2011 Project Abstract For the Period Ending June 30, 2012 PROJECT TITLE: Minnesota County Biological Survey PROJECT MANAGER: Carmen Converse AFFILIATION: MN DNR MAILING ADDRESS: 500 Lafayette Rd CITY/STATE/ZIP: St Paul, MN 55155 PHONE: (651) 259-5083 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/mcbs/index.html FUNDING SOURCE: Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund) LEGAL CITATION: M.L. 2011, First Special Session, Chp. 2, Art.3, Sec. 2, Subd. 03a APPROPRIATION AMOUNT: $2,250,000 Overall Project Outcome and Results: The need to protect and manage functional ecological systems, including ecological processes and component organisms continues to accelerate with increased demands for water and energy, continued habitat fragmentation, loss of species and genetic diversity, invasive species expansion, and changing environmental conditions. Since 1987 the Minnesota County Biological Survey (MCBS) has systematically collected, interpreted and delivered baseline data on the distribution and ecology of plants, animals, native plant communities, and functional landscapes. These data help prioritize actions to conserve and manage Minnesota's ecological systems and critical components of biological diversity. During this project period baseline surveys continued, focused largely in northern Minnesota (see map). One highlight was data collection in remote areas of the patterned peatlands that included three helicopter-assisted field surveys coordinated with other researchers to increase the knowledge of this ecological system and to continue long-term collaborative monitoring. Another goal was to begin monitoring to measure the effectiveness of management and policy activities. For example, prairie vegetation and small white lady’s slipper monitoring began in western Minnesota sites in response to ecological measures identified in the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan 2010. MCBS also provided data and interpretation related to the DNR’s forest certification goals and began monitoring activities in selected sites in the Aspen Parkland and in southeastern Minnesota. Since July 2011 new records of 929 rare features were added to the Rare Features Database. Since 1987, MCBS has added a total of 20,018 new rare feature records. Statewide 10,192 MCBS sites of Biodiversity Significance and 63,232 polygons of native plant communities are now publically available on the DNR’s Data Deli. Since 1987, MCBS has contributed 4,972 of the 9,467 Minnesota vegetation plot records in the DNR’s Relevé (vegetation plot) Database. Since 1987 botanists documented 1,194 rare aquatic plants during targeted aquatic plant surveys of 1,872 lakes. Project Results Use and Dissemination Results and interpretation of data included web-delivery, technical assistance and publications that are identified in more detail in the final report. For example, in 2013 MCBS reports of vegetation observed in 1836 lakes were added as a link in the Lakefinder application http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html External partners such Lake and St Louis counties, Trust for Public Lands, the Kawishiwi Watershed Protection Project, the Superior National Forest, the collaborators in the implementation of the Minnesota Prairie Conservation plan and the North American vegetation plot database working group received data and technical assistance. The book Native Orchids of Minnesota was published that included substantial new distributional information from survey botanists. Substantial progress was made on a book related to natural history sites in NW Minnesota based in part on MCBS work in that region. - Page 2 of 2 - Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) M.L. 2011 Work Plan Final Report Main Document Date of Status Update: 11/8/2013 Final Report Date of Work Plan Approval: 6/23/2011 Project Completion Date: 6/30/2013 Is this an amendment request? Yes Project Title: Minnesota County Biological Survey Project Manager: Carmen Converse Affiliation: MN DNR Address: 500 Lafayette Rd City: St Paul State: MN Zipcode: 55155 Telephone Number: (651) 259-5083 Email Address: [email protected] Web Address: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/mcbs/index.html Location: Counties Impacted: Statewide Ecological Section Impacted: Lake Agassiz Aspen Parklands (223N), Minnesota and Northeast Iowa Morainal (222M), North Central Glaciated Plains (251B), Northern Minnesota and Ontario Peatlands (212M), Northern Minnesota Drift and lake Plains (212N), Northern Superior Uplands (212L), Paleozoic Plateau (222L), Red River Valley (251A), Southern Superior Uplands (212J), Western Superior Uplands (212K) Total ENRTF Project Budget: ENRTF Appropriation $: 2,250,000 Amount Spent $: 2,250,000 Balance $: 0 Legal Citation: M.L. 2011, First Special Session, Chp. 2, Art.3, Sec. 2, Subd. 03a Appropriation Language: $1,125,000 the first year and $1,125,000 the second year are from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for continuation of the Minnesota county biological survey to provide a foundation for conserving biological diversity by systematically collecting, interpreting, and delivering data on plant and animal distribution and ecology, native plant communities, and functional landscapes. Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) M.L. 2011 Work Plan Final Report Main Document I. PROJECT TITLE: Minnesota County Biological Survey II. FINAL PROJECT STATEMENT: The need to protect and manage functional ecological systems, including ecological processes and component organisms continues to accelerate with increased demands for water and energy, continued habitat fragmentation, loss of species and genetic diversity, invasive species expansion, and changing environmental conditions. Since 1987 the Minnesota County Biological Survey (MCBS) has systematically collected, interpreted and delivered baseline data on the distribution and ecology of plants, animals, native plant communities, and functional landscapes. These data help prioritize actions to conserve and manage Minnesota's ecological systems and critical components of biological diversity. During this project period baseline surveys continued, focused largely in northern Minnesota (see map). One highlight was data collection in remote areas of the patterned peatlands that included three helicopter-assisted field surveys coordinated with other researchers to increase the knowledge of this ecological system and to continue long-term collaborative monitoring. Another goal was to begin monitoring to measure the effectiveness of management and policy activities. For example, prairie vegetation and small white lady’s slipper monitoring began in western Minnesota sites in response to ecological measures identified in the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan 2010. MCBS also provided data and interpretation related to the DNR’s forest certification goals and began monitoring activities in selected sites in the Aspen Parkland and in southeastern Minnesota. Since July 2011 new records of 929 rare features were added to the Rare Features Database. Since 1987, MCBS has added a total of 20,018 new rare feature records. Statewide 10,192 MCBS sites of Biodiversity Significance and 63,232 polygons of native plant communities are now publically available on the DNR’s Data Deli. Since 1987, MCBS has contributed 4,972 of the 9,467 Minnesota vegetation plot records in the DNR’s Relevé (vegetation plot) Database. Since 1987 botanists documented 1,194 rare aquatic plants during targeted aquatic plant surveys of 1,872 lakes. Amendment Request (11/08/2013): This is a request that funds be shifted to Activity #1 from Activity #2 in the amount of $30,118. Expenditures in these two categories as estimated in the work program were not correct. III. PROJECT STATUS UPDATES: Project Status as of January 2012 Since July 2011, MCBS added 49 new records to the Rare Features Database. A total of 19,138 records have been entered since 1987. Map polygons for 10,065 MCBS sites of Biodiversity Significance and 62,931 native plant communities are now publically available on the DNR’s Data Deli. This includes over 68,000 acres of native plant communities found in the Toimi Uplands Subsection. Rare aquatic plants and vegetation in 64 lakes were surveyed in since July. One of the rarest finds was the fourth location in Minnesota of jointed rush (Juncus articulatus). Major improvements to the DNR’s Relevé (vegetation plot) Database were made to improve data entry and access. Since 1987, MCBS has contributed 4,699 of the 9,825 vegetation plot records in the Relevé Database. 2 A week-long helicopter-assisted field survey of plants, animals and the native plant communities in the Red Lake Peatlands of Beltrami County was completed during a week in August. English sundew (Drosera anglica), was one of the distinctive plants located during these forays. Staff invested significant time to adapt fieldwork to disruptions caused by the state government shutdown in July and the Pagami Creek Fire in northeastern Minnesota in September. MCBS staff provided substantial data interpretation related to the DNR’s forest certification goals and Corrective Action Requests, and assisted with forest certification audits held in northwestern Minnesota. MCBS staff provided assistance to DNR Southern Region Parks and Trails staff in use of MCBS data to guide development and management. This included conservation efforts in the Chanarambie Creek area and Des Moines River Valley. Project Status as of October 2012 Since July 2011, MCBS added 502 new