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Event
REDISCOVERING A RARE PLANT COMMUNITY:
Wet prairie was an abundant plant community of the Anoka Sand Plain ecoregion of east central Minnesota at the time of European settlement (circa 1850), comprising approximately 160,000 acres (or 13.2%) of the land cover of this ecoregion. As of 2009, fewer than 500 acres of wet prairie remain within the Anoka Sand Plain ecoregion. Loss of wet prairie in the Anoka Sand Plain is due to direct impacts, such as past ditching, draining, agricultural conversion, and development, as well as indirect impacts, such as fire suppression, invasive species, lack of management, and plant community succession. The principal investigator has surveyed for, discovered, and restored several high quality examples of Anoka Sand Plain wet prairie over the past decade. The wet prairies of the Anoka Sand Plain are comprised of high diversity plant communities that support some of Minnesota's rarest vascular plant species. Many of these species are Eastern Coastal Plain disjuncts, having migrated to the Great Lakes Region at the end of the last ice age. State listed rare species occurring within these habitats include: Xyris torta, Juncus marginatus, Polygala cruciata var. aquilonia, Scleria triglomerata, Tricophorum clintonii, Botrychium rugulosum, Viola lanceolata, Fimbristylis autumnalis, Platanthera flava var. herbiola, Rubus stipulatus, Rubus vermontanus, Rotala ramosior, and Aristida longespica var. geniculata (a recent state record native grass). The principal investigator will discuss the natural history, plant community composition and flora, and restoration ecology of these unique wet prairie systems.
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LocationHighland Park Borough Senior Youth Center (View)
220 South Sixth Avenue
Highland Park, NJ 08904
United States
Categories
Kid Friendly: No |
Dog Friendly: No |
Non-Smoking: Yes! |
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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Contact
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