| Conserving
native plant diversity is the goal of the Superior National
Forest Botany Program. Nestled between the boreal forest
to the north and the hardwood forests to the south, the Superior
NF sits at a transition zone. Some species, like sugar
maple, reach the northernmost edge of their range on the Superior
, while other species like cloudberry dip down from Canada
and reach their southernmost limits here. For the 1100+
species of native plants at this crossroads, populations and
habitats are constantly changing due to management and natural
events. It's critical that all these “pieces of the
puzzle” are maintained so future generations have a healthy
and diverse environment.
The
Superior 's Botany Program works in several different ways
to conserve native plant diversity. One focus area
is managing habitat for rare plants that are on the Regional
Forester's Sensitive Species List. Another focus area
is managing populations of non-native invasive plants to limit
their impacts and their rate of spread. Managing Research
Natural Areas, Candidate Research Natural Areas, and Unique
Biological Areas on the Superior is another important way
to conserve native plant diversity. Using native plant
species for revegetation is another important part of the
botany program. |
Red
and White Pine Stand in the Lac LaCroix Research Natural Area
in the BWCAW
Links:
Superior
National Forest rare plant guide
Non-Native
Invasive Species (NNIS)
Research
Natural Areas, Candidate Research Natural Areas, Unique Biological
Areas
Celebrating
Wildflowers
Pulling invasive
plants in the BWCAW
|
