Minnesota Native Plant Society

Spring Butterfly Trek - Crex Meadows to the Namekagon Barrens
2022-05-21 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | MN
Where: Northwestern Wisconsin, near Grantsburg
When: Saturday May 21, 2022 (9:00 AM to 4:00PM)
Leader: Dean Hansen, local butterfly enthusiast
For a dozen years now, Stillwater butterfly enthusiast Dean Hansen has led a day-long trip to look for spring butterflies in the jack pine/oak barrens in northwest Wisconsin’s Burnett County.
The trip will begin at the Visitors’ Center for the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area just north of Grantsburg, WI, and will end up on the Namekagon Barrens in far northeast Burnett County. This area in Wisconsin is very sandy, lightly populated, has square miles of county land to explore, and has a fine component of spring butterflies to see. The dry plant communities here feature lots of lupines, blueberries, bearberries, jack pines, and New Jersey tea. All of these (and other) native plant species are the specific host plants for the larvae of various species of butterflies. A beautiful bog with cotton grass and wild cranberries will also be explored to look for its unique butterfly fauna.
What butterfly species might be seen? Four species of “blues,” four species of elfins, five species of dusky winged skippers, and the Olympia Marble are very likely, and a host of others butterflies are strong possibilities. Several of these species are in flight only in early May to early June, and if one doesn’t see them then, one won’t see them for the rest of the year. Hopefully, some of the overwintering butterfly species will still be in flight. The best viewing year was 2012, when 18 butterfliers saw a total of 31 butterfly species. 2017 was, well, a dismal failure; spits of snow at 9 AM kept butterfly numbers seen to zero. That’s butterflying in May up here on the tundra. But we still had fun!
We will start at the Crex Meadows Visitors’ Center at 9 AM and end up somewhere on Gomuluk Fire Lane on the Namekagon Barrens about 4 PM. Most of the viewing is within 100’ or less of the road, so don’t let any mobility issues keep you from joining us.
You MUST have had two Covid-19 vaccinations to participate. There will be a limit of ten participants for each day (May 14th & 21st).
The trip is open to MNNPS members only and preregistration is required. Email Ken Arndt at ken.arndt@mnrinc.us to register; specify which day you prefer.

The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Tour
2022-06-18 10:00 - 13:00 | Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska, MN, 55318, United States
A tour of the Horticultral Research Center and walk through the Arboretum grounds.
Where: U of M Landscape Arboretum – Chaska, Minnesota
When: Saturday June 18th, 2022 (10:00 AM to 1:00 PM)
Leaders: David Remucal, Curator of Endangered Plants & Adjunct Professor (Department of Horticultural Science), University of Minnesota and MNNPS Board Member
Come join David Remucal for a tour of the Horticultural Research Center (HRC) at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum followed by a walk through parts of the Arboretum. The first part of the field trip will be a tour of the HRC where David will be giving participants a look at the Rare Plant Rescue Program work that he is involved with. After touring the HRC, everyone will then go to the Arboretum for a walk with David to observe some of the many unique plants (probably native plants 😉) found throughout the grounds. After that you are free to enjoy the rest of the Arboretum on your own and at your own pace. The HRC is located 1 mile west of the Arboretum on Hwy. 5 and it should only take a few minutes to travel between sites.
Participants will be meeting at 10AM at the HRC where the field trip will begin and will then drive to the Arboretum following the HRC tour. It has been arranged by David to have the entrance fee for the Arboretum waived for those attending this field trip.
As always, this field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 20 registrants. In the event of potential bad weather, participants will be notified of any changes to the day.
Contact Ken.Arndt@mnrinc.us to register for this trip.

A Tour of Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
2022-07-09 10:00 - 14:00 | Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, 2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE, East Bethel, MN, 55005, United States
Where: Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve – Bethel, MN
2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE, East Bethel, MN 55005
When: Saturday July 9, 2022 (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
Leaders: Katrina Freund, Postdoctoral Associate (Department of Horticultural Science), University of Minnesota and Barb Delaney, Professional Plant Ecologist and Botanist
Come join Katrina and Barb for a tour of the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve where participants will tour part of the reserve in the morning followed by lunch on-site (bring your own) and then another walk to other areas of the property. Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve is a University of Minnesota biological field station with many ecosystems and species found throughout the forests and grasslands of North America.
Participants will meet at 10AM at the Lindeman Center at 2660 Fawn Lake Drive NE in East Bethel.
As always, this field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 20 registrants. Contact Ken Arndt at ken.arndt@mnrinc.us to register. In the event of potential bad weather, participants will be notified of any changes to the day.

Ordway Prairie Plant Identification Focusing on Native Prairie and Wetland Species
2022-09-17 12:00 - 15:00 | MN
When: Saturday, September 17th, 2022 from 12:00 – 3:00 PM
Where: Ordway Prairie, 31505 MN Highway-104, Glenwood, MN 56334 (See directions below)
Limit: 20 People, open to all MNNPS members
Please register by September 1st by emailing jennkamm8@gmail.com
Note: The topography within the SNA is hilly and there are not designated trails.
Guide: Rhett Johnson – DNR Prairie Specialist
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. Rhett has a Bachelor of Science in biology from Iowa State University and a Master of Science in biology from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
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
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.
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)
Coordinator: Jennifer Kamm. For more information, feel free to contact Jennifer at jennkamm8@gmail.com or 612-875-0543.
Ordway Prairie Location
31505 MN Highway-104, Glenwood, MN 56334
Park in the pull-out parking area off Minnesota Highway 104.

Link to directions via Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/AidKXXdXbPuZkJ2P6

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
2023-02-25 09:00 - 12:00 | MN
Geology, Birds, and Plants of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
Where: Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Oak Savanna Learning Center
16797 289th Avenue Northwest, Zimmerman, Minnesota 55398
When: Saturday February 25th, 2023 (9:00 a.m. to 12:00p.m.)
Leader: Bruce Galer, Professional Geologist, Sherburne NWR Volunteer, Master Naturalist, and Jennifer Kamm, Environmental Consultant, Master Naturalist
Come join Bruce Galer and Jennifer Kamm for a discussion of the geology and natural history of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge and hike the Blue Hill Trail. A one-hour presentation at the Oak Savanna Learning Center will discuss how the glaciers shaped the landforms we see in the Refuge today, and how these landforms, along with water, influence vegetation and other organisms. Then follow us to the Blue Hill Trail just west of the Learning Center to hike the trail and observe geologic features, birds, and winter botany. The 30,700-acre refuge was established in 1965 at the urging of local conservationists and hunters interested in restoring the wildlife values of the St. Francis River Basin. Following that, the refuge became and remains the largest public land holding in Sherburne County. The refuge is now a wild remnant at the meeting of the western prairies and the northern woods, with oak savanna, prairie opening, forest, wetland and riverine habitats.
Download the flyer with additional information: MNNPS Field Trip – Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Feb 25 2023
This trip is open to MNNPS members only. To register, 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 February 24th

Hastings SNA Volunteer Day
2023-03-26 09:00 - 12:00 | MN
Help Remove Buckthorn Encroachment on Snow Trillium Population
Where: Hastings Scientific and Natural Area, Hastings, MN
When: Sunday March 26th, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00p.m.
Leader: Jennifer Kamm
Please join your fellow MNNPS members in an effort to remove buckthorn that is encroaching on a snow trillium population at Hastings SNA. We will be cutting and treating the buckthorn and stacking the cuttings. We will have plenty of tools for everyone. We will meet at the CP Adams City Park parking lot on the north side of Leduc Drive and walk to our treatment area on the south side of Leduc Drive in the south unit of the SNA. We will go to Schoolhouse Scoop for ice cream when we finish.
Hastings SNA consists of two parcels totaling 64.9 acres. The southeast unit where we will be working, is about 43 acres and dominated by mesic oak forest, with old-growth red oak, sugar maple, and basswood on steep north-facing bluffs and bluff tops. Sugar maple-basswood forest covers a small section of the mid-slope, and emergent marsh, pond and floodplain forest cover low-lying areas. Talus slopes and steep escarpments of dolomitic limestone provide habitat for mosses, lichens, and liverworts. The northwest parcel, about 26 acres, is entirely in the Vermillion/Mississippi River floodplain and consists of floodplain forest and emergent marsh. The Vermillion River covers about 3 acres here as it meanders through this parcel. Silver maple dominates the forest, with green ash and American elm. The site topography is varied, with a 52-meter (170 feet) difference in elevation across the site.
This event is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 20 registrants.
Download the flyer for maps, directions, and more information: MNNPS – Hastings SNA Volunteer Day
To register for this event please contact:
Event Coordinator: Jennifer Kamm, jennifer.kamm@stantec.com or 612-875-0543
Please register by March 20th

Spring Ephemerals, Sedges, and Birds of Old Growth Hardwood Forest in SE MN
2023-04-30 10:00 - 14:00 | MN
Join Michael Lee and Jennifer Kamm in exploring a rich hardwood forest on the bluffs along Partridge Creek In southeastern Minesota.
This field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 25 registrants. Contact field trip coordinator Jennifer Kamm to register: jennifer.kamm@stantec.com
Download the flyer for more information: MNNPS Field Trip – Partridge Creek April 30

Geology, Birds, and Plants of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
2023-05-07 09:00 - 12:00 | MN
Join Bruce Galer and Jennifer Kamm for a discussion of the geology and natural history of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge and hike the Blue Hill Trail.
This field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 25 registrants. Contact field trip coordinator Jennifer Kamm to register: jennifer.kamm@stantec.com
Download the flyer for more information: MNNPS Field Trip – Sherburne Nat’l Wildlife Refuge May 7

Spring Butterfly Trek
2023-05-13 09:00 - 16:00 | MN
This trip is scheduled for May 13 -OR- May 20, depending on weather.
For a dozen years now, Stillwater butterfly enthusiast Dean Hansen has led a day-long trip to look for spring butterflies in the jack pine/oak barrens in northwest Wisconsin’s Burnett County.
This field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 8 registrants. Contact field trip coordinator Ken Arndt to register: ken.arndt@mnrinc.us
Download the flyer for more information: MNNPS Field Trip – Spring Butterfly Trek May 13 or 20

Tiffany Bottoms Train Ride
2023-09-09 13:00 - 17:00 | MN
Where: On Highway 25 about 4.5 miles south of Durand, Buffalo County, Wisconsin
When: Saturday, September 9th, 1-5 p.m.
Leaders: Steve Eggers, Jennifer Kamm
Come join your fellow MNNPS friends on Saturday, September 9th for the unique experience of an open air, antique train ride into an expansive, high quality floodplain forest of the Chippewa River. The event is hosted by the Chippewa Valley Motor Car Association. Enjoy stops with short hikes into floodplain forests, savannas and prairies.
Please see the flyer for more details.
You must be a member of the Minnesota Native Plant Society to participate. Register for this trip by emailing Jennifer Kamm at Jennifer.kamm@stantec.com

Seminary Fen SNA Volunteer Event
2024-03-03 09:00 - 12:00 | MN
Please join your fellow MNNPS members in an effort to remove buckthorn that is encroaching on a rare plant population at Seminary Fen SNA on Sunday March 3, 2024, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. We will be cutting and treating the buckthorn and stacking the cuttings. We will have plenty of tools for everyone. We will go get coffee when we finish. Download the flyer for further details.
This event is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 20 registrants. Please register by February 28.
To register for the event, contact Jennifer Kamm at Jennifer.kamm@stantec.com.

Seminary Fen SNA Volunteer Day
2024-04-14 08:00 - 12:00 | MN
Please join your fellow MNNPS members in an effort to remove buckthorn that is encroaching on a rare plant population at Seminary Fen SNA on Sunday April 14, 2024, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. We will be cutting and treating the buckthorn and stacking the cuttings. We will have plenty of tools for everyone. We will go get coffee when we finish. Download the flyer for further details.
This event is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 20 registrants. Please register by April 12.
To register for the event, contact Jennifer Kamm at Jennifer.kamm@stantec.com.

Schueler Wildlife Management Area Field Trip (Rescheduled)
2024-05-04 10:00 - 17:00 | MN
Where: Schueler Wildlife Management Area
Located 1 mile north of Rushford, MN west of Highway 43, Fillmore County
When: Recheduled – Saturday May 4th, 2024 (10:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m.)
Leader: Michael Lee, Botanist with Minnesota Biological Survey
Please join your fellow MNNPS Members on a fun field trip to Schueler WMA. The tour will include a rich diversity of spring ephemerals including snow trillium and squirrel corn, as well as rare ferns and sedges, on a large north-facing bluff along Rush Creek. Further details are provided in the flyer: MNNPS – Schueler WMA Field Trip-4May2024
The trip is open to all MNNPS members but pre-registration is required. To register for the event, email Jennifer Kamm at Jennifer.kamm@stantec.com

Tettegouche State Park
2024-07-13 10:00 - 15:00 | MN
A day of touring the State Park
Where: Tettegouche State Park 5702 MN-61, Silver Bay, MN 55614
When: Saturday July 13th, 2024 (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
Leaders: Kurt Mead, Head Naturalist at Tettegouche State Park, Author of Dragonflies of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, and Joe Walewski, Naturalist at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center and lichen expert.
Come join Kurt and Joe for a tour of the Tettegouche State Park where participants will tour part of the Park in the morning followed by lunch on-site (bring your own) and then another walk to other areas of the property.
Participants will meet at 10AM at the Visitor Center at 5702 MN-61 in Silver Bay. As always, this field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 20 registrants. In the event of potential bad weather, participants will be notified of any changes to the day.
To register for this field trip, email Ken Arndt at ken.arndt@mnrinc.us

Judge C.R. Magney State Park
2024-09-14 10:00 - 14:00 | MN
A day of touring the State Park.
Where: Judge C.R. Magney State Park 4051 MN-61, Grand Marais, MN
When: Saturday September 14th, 2024 (10:00 AM to 2:00 PM)
Leader: Chel Anderson, Retired DNR Botanist and Plant Ecologist, Minnesota Biological Survey and co-author of North Shore—A Natural History of Minnesota’s Superior Coast.
Come join us as we say goodbye to summer and embrace fall while enjoying the scenic Judge C.R. Magney State Park. The field trip will be led by Chel Anderson and will involve a discussion of local natural history, late summer botany, and the scenery of one of Minnesota’s great State Parks.
Participants will meet at 10AM at the Visitor Center at 4051 MN-61 north of Grand Marais approximately 15 miles. As always, this field trip is for members of the MN Native Plant Society only and will be limited to 10 registrants. In the event of potential bad weather, participants will be notified of any changes to the day.
To register for this event please contact:
Scott Milburn at scott.milburn@mnrinc.us
Download the flyer: MNNPS FIeld Trip Judge C.R. Magney State Park 091424

Rare Plant and Plant Community Phenology at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
2025-07-11 09:00 - 16:00 | MN
When: Friday, July 11th from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Where: Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, 2660 Fawn Lake Drive NE, East Bethel, MN 55005
Cost*: $10 for Current Members of the Wetland Professionals Association
$30 for Nonmembers and $10 for students (both include a 1-year WPA membership)
*All money collected goes directly to support the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
Guide: Jason Husveth, Principal Ecologist at Critical Connections Ecological Services (CCES)
Join us for a full day ecological and botanical field trip to the Bison Enclosure area of the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. This is a unique opportunity to visit and botanize the diverse wetlands, prairies, and savannas within the Cedar Creek Bison Enclosure in a year where there will be no bison present. We discuss landscape setting, surficial geology and soils, hydrology, plant community ecology and rare species autecology. Jason will cover the identification of over a dozen rare plant species of the Anoka Sand Plain, including some of the rarest species in the state.
Pre-registration is required. Please see the July 2025 Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve Field Trip flyer for more details and registration information. Space is limited so please reply at your earliest convenience.
