Minnesota Native Plant Society

Ordway Prairie
2021-09-11 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Plant Identification Focusing on Native Prairie and Wetland Species
Where: Ordway Prairie, 31505 MN Highway-104, south of Glenwood, MN
When: Saturday September 11th, 2021 (Noon to 3:00 PM)
Leader: Rhett Johnson, DNR Prairie Specialist
Come join Rhett Johnson for a day of native prairie and wetland plant identification at Ordway Prairie located in western MN south of Glenwood, MN off of highway 104. Rhett Johnson has worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for five years where his duties include prairie management, developing easements on private lands, prescribed fire, ecological evaluation, and teaching people about plants. His career has included working for a private ecological consulting firm, The Nature Conservancy, and the University of Minnesota, Crookston. Rhett also worked for eight years as an independent botanist on projects all over the country.
The grasslands of the Great Plains once covered one fifth of the North American Continent. Ordway Prairie represents a fraction of what remains after the West was settled. Visitors are reminded of the history of the Great Plains through the numerous granite boulders and potholes that are evidence of the area’s glacial past. The relatively undisturbed quality of Ordway Prairie’s grasslands and wetlands attracted the Nature Conservancy more than 30 years ago. Rhett will guide a tour of Ordway Prairie focusing on grass identification. However, we’ll identify as many plants as we can in both wetland and upland areas.
Agenda:
11:45-12:00 Gather at Parking Area
12:00-2:45 Tour of Various Sites and Hands-On Plant Identification
2:45-3:00 Wrap-up Q&A and Discussion
This field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 20 registrants.
Items to Bring:

Hat
Sunglasses
Water/snacks
Bug/tick Spray
Pen or Pencil
Notebook
Plant Identification Books
Hand Lens
Boots, tick gators, long pants/sleeves (ticks and poison ivy are present)

To register for this field trip please contact:
Field Trip Coordinator: Jennifer Kamm. For more information, feel free to contact Jennifer at jennifer.kamm@stantec.com or 612-875-0543
Please register by September 1st
Ordway Prairie Location
31505 MN Highway-104, Glenwood, MN 56334
Park in the pull-out parking area off Minnesota Highway 104

Directions from the Twin Cities area:
Follow I-94 W to MN-23 in St. Joseph Township (65 miles). Take exit 164 for MN-23 toward Paynesville/Waite Park (26.9 mi) Turn left onto MN-23 W. Take the ramp to MN-4 N/Hwy 55W. Turn right onto MN-4/Hwy 55 W (21.4 mi). Slight left onto Co Hwy 8 (3.0 mi). Slight left to stay on Co Hwy 8. Slight left to say on Co Hwy 8. Turn right to stay on Co Hwy 8. Turn left onto MN-104 S (3.2 mi). Turn left into the pull-out parking circle, your destination will be on the right.
