Superior National Forest

  • map of superior national forest with point locations of MNR documented rare plants

The Superior National Forest (SNF) located in Minnesota’s Arrowhead region has a special place in the history of Midwest Natural Resources. Our very first project, located here, marked the start of a meaningful and ongoing relationship with the US Forest Service. MNR’s great success has raised expectations for rare plant surveys in the SNF. Our unique ability to find rare and unusual plants can be attributed to the passion and diligence of our dedicated field botanists.

Client: National Forest Service

Location: Superior National Forest, Northeastern Minnesota

Services Provided:

  • Rare Plant Surveys

  • Native Plant Community Mapping

  • Lichen and Bryophyte Surveys

In our fifteen-year history working in the SNF, we have surveyed over 17,000 acres and documented more than 600 populations of rare vascular plants, lichens, and bryophytes. Our rare plant, lichen, and bryophyte finds have helped Forest Service botanists develop and revise the list of Regional Forest Sensitive Species (RFSS) for the SNF. One of our most significant rare plant finds includes the fateful day recounted in MNR lore which yielded the documentation of cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), the circumboreal species with less than 10 known populations in the state. This Scandinavian dessert topping is one of those special plants that Minnesota botanists dream of finding.