Ottawa National Forest and Partners Host Botanical Foray

A weekend series of field trips showcases rare plants and western Upper Peninsula native plant communities for botanists from Michigan and Wisconsin.

The Ottawa National Forest, North Woods Native Plant Society, and Michigan Botanical Club held a weekend series of field trips to botanical hotspots in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan in July 2008. The trips included venues on the Ottawa and the adjacent Porcupine Mountains State Park, such as the Trap Hills, Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness and the Ontonagon River. Habitats explored included rock outcrops and cliffs, wetlands, large river systems, a recent clay landslide, waterfalls, and northern hardwoods. A dozen trip choices were offered, as well as an evening slide show. Over thirty people came from across Michigan and Wisconsin to see some of the exceptional habitats and rare plants of the western Upper Peninsula. Field trip leaders included Ottawa botanists, botanists from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and local experts. The Ottawa National Forest archeologist assisted with one trip that included heritage resources.

Highlights of the trip included seeing rare plants such as woodland pinedrops, fairy bells, Goldies' woodfern, evening campion (only recently discovered in Michigan, on the Ottawa), Canadian milk-vetch, western monkey flower, and others. Botanists enjoyed the chance to see new plants, learn identification tips, enjoy spectacular scenery, take photographs, and visit with colleagues. The foray was enjoyed by all and increased awareness of botanical resources in the western Upper Peninsula.