Botrychium Monitoring Project
Botrychium, commonly known as moonworts, are a small and cryptic group of ferns that are often overlooked by the untrained eye. MNR botanists are well-known for their abilities to find these unusual plants. MNR is even credited with the discovery of Botrychium crenulatum, a species that had previously only been known west of the Rockies until found here in Minnesota.
Client: Oil and Gas Infrastructure
Location: Cass County, MN
Services Provided:
Long-term Vegetation Monitoring
Rare Plant Surveys
Due to the difficulty in both finding and identifying these species, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) holds a list of approved Botrychium surveyors, four of which are MNR botanists.
MNR was contracted to conduct a long-term Botrychium monitoring study in northern Minnesota. This effort was required by the DNR due to the “takings” of several different species of state-listed moonworts associated with the Terrace III Pipeline Expansion Project. Monitoring specifically examined the feasibility of transplanting moonworts and the effects of varying levels of sun exposure resulting from habitat alterations. The results of the study indicated that transplanting is not a viable mitigation measure for moonworts and continue to guide the DNR’s mitigation strategies for these rare species.