Minnesota Plant Press The Minnesota Native Plant Society Newsletter Volume 24 Number 3 Spring 2005 Monthly meetings Explore natural areas Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 3815 American Blvd. East Bloomington, MN 55425-1600 during five field trips 952-854-5900 MNPS members will lead five field trips to natural areas this spring 6:30 p.m. — Building east door opens and summer. They are to the Falls Creek Scientific and Natural Area, 6:30 p.m. — Refreshments, Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area, Hayden Prairie (Iowa) State information, Room A 7 – 9 p.m — Program, society business Preserve, Grey Cloud Dunes SNA, Boot Lake SNA, Helen Allison 7:30 p.m. — Building door is locked Savanna SNA and Cedar Creek Bog. 9:00 p.m. — Building closes Participation may be limited, so early registration is encouraged. Site directions and other information will be provided to registrants. Programs Details and updates for upcoming field trips are available on the The MNPS meets the first Thursday in Society’s Web site, www.mnnps.org October, November, December, February, March, April, May, and June. Check the Sunday, May 15 — Falls Creek SNA Spring Wildflowers Web site for more program information. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Arrive by 9:45 a.m. Northern Washington County, Minnesota May 5: Native Grass Identification Led by Barb Delaney, professional botanist Workshop, by Anita Cholewa, Ph.D, Contact: Doug Mensing, [email protected] or 612-202-2252 curator of temperate plants, J.F. Bell Museum of Natural History. Plant-of-the This trip was planned as a follow-up to a wonderful winter foray. Month: Bottle Grass (Elymus hystrix), Please join us in exploring a truly unique plant community — virgin presented by Erin Hynes, President of the white pine forest on the ravines of the St. Croix River. We will see Ornamental Grass Society of Minnesota abundant spring wildflowers, such as trilliums, rue anemone, bellwort, and author of Cold Climate Ornamental and some rare species, such as kittentails. Grasses. Saturday, May 21 — Spring Flora at Beaver Creek WMA and June 2: “Forests, Logging and Plants: Hayden Prairie State Preserve How forest management and natural 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (12:30 p.m. lunch at Hayden Prairie) history interact to affect northern forest Fillmore County, southeast Minnesota and Howard County, Iowa. understory plant communities,” by Daniel Led by Mark Leoschke, Iowa R. Dejoode, senior natural resources DNR state botanist, and Paul specialist for Peterson Environmental Bockenstedt, Bonestroo natural In this issue Consulting, Inc. Annual Plant Sale, open resources plant ecologist MNPS plant sale...................2 to the public. Contact: Paul Bockenstedt, 651-604-4812, or Evelyn Moyle honored......... 2 New MNPS Web site [email protected] Board changes...................... 3 www.mnnps.org Bioblitz................................. 3 e-mail: [email protected] Join members of the Minnesota Native Plant Society, Iowa Reed canary grass studies.....5 MNPS Listserve Native Plant Society and Iowa Review of Steiner book........ 6 Send a message that includes the word Prairie Network for a day afield Volunteer opportunities........ 6 “subscribe” or “unsubscribe” and your on the Iowan Surface as we Toothwort (Plant Lore)........7 name in the body of the message to: [email protected] Continued on page 4 Think Native Grants............ 7 Plant sale to be Evelyn Moyle MNPS Board of after June 2 meeting named honorary Directors The annual MNPS native plant sale member of MNPS President: Jason Husveth, will be June 2, following the meeting. Critical Connections Ecological by Esther McLaughlin Services Inc., 14758 Ostlund Trail Plants will again be arranged on the Last year Evelyn W. Moyle was N., Marine on St. Croix, MN; 651- low walls in front of the Visitor given a well-deserved honorary 247-0474; [email protected] Center. Members are asked to start membership in the Minnesota Native bringing native plants they have Plant Society as one of the state’s Vice-President: Scott Milburn, raised from seed or grown in their longest standing experts on and 744 James Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102; gardens at 6 p.m. Plants must be protectors of our native plants. 651-261-4381; individually potted and labeled. [email protected] She and her late husband, John B. Secretary: Karen Schik, 13860 No out-of-state plants can be Moyle, co-authored the well-known accepted unless they have been 236th St. N., Scandia, MN 55073; guide, Northland Wild Flowers: A 651-433-5254 (h), 651-222-2193 certified by the Department of Guide for the Minnesota Region. It (w); [email protected] Agriculture of the state in which they was first published in 1977 and has were grown. Minnesota has been reprinted, most recently in Treasurer: David Johnson, 6437 reciprocity with all other state 1984. Baker Ave. N.E., Fridley, MN 55432; departments of agriculture, so they 763-571-6278; John was a biologist and research [email protected] will let in plants from other states if supervisor at the Minnesota they were certified there. Ken Arndt, 2577 Co. Rd. F, White Department of Natural Resources. Bear Twp., MN 55110; 651-426- A few volunteers are needed to help Evelyn, a wildflower enthusiast, 8174; [email protected] accept and arrange the plants. When photographer and gardener, took the sale begins, these volunteers may most of the photographs in the first Ron Huber, 2521 Jones Place W., select their plants first; members edition of the book. Bloomington, MN 55431-2837; 952- who brought plants may choose next. 886-0783; [email protected] The Moyles were charter members Other members and visitors will Daniel Jones, 208 Linden St. S., of our Society and were present at follow. Northfield, MN 55057-1723; its founding. Evelyn has long been 507-664-9663; Dave Crawford and Gerry Drewry devoted to the principles on which [email protected] are chairs of the sale. To volunteer, the MNPS was founded and is contact Gerry Drewry at 651-463- greatly deserving of honorary Shirley Mah Kooyman, 4520 8006, or [email protected] membership. Terraceview Lane N., Plymouth, MN 55446; 952-443-1419 (w), 763-559- 3114 (h); Minnesota Native Plant Society’s purpose [email protected] (Abbreviated from the bylaws) Douglas Mensing, 5814 Grand This organization is exclusively organized and operated for educational Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55419; and scientific purposes, including the following: 612-926-8637 (H); [email protected] 1. Conservation of all native plants. 2. Continuing education of all members in the plant sciences. Program Chair: Linda Huhn, 3. Education of the public regarding environmental protection of plant 2553 Dupont Ave. S., Minneapolis, life. MN 55405; 612-374-1435 4. Encouragement of research and publications on plants native to Listserv Coordinator: Charles Minnesota. Umbanhowar, [email protected] 5. Study of legislation on Minnesota flora, vegetation and ecosystems. Minnesota Plant Press editor: 6. Preservation of special plants, plant communities and scientific and Gerry Drewry, 24090 Northfield natural areas. Blvd., Hampton, MN 55031; phone, 7. Cooperation in programs concerned with the ecology of natural 651-463-8006; fax, 651-463-7086; resources and scenic features. [email protected] 8. Fellowship with all persons interested in native plants through Technical or membership meetings, lectures, workshops and field trips. inquiries: [email protected] 2 enthusiasm, readiness, and Changing competence serving on the board. Volunteers are Faces on Dianne Plunkett Latham served needed June 10, nearly two years on the board, MNPS board stepping down recently to pursue her 11 for BioBlitz by Karen Schik many other interests, including Minnesota’s second annual While many of our members may travel. But Dianne made up for her BioBlitz will be from 5 p.m. to 5 p.m. not be aware of the “inner workings” shortened term by her engagement in Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11, the board and her many of the Society, a lot goes on behind at the Minnesota Valley National contributions, which included the scenes. There are nine board coordination of the Think Native Wildlife Refuge. MNPS members members, who spend a considerable Program, chairing the Conservation are invited to assist. The BioBlitz is amount of time on the organization Committee, staffing the booth and a festival, a contest, an educational and functions of the Society, plus giving presentations at numerous event for the public, and a scientific quite a few members who also events. Perhaps her more core endeavor. While scientists from volunteer tremendous amounts of contributions to the society, however, around the state are conducting an time and talent. I want to recognize were the ways that she helped to steer intense biological survey, walks and our departing board members and say some of the board policies and a huge “Thank You” to each of them demonstrations will be held at the operations. She repeatedly brought MVNWR Visitor Center. for their many contributions. her expertise as an attorney and her David Johnson served on the board experience serving on other boards The scientific goal of a BioBlitz is to help guide our board. Her as treasurer and membership to count as many species of plants knowledge, thoughtfulness, and database manager this past year, but and animals as possible during a 24- enthusiasm will be greatly missed. his contributions far exceed one year. hour biological survey of a natural He has been providing his services On the flip side of these good-byes, area. More than 750 species were as treasurer and data manager for the board is very pleased to welcome recorded during the first Minnesota three new members: Daniel Jones, almost seven years. We hardly BioBlitz, which was held in 2004 at noticed what he did because he ecologist at Barr Engineering (who has already stepped in to fill Dianne’s Tamarack Nature Center in Ramsey quietly went about doing it so well term), Mary Brown, a long-time County.