What Type of Native Plant Community Would You Like to Restore?

This plant community type is identifiable as low-laying grassland or meadow dominated by native perennial grasses and forbs, that is mesic-wet in soil moisture levels. Often being found on historic lake basins or floodplains. Due to the soil saturation during the growing season, trees and shrubs are rarely able to establish their roots and are seldom present.

Distinguishable by identifying the 45th parallel, roughly I-94. The prairie’s that lie south of this latitude we identify as “South Prairie”. A prairie is an ecosystem dominated by native perennial grasses and wildflowers with little to no tree canopies.

Distinguishable by identifying the 45th parallel, roughly I-94. The prairie’s that lie north of this latitude we identify as “North Prairie”. A prairie is an ecosystem dominated by native perennial grasses and wildflowers with little to no tree canopies.

Distinguishable by identifying the 45th parallel. The savannas that lie south of this latitude we identify as “South Savanna”. A savanna is an ecosystem dominated by a blend of native perennial grasses and wildflowers along with tree canopy not exceeding 50%. Savannas can be categorized as transitional zones between true prairie and true woodlands. A grassy partial woodland.

Distinguishable by identifying the 45th parallel. The savannas that lie north of this latitude we identify as “North Savanna”. A savanna is an ecosystem dominated by a blend of native perennial grasses and wildflowers along with tree canopy not exceeding 50%. Savannas can be categorized as transitional zones between true prairie and true woodlands. A grassy partial woodland.

A transitional system from waterway to higher drier ground. Species thriving in such systems can vary from moderately drought tolerant to aquatic. These systems look very different depending on your region of the state and the specific type of wetland area they encompass.

Often identifiable as a meadow laying on lower elevation adjacent to a waterway that has tendencies to flood during high periods of precipitation. These areas can be left saturated for long periods of time. The species here can vary widely.

Typically these unique plant communities are often found between uplands and bodies of standing or moving water. A greatly unique transitional plant community, these meadows are dominated by flat-leaved grass-like species called sedges; Carex sps.

We are not looking to create monocultural cattail marshes but rather identify a wetland as cattail marsh then look at what specific type of wetland restoration needs to occur to return it to a diverse native wetland. The exotic narrow-leaves cattail is one of the most challenging weeds in North America. When in balance, however, the native broad-leaved cattail is a natural member of this plant community.

The drifts of soil are typically dominated by sand, formed near the deposits of the receding glaciers, or at the edge of very large bodies of water, and have evolved into rare and unique ecosystems in Minnesota. Often accompanied by dwarfed oaks, these are relatively rare dune ecosystems in which wind deposition is always a strong factor.

Unique system pockets that have rocky, gravelly soil. These settings will likely be found in a transitional area, perhaps a steeply graded talus slope on a rocky hillside or a large patch of randomly placed boulders shed by ancient glaciers. These biodiversity pockets may offer unique individual species that are not commonly found in the surrounding dominant ecosystems.

Either former agricultural fields that have been neglected or abandoned, or lots that grow wild, these unique buffer and transitional ecosystems are common sites of restoration.