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Protecting native plants
<br />in southeastern Minnesota
<br />by Daniel Tix, biodiversity area
<br />review team leader, MN Chapter of
<br />the Society for Conservation Biology
<br />At this year's MN NPS annual
<br />symposium in April, we explored the
<br />incredible biological riches of the
<br />"land that glaciers forgot," the
<br />driftless area of southeastern
<br />Minnesota and adjacent portions of
<br />Wisconsin and Iowa. For native
<br />plant enthusiasts, this region is a
<br />treasure trove of rare species and
<br />interesting native plant communities.
<br />It is also a region whose
<br />management could significantly
<br />benefit from the input ofNative Plant
<br />Society members. In fact, there have
<br />been few better opportunities for
<br />those interested in native plant
<br />conservation to inform management
<br />decisions impacting rare plants and
<br />diverse native plant communities.
<br />In southeastern Minnesota, the
<br />County Biological survey
<br />highlighted 13 areas with biological
<br />values that merit special protection
<br />on state lands. Having been selected
<br />from 917 sites surveyed in six
<br />counties of southeastern Minnesota,
<br />these are truly exceptional areas for
<br />their large concentrations of rare
<br />species and highest quality examples
<br />of the rare native plant community
<br />types.
<br />These communities include moist,
<br />moderate cliffs, algific talus slopes,
<br />dry oak savanna, maple- basswood
<br />forest, and northern hardwood -
<br />conifer forest and occur on land
<br />already owned by the Minnesota
<br />Department of Natural Resources.
<br />Rare plant species include false
<br />mermaid (Floerkea
<br />prosperpinacoides), goldenseal
<br />(Hydrastis canadensis), Jame's
<br />sedge (Carex jamesii), and rough -
<br />seeded fameflower (Talimum
<br />rugospermum) .
<br />As part of regional forest
<br />management planning, the DNR is
<br />writing plans to guide management
<br />of these areas. The draft plans have
<br />proposed such management
<br />activities as timber harvest,
<br />prescribed burns, and set aside of
<br />small areas around rare species. In
<br />some cases, especially in the forested
<br />communities, proposed management
<br />will unduly jeopardize the quality of
<br />some of the highest quality native
<br />plant communities in the region.
<br />The public comment period on
<br />these management plans presents a
<br />significant opportunity for MN NPS
<br />members to voice support for strong
<br />protection of native plant species and
<br />communities. Voicing support is as
<br />easy as reading an 8- to 12 -page draft
<br />management plan and writing a
<br />comment letter during the 30 -day
<br />public comment period. Unlike
<br />many other issues, these plans
<br />receive few comments, so each letter
<br />can be very important. Six plans
<br />have already been completed, but
<br />seven are still to be released for
<br />public comment.
<br />If you are interested in reviewing
<br />these plans, go to
<br />www.dnr.state.mn.us /forestry/
<br />subsection /blufflands /index.html
<br />From this link, you can e -mail Jon
<br />Nelson and ask to be notified about
<br />the public comment period for each
<br />high biodiversity area management
<br />plan in southeastern Minnesota. If
<br />you would like more information or
<br />talking points to inform your
<br />confluent letter, feel free to contact
<br />me at dtix @greatrivergreening.org
<br />Seedling plant guide will
<br />be printed in August
<br />The Prairie Seedling & Seeding
<br />Evaluation Guide will be available
<br />in August 2006. It is expected to cost
<br />about $5, plus shipping and handling
<br />and will be available through the
<br />Bonestroo &Associates website. For
<br />additional details, contact author
<br />Paul Bockenstedt at 651- 604 -4812 or
<br />pbockenstedt@bonestroo.com
<br />Botany
<br />by Berton Braley, "Science News
<br />Letter," March 9, 1929
<br />There should be no monotony
<br />In studying your botany;
<br />It helps to train
<br />And spur the brain —
<br />Unless you haven't gotany.
<br />It teaches you, does Botany,
<br />To know the plants and spotany,
<br />And learn just why
<br />They live or die —
<br />In case you plant or potany.
<br />You learn, from reading Botany,
<br />Of wooly plants and cottony
<br />That grow on earth,
<br />And what they're worth,
<br />And why some spots have notany.
<br />You sketch the plants in Botany,
<br />You learn to chart and plotany
<br />Like corn or oats —
<br />You jot down notes,
<br />If you know how to jotany.
<br />Your time, if you'll allotany,
<br />Will teach you how and whatany
<br />Old plant or tree
<br />Can do or be —
<br />And that's the use of Botany!
<br />Note: Thor Kommedahl submitted
<br />this poem, which he found in his files.
<br />Bluffland management
<br />guide is available
<br />Conserving Your Blufflands, a
<br />management guide for the St. Croix
<br />River bluffs, has been completed by
<br />Great River Greening ecologists. Its
<br />goal is to help decision - makers and
<br />landowners conserve the bluffs'
<br />ecological value and beauty and help
<br />halt the decline of the water quality.
<br />Great River Greening developed
<br />the guide under a contract with the
<br />Minnesota DNR. It will be
<br />distributed by the DNR and the
<br />National Park Service in the St. Croix
<br />Valley. Copies are available through
<br />the DNR Information Center, 651-
<br />296 -6157 or 888 -MINN DNR, and
<br />from Deb Gagner at Great River
<br />Greening, 651- 665 -9500, ext. 10, or
<br />dgagner@greatrivergreening.org
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