Atlas projects for wildlife are common, and the benefits are numerous, but they are not very common for plants. Atlas projects are a snapshot of an organism’s presence at a point in time. Complete another Atlas project a dozen years later, and one has another snapshot for comparison. Continue on the same track five or six times, and we have a very extensive database that identifies trends where one may track changes in distribution through time. Perhaps, that is why they are not common for plants, as there is a common psyche that the plants we see outside of a landscaped place have always been there. But plants, like wildlife, respond to succession, climate variation, development, introduction of new species or diseases, the value of conservation programs, and on and on.

The Floral Atlas project for the SMSC began in 2007 to complement the work of the Faunal Atlas. We used the same sample units as the Faunal Atlas: metes and bounds quarter-quarter sections (40-acres). We sampled each unit by walking and recording all plant species observed. Plants not identified in the field were collected for identification in the office. Because some plants vary in seasonal appearance (e.g. spring ephemerals, warm-season grasses) we survey each unit at least twice at different times of the growing season. Though we are still processing the collected data, some generalizations can be made. Farm fields and fully developed grids had the fewest number of plants per grids (average 20 species) and most of these plants were introduced from Eurasia. Grids that have multiple habitats (forest, wetland, and grassland) had the highest number of species (up to 210). Where there are more species, a greater percentage of the species are native. So far, we have documented two species new to the state of Minnesota and 64 plants not previously identified in Scott County.

Once complete, we will make an electronic or paper version of the atlas available. A map of each species will be accompanied by a description of the plant, its habitat, and uses. This kind of work is important because it helps people get familiar with the plants that live just beyond their backyard and can aid in bringing people back into natural areas. It is also of interest to planning departments and other organizations which must take into account the impacts of transportation systems or other development on the landscape. The Floral Atlas is expected to be complete in 2010.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service PLANTS database.
Good maps of where different plants occur in Minnesota by county.
www.plants.usda.gov

Minnesota Native Plant Society
Open to anyone interested in the identification, life histories, conservation, and appreciation of Minnesota's native plants. Monthly meetings and field trips.
www.mnnps.org

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Plants of Minnesota
www.dnr.state.mn.us/plants

Bell Museum of Natural History
www.bellmuseum.org/plants