Prairie Projects• Do population counts of prairie plant
species.• Diversify your prairie planting.• Use drifts of native prairie grasses and
forbs to enhance a walkway area.• Burn or mow your prairie for greater
diversity.• Create an “electronic field guide” of prairie
flowers, bloom times, and where they areobserved.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
43Part Four
Planting Projects
A good way to enhance a nature area is to increase theamount and diversity of vegetation on your site.Planting vegetation is a long-term investment thatprovides more for your area each year.
Things to consider in your plantings.
Layers. Include as many plants as possibleand make habitat areas as large as possible.Different animal species require differentplants but also different layers of vegetation.Provide a multitude of choices, for example: adiverse ground layer, varying shrub heightsand canopy.
Arrangement. Clusters of trees (clumps) anddense bushes (thickets) provide maximumcover and an important edge for wildlife. Theedge is the area where two types of plantcommunities meet. Rabbits, for example, liketo hang out where brushland and meadow-land meet because of the good selection offood and shelter found at that edge. Groupingthe same plant species together providesvisual order and can become an experimentalplot for observing the wildlife species thatfrequent the planting.
Succession. Plant succession is the changeof plant species in an area over a period ofyears. Every acre of soil and water has adefinite sequence in plant cover that occursover time. These changes, called “succes-sional stages,” occur in a cyclical pattern. Wecan usually predict the type of vegetation thatwill occur in each stage as an area proceedsthrough the cycle.
1. Bare ground2. Annual forbs and/or grasses3. Perennial forbs and grasses4. Shrubs5. Young woodland or trees6. Mature woodland or trees
A single step in succession may take weeks,months, years, or even centuries, dependingon natural and human-caused factors. If theland is disturbed at any time during this plantsuccession trend, succession begins again,and, depending on the disturbance, may eventake a different direction.
Succession of naturalhabitat. Your plantingprojects must considerthe stage in which youwill begin your planting.
Area 4Self replacing forest with distinct horizontallayers: Canopy, understory, ground cover
200+ years
Area 3Older forest, young tree
species underneath. Herba-ceous ground cover
75 – 150 years
Area 2Perennial grass, shrubs
and young trees3 – 20 years
Area 1Annual forbs1 – 5 years
The layers of a forestedge. Does yourplanting projectinclude differentzones?
Canopy
Sub-canopy
Understory
Ground layer
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
44Part Four
Action Plan Project, School Nature Area
School Name
Project Date
Coordinator Phone
1. Project Description (additional details included on attached sheets)
3. Project Timeline (approximate start date, finish date, dates for major steps
4. People Involved (community members, students, staff)
5. Resource People and Suppliers
6. Project Materials and Budget
7. Maintenance Plan (indicate who is responsible)
8. How Will You Evaluate Your Project Success or Failure?
Step 4:Create An Action Plan –The Game Plan
Once you have a sense of the projects youwish to accomplish, an action plan is the nextstep. It addresses the details of each project:who will do the work, where will it occur,how much will it cost, who will pay for it,etc.. The following information is usuallyincluded in an action plan.
An action plan typically will include adrawing or concept plan illustrating where inthe nature area the projects will occur. Thisexample from the Stillwater EnvironmentalLearning Center describes conceptualizedprojects and where they will be located.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
45Part Four
Step 5:Implementation –Doing The Work
Because school nature area projects arevariable and truly unique, there are manyways in which they are accomplished. Themost successful ones involve kids andcommunity members, the project goals wereclearly defined, all stakeholders had acommon vision of the outcome, and projectswere broken into manageable tasks.
Step 6:Evaluation –How Will You Know IfYou Succeed Or Fail?
In planning your projects, devise a way toevaluate your successes and failures. Theimportant thing to do is to define the project’sgoals, create a mechanism (before the projectis underway) that will tell if the projectsucceeded or failed to meet its goals, and beable to suggest why. Some evaluationexamples include: ongoing control plots forvegetation projects, water chemistry evalua-tion for water projects, ongoing wildlifeobservation, community surveys, etc..Evaluation is an often-overlooked aspect ofmost projects, but including it in yourplanning will have rewards long after yourfirst project is complete.
Students building bird houses.
Students monitoring bluebird houses.
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
46Part Four
CONCLUSION
A Final Thought . . .
The woodlands, wetlands, and prairies that are a part of your place have a color-ful past and a promising future. By paying attention to the conditions that createdthem, and the conditions that altered them, you will discover your own place’sconnection to larger natural communities.
Set a goal to develop or enhance your nature area to reflect its biome and plantand animal communities. Nature area projects provide habitat and homes for anamazing diversity of living things — people, green plants and brilliant flowers,browsing animals and darting birds, insects and spiders and tiny bacteria. Work-ing with nature, you can benefit the biomes.
