FieldGuidetotheADM-SMSU

EnvironmentalLearningArea

SouthwestMinnesotaStateUniversity

EnvironmentalScienceProgram

JustinHillandGarrettWee

FieldGuidetotheADM-SMSU

EnvironmentalLearningArea

By

JustinHillandGarrettWeeEnvironmentalScienceProgram

SouthwestMinnesotaStateUniversity

December2017

ThisfieldguidewaswrittenandcompiledbyJustin Hill and Garrett Wee, both seniorEnvironmental Science majors at SouthwestMinnesota StateUniversity during the2017-18school year. This Field Guide was created todocumenttherangeofbiodiversityinthenaturearea,toprovideabaselineforfuturestudies,andto provide a resource for the public to use toenhancetheirvisittotheSMSUcampus. ThankstoSMSUfacultymembers,Dr.DeaverandDr.Desyfortheirinputduringthecreationof this guide. Thank you to Marcy Olson forformatting and printing assistance. All photosnototherwisecreditedweretakenintheSMSU-ADM Environmental Learning Area and arepropertyofGarrettWee.

AnOvenbirdphotographedduringspringmigration.

TableofContents

PageAbout…………………………………………………..…1Birds……………….…………………….………….….…2Birdchecklist…..…….………..……….…………….4Mammals………………………….………………..….9Mammalschecklist…………………………………10Prairieplants…………..…………………...……..…11Trees………………..………………………….…………19Wetlands………………..………………………………26Resources………………….……………………………27Map………………………………………………….….…28References………………………………….………....29

AlligatorSnappingTurtlejustoffthehikingpath

About Theideatoestablishanenvironmentalstudyarea at SMSU began in the spring of 1980.During the following few years a marsh wasexcavated, domestic grasses were eradicatedandreplacedwithnativeprairieseeds,andover300 tree seedlingswere planted. The area hasbeen periodically enhanced ever since, withprojects such as the 1998 four acre prairierestoration,andthedivisionoftheareaintoitscurrent five habitats: Coniferous Forest,Deciduous Forest, Prairie, Wetland, and OpenParkland(seemaponp.28).Theareaisatotalof40acreswith13acresbeingprairieand27acresbeing forested habitat. SMSU science studentsutilizetheareaforlabsandresearchprojects.Itis open to thepublic and includes 1.5miles ofmowed hiking trails. Hiking trail entrances arelocatedoffofMustangTrail,oneontheeastsidebytheintersectionofMustangTrailandStadiumDriveandoneonthesouthsidethatstartsintheprairiesection.Theentirewesternandnorthernedgesoftheareaareborderedbyarowoftreesandacitydrainageditch.

White-tailedDeerintheconiferousforest

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Birds TheSMSU-ADMEnvironmentalLearningAreaishome todiversebirdpopulationsbecauseofitswide variety of habitats. The large tracts ofwoodlandandprairievegetationprovidehabitatrelief fromthesurroundingurbanareaand isakeystopoverpointduringmigration. Quiteoftenbirdswillmigrateatnightsoit'snotuncommon to return to thenature area inthe morning to find the trees filled withsongbirds.Thebesttimetoseenewmigrantsisafteramoderatesouthwindinthespringandanorthwindinthefall.Thesemigrantsareoftenseeningroups,usuallyoccupyingstandsoftreeswithadequateunderstory.Lookforbirdsactivelyforaging in low trees and shrubs during themorning hours. One can often find multiplespecies in thesemigrant groups, with a higherchanceofspottinganuncommonorrarespecies. Many species prefer to forage near watersources,especiallyduringspringmigrationwhenthe first flying insects emerge from the water.Makesuretocheckthetreesbetweenthetwowetlandsinthesoutheastcorner,asthisspothasahighdiversityofbreedingbirds. The stands of dense conifer trees provideexcellent daytime roosting habitat for raptorsand owls. Sometimes northern finches such asPurpleFinch,PineSiskinandRedCrossbillscanalsobeobservedintheconifers.

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Adjacent to the coniferous forest lies thewooded marsh and a storm water retentionpond.NestingpairsofGreenHerons,GreatBlueHerons, HoodedMergansers, andWood Duckshave been found here. Marsh Wrens, SongSparrows,SwampSparrows,YellowWarblersandCommonYellowthroatarealsoquiteeasytofindhere. Thenativeprairieonthewesternedgeofthenature area provides easy, close observationbirding. Eastern Bluebirds and Clay-coloredSparrowsarecommon.AmericanGoldfinchdotthe prairie portion in late summer and fallfollowingthebloomingofthePrairieDock. The following checklists were created withdata from breeding bird surveys conducted byGarrett Wee in the Spring/Summer 2017. Allspecieslistedhavebeenrecordedatleastoncewithinthenaturearea.Forthebestexperienceitisrecommendedthatyoubringbinocularsandabirdidentificationguide.

Dark-morphBroad-WingedHawk.

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BirdChecklistsBirdSeasonandAbundanceKey

Sp(Spring)=March,April,May Su(Summer)=June,JulyFa(Fall)=August,September,October,

November Wi(Winter)=December,January,FebruaryC=Common—present,relativelyeasytofindU=Uncommon—observed,maybedifficultto

find O=Occasional—mayormaynotbepresentin

anyyearR=Rare—hasoccurredatleastonce,mayor

maynotbeexpectedtorecurBlankcells–birdspeciesisnotpresentinthe

areaduringthespecifiedseason

BirdsSpecies Sp Su Fa WiWaterfowlandUplandBirds[]CacklingGoose R R[]CanadaGoose C U C[]WoodDuck C C C[]Mallard C U U[]Blue-wingTeal O R R[]NorthernShoveler O[]Green-wingTeal O[]HoodedMerganser U O[]Ring-neckPheasant U U U U[]AmericanCoot R[]Pied-billedGrebe R R R[]GreatBlueHeron O O O[]GreenHeron O O

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BirdsSpecies Sp Su Fa WiRaptors[]TurkeyVulture R R R[]Osprey R R[]CoopersHawk U U U O[]Broad-wingedHawk U U[]Red-tailedHawk U R UShorebirds[]Killdeer U O O[]LeastSandpiper R R[]SpottedSandpiper O O[]SolitarySandpiper O OGulls[]Ring-billedGull ROwls[]Eastern-ScreechOwl O O O O[]GreatHornedOwl U O O U[]BarredOwl R R R RPigeonsandDoves[]RockPigeon C C C C[]EurasianCollared-dove U U U U[]MourningDove C C CHummingbirds[]Ruby-throatedHummingbird C U CWoodpeckersandKingfishers[]BeltedKingfisher O O O[]Red-belliedWoodpecker C C C C[]Yellow-belliedSapsucker C O C[]DownyWoodpecker C C C C[]HairyWoodpecker U U U U[]NorthernFlicker C O C R

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BirdsSpecies Sp Su Fa WiFlycatchers[]Olive-sidedFlycatcher O U[]EasternWood-Pewee U U[]Yellow-belliedFlycatcher R R[]AlderFlycatcher U U[]WillowFlycatcher C R U[]LeastFlycatcher C U C[]EasternPhoebe C U C[]GreatCrestedFlycatcher C C C[]EasternKingbird C C CVireos[]Yellow-throatedVireo U O[]Blue-headedVireo U U[]PhiladelphiaVireo O O[]WarblingVireo C C C[]Red-eyedVireo C C CJaysandCrows[]BlueJay C C C C[]AmericanCrow C C C CSwiftsandSwallows[]ChimneySwift C C C[]TreeSwallow C C C[]BankSwallow U U[]BarnSwallow C C CSmallForestBirds[]Black-cappedChickadee C C C C[]Red-breastedNuthatch U U C[]White-breastedNuthatch C C C C[]BrownCreeper U U UWrens[]HouseWren C C C[]SedgeWren R R[]MarshWren O O R

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BirdsSpecies Sp Su Fa WiThrushesetc.[]EasternBluebird C C C[]Veery U R[]Gray-cheekedThrush R R[]Swainson'sThrush C C[]HermitThrush C C[]AmericanRobin C C C U[]GrayCatbird C C C[]BrownThrasher C C C[]EuropeanStarling C C C C[]CedarWaxwing U O C OWarblersandKinglets[]Ovenbird U R U[]NorthernWaterthrush C U[]Black-and-whiteWarbler C C[]TennesseeWarbler C C[]Orange-crownedWarbler C C[]NashvilleWarbler U U[]ConnecticutWarbler R[]MourningWarbler R[]CommonYellowthroat C C C[]AmericanRedstart C R C[]NorthernParula O R[]MagnoliaWarbler U U[]Bay-breastedWarbler U O[]YellowWarbler C U C[]PalmWarbler C C[]Yellow-rumpedWarbler C C R[]Golden-crownedKinglet C C[]Ruby-crownedKinglet C C

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BirdsSpecies Sp Su Fa WiSparrows[]GrasshopperSparrow R[]AmericanTreeSparrow C C C[]ChippingSparrow C C C[]Clay-coloredSparrow C C C[]FieldSparrow U O O[]FoxSparrow C C[]Dark-eyedJunco C R C C[]White-crownedSparrow U U[]Harris'sSparrow C C R[]White-throatedSparrow C C R[]VesperSparrow O R O[]SongSparrow C C C[]SwampSparrow C O C[]HouseSparrow C C C CCardinalsandGrosbeaks[]NorthernCardinal C C C C[]Rose-breastedGrosbeak C O C[]BlueGrosbeak RBlackbirds[]Bobolink R R R[]Red-wingedBlackbird C C C R[]Yellow-headedBlackbird O[]CommonGrackle C C C[]Great-tailedGrackle R[]Brown-headedCowbird C C O[]OrchardOriole U O[]BaltimoreOriole C C UFinches[]HouseFinch C C C C[]PurpleFinch O O U[]RedCrossbill R[]PineSiskin C R C U[]AmericanGoldfinch C C C U

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Mammals Theastoundingdiversityofmammals in theSMSU-ADM Environmental Learning Area isoftenoverlooked.Someareeasilyspottedwhileothers require the knowledge of preferredhabitat,akeeneye,andabitofluck. MammalssuchasFoxSquirrel,GraySquirrel,and Eastern Cottontail can be easily found byscanning the ground and trees.Whitetail Deeroftenseekshelterinthesumacinthenortheastcornerofthearea.Mostmammalswillbecomemoreactiveatdawnordusk,includingmanyoftherodents,bats,andnocturnalanimalssuchasCommon Raccoon and Virginia Opossum.Walkingthetrailsatdawnordusk,onemightseeaMeadowJumpingMouseoraLittleBrownBatflyingabove.Whennearthewetlands,scanthebases of trees for signs of a beaver gnawingthrough the trunk andwatch thewater closelyfor a swimming muskrat. Red Foxes are seenfrequentlyinthenaturearea.Belowisachecklistof mammals that have been recorded at leastonceinthisnaturearea.

Commonraccooninagreenashtree.

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MammalsList()Virginiaopossum(Didelphisvirginiana)()Easterngraysquirrel (Sciuruscarolinensis)()Foxsquirrel(Sciurusniger)()Americanredsquirrel (Tamiasciurushudsonicus)()Thirteen-linedground squirrel(Spermophilustridecemlineatus)()Woodchuck(Marmotamonax)*rare()NorthAmericanBeaver (Castorcanadensis)()White-footedmouse (Peromyscusleucopus)()Deermouse(Peromyscusmaniculatus)()Meadowvole(Microtuspennsylvanicus)()Muskrat(Ondatrazibethicus)()Meadowjumpingmouse (Zapushudsonius)()Easterncottontail(Sylvilagusfloridanus)()Maskedshrew(Sorexcinereus)()Northernshort-tailedshrew (Blarinabrevicauda)()Littlebrownbat(Myotislucifugus)()Commonraccoon(Procyonlotor)()Stripedskunk(Mephitismephitis)()Redfox(Vulpesvulpes)()White-taileddeer (Odocoileusvirginianus)()Plainspocketgopher(Geomysbursarius)

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PrairiePlants Awalkthroughthe13acresofreconstructedprairie will give you a glimpse of how all ofSouthwest Minnesota looked pre-settlement.Four acres of this prairie were restored andplanted with native prairie wildflowers andgrasses in 1998. Prairie wildflowers are bestviewedduring late summer throughmid-fall.Alistofsomeofthemostcommonplantsfoundinthis prairie is provided. Keep an eye out forgartersnakessunning themselveson thepathsduringwarmdaysintheFallandSpring.Don’tbesurprisedifyoudiscoveraplantthat’snotonthislist. As prairies mature, the plant diversityincreases.Manymorespecieshavebeenfoundsincetheprairie’splantingalmost20yearsago.Belowaresomedescriptionsofcommonprairieplantsfoundinthenaturearea.

Southentrancetotheprairiearea,showingPaintedLadyButterfliesonStiffGoldenrod.PhotobyEmilyDeaver.

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Grasses

BigBluestem(Andropogongerardi) Oneof themosticonicandabundantprairie grass in thearea. This grassgrows3-6’tallandiseasily identified bythe blue/purpletingesontheround,segmented stem.The flowering tophas 3 parts thatresembleaturkeyfoot.

Leaves unfurl as itgrows;theyarelessthan½”wideandupto2’long.

http://webs.anokaramsey.edu/prairie/Grassesonweb/Bigbluestem.htm

LittleBluestem(Schizachyriumscoparium) Lookforthisgrassgrowingindensebunchedclustersabout4’inheight.Theleavesgrowupto12”longandarelessthan¼”wide.Thestemishairyandflattensoutatthebaseofthegrass.

IndianGrass(Sorghastrumnutans) This grass grows up to 7’ tall and oftenassociateswithBigBluestem.Leavescangrowto2’longandlessthan½”wide.Lookforthetwopointed red/yellow lobeswhere the leaf bladejoinsatthestem.

Side-OatsGrama(Boutelouacurtipendula) Cangrowupto3’tallwith leavesupto12”long.Verythinstemmedwithtinyflowers.Thelight tan flowers have bright orange stamens.Easilyidentifiedbytheoat-likespikeletsthatlineonesideofthestem.

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Wildflowers

CanadaGoldenrod(Solidagocanadensis) Anabundant2-4’tallwildflowerthatisinfullbloomfromSept. tomid-Oct.Thesmall yellowflowersformapyramid-likeshapeatthetopofthestem.Lookforthehairystemsandalternatecoarsetoothedleaves.Itgrowsindenseclusters.Someplantswillhaveaballshapeddeformityinthe stem which houses the larvae of theGoldenrodGallFly.

StiffGoldenrod(Solidagorigida) Similar to CanadaGoldenrod, this plant hasyellow flowers, and slightly hairy, rigid, stems.Growsinclusters.Itgrowsupto5’tallandhasshorterleaves.Thefloweringheadsarewideandflat, pointing straight up. The leaves are in analternate arrangement, elongated, and onlyslightlyserrated.BloomsAug-Oct.

HeathAster(Asterericoides) Acommonwhiteaster that grows inpatches, anywherefrom 1-2 feet tall.Small (3” long, ½”wide),withnarrow,pointed leaves thatalternate.Thewhiteflower heads arearranged in denseclusters about a½”

wide, surroundedby20petalsarounda yellow center.

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/hth_asterx.htm

BloomsAug-Oct.

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NewEnglandAster(Asternovae-angliae) Much largerthan Heath Aster,this plant grows upto 6’ tall and hashairy stems. Thelong, narrow leavesoccur alternatelyaround the stem,about 4” long and1”wide.Flowersarepurpleandabout1-1.5”widewith

approximately30purplepetalsclusteredaroundayellowcenter.

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=syno2

BloomsAug-Oct.

DottedBlazingStar(Liatrispunctate)A low growing perennial that is usually less

than 1 foot tall. Identified by the dense, leafyspikes that stand straight up. These spikes aresurroundedbysmallpink/purpleflowerclusters.Leaves are less than 5” long,¼”wide, and aredottedunderneath.BloomsJuly-Sept.

PrairieBlazingStar(Liatrispycnostachya) Separated from Dotted Blazing Star by sizeand leaf structure, this unbranched wildflowercangrowupto5’tall.Leavesareabout1’ longand ½” wide and progressively get smallertowards the top of the stem. The tops of thestems have long spikes surrounded by smallpurpleflowerheads.

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/prairie-blazing-star-gayfeather

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CompassPlant(Silphiumlaciniatum) One of thetallest wildflowerson the prairie,growing from 6’-8’tallwithstoutlight-green stems. Deeplobed leaves arelarge and hairy andalternate aroundthestem.Thelowerleaves often standon edge and orientin a North/Southdirection.

Flowers are similarin shape to asunflower, 2.5-4.5”wide with yellowrays surrounding adarkcoloredcenter.

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/compassx.htm

BloomsJuly-Sept.

CupPlant(Silphiumperfoliatum) Has a thick, smooth, square stem and cangrowup to8’ tall. Large coarse toothed leavescombine to form a cup shaped funnelsurrounding the stem, an adaptation forwaterretention.Theindividualyellowflowersare2.5-4”widewith20-30rays.BloomsJuly-Sept.

Gray-HeadedConeflower(Ratibidapinnata) This wildflowerhas thin smoothstemsandcangrow1-3’ tall. The longnarrow leaves arealternatelyarrangedwithshortgray hairs. It hasprominent,3”wide,

yellow flowerswitha protruding graycenter.

https://webapps8.dnr.state.mn.us/restoreyourshore/plants/plant_detail/300

BloomsJune-Aug.

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LeadPlant(Amorphacanescens) Awoody, shrub-likeplantthatgrowsup to 3 feet tall.

Leaves are dividedintoleafletsthatareabout ¾” long and¼” wide. The grayhairs on the stemgive the plant itscolorandname.The small flowersare a blue/purplecolor with orangestamens. BloomsJune-Aug.

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/leadplantx.htm

FalseSunflowerorOxeye(Heliopsishelianthoides)

Thisyellowfloweringplantgrowsupto4’tall.The toothed leaves are oppositely arranged,growing about 6” long and 3.5” wide. Flowersheadsare2-4”widewith20petalssurroundingacone-shapedyellowcenter.BloomsJuly-Sept.

Maximilian’sSunflower(Heliopsismaximilian) Athickstemmedyellow wildflowerthatcangrowupto9’ tall. The narrowleaves are up to 9”long and less than2” wide. They arecurved downwardand are alternatelyarranged. Theflower is 4” widewith between 10-25, 1.5” petals that

surround ayellowish center.

https://conservationgardenpark.org/plants/66/santa-fe-maximilian-sunflower

BloomsAug-Sept.

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ButterflyMilkweed(Asclepiastuberosa) Thisisoneofthebrightestflowersonthe prairie, it isfound growing indenseclustersupto5’tall.Itsleavesare4”long,lessthan1”wide, and alternatearound the stemAbout 25 small,individual, orange

flowersmakeuptheflattened floweringheads.

BloomsJune-Aug.

CommonMilkweed(Asclepiassyriaca) This 2-5’ plant is best known for attractingpollinators and Monarch Butterflies. Its oval,toothlessleavesgrowupto8”longand3”wide.The center vein of the leaves are awhite/pinkcolor. The seed pods are large, prominent,green, bumpy and contain many brown seedswithwispywhitehairs.Themany½”pinkflowersarearranged ina spherical shapeat the topoftheplant.BloomsJune-Aug.

http://extension.wsu.edu/whitman/2013/11/common-milkweed/

Commonmilkweedseedpods

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PrairieDock(Silphiumterebinthinaceum) Verycommon inthe nature area.This species is anative to theeastern NorthAmerican prairie,but is not native toMinnesota prairies.Wide flat leaveshave a sandpaperliketextureandareup to 18” long and12” wide. Theselargeleavesmakeitadominantplant inthe prairie. Flowersare located at the

very top of stemsthat are 3-12” tall,and are typically 2-3” wide with 15-30yellowpetals.

http://www.riveredgenaturecenter.org/research/phenology/riveredge-plant-phenology-trails/prairie-dock/BloomsAug-Oct.

PurplePrairieClover(Daleapurpurea) Grows in patches up to 2’ tall with slenderstems. Leaves are pinnately compound withsmall leaflets less than 1” long and 1/8”wide.Thesmallpurpleflowersarearrangedinaspikeat the top of the stem. The bottom flowersbloom first and climb up the spike as the newflowersbloom.BloomsJune-Sept.

http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/purple_prairie_clover.html

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Trees When the SMSU-ADM EnvironmentalLearning Area was being designed, many treeseedlings were planted to create a specificdeciduous forest and coniferous forest. Theconifertreesarelocatedintheeast-centralpartandalong thenorthernandwesternedge.Thedeciduous trees are dispersed throughout butareprimarilyinthecenterofthearea.

ConiferousTrees

RedorNorwayPine(Pinusresinosa) Perhaps the most abundant conifer in thenaturearea,thistreeisnamedafteritsreddish-brownbark.Onmaturetreesthebarkeventuallybecomesplate-like,althoughveryfewRedPinesinthenatureareahavereachedthisstage.Thesharp needles occur in clusters of two.Commonly reaches heights of 60’-80’.Minnesota’sStateTree.

EasternWhitePine(Pinusstrobus) This largepine isknownfor itsdarksmoothbarkand stately appearance.Mature treeswillbegin to show furrowed bark near the trunk.Mature trees will also show overall irregularconical growth. Not overly abundant in thenaturearea.Softneedlesoccurinbundlesof5.This conifer easily exceeds 75’ and has thepotentialtoreach120’.

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NorthernWhiteCedar(Thujaoccidentalis) The thick foliage has many branchlets withflat, scaly leaves, a characteristic exclusive tocedars.Greatforwildlifeinprovidingcoverandcones that are consumed by many birds andmammals.Typicallyasmallertreebutcanreachheightsof50’.

EasternRedCedar(Juniperusvirginiana) Relative of the Northern White Cedar. TheRed Cedar is distinguished by blue, berry-like“cones” and attains a burgundy color in thewintermonths. Flat scaly leaves like thewhitecedar.Highwildlifevalueaswell;manyanimalsconsume the cones in the winter, often timesresulting in the treebecoming semi-invasive insomeareaswhereconeshavebeendepositedbyanimals.

BlackSpruce(Piceamariana) The Black Spruce is a shorter spruce thatshowsmoreconicalgrowthcomparedtootherspruces.TheBlackSpruceisusuallygreenoverallandtheneedlesare½”inlength.Thesetreesarescattered throughout the nature area asindividuals.Itreachesmaximumheightsof40’.

WhiteSpruce(Piceaglauca) TheWhiteSpruceisthemuchlargerrelativeoftheBlackSpruce.Theneedlestypicallyhaveawhitish sheen, hence the name. Needles areslightlylongerthanBlackSpruce.TheconesarealsolongerthanBlackSpruce.Ittypicallyreachesheightsupto60’butsomenativeindividualscanreach100’.

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BalsamFir(Abiesbalsamea) This conifer tree is commonly used as aChristmasTree.Thesoft, shortneedlesare flatand grow horizontally. The cones are alwaysfound growing upright. Distinct smooth barkwithresinfilledblisters.Thistreetypicallygrowsupto50’andisfoundscatteredintheconiferousportionofthenaturearea.

TamarackorLarch(Larixlaricina) This is one ofonly 14 species ofdeciduous conifersin the world. Theneedles turn abright yellow colorbefore theyshed inthe autumn. Theyregrowinthespringin small clustersabout 1” longsurrounding thestem. Cones are around shape. Thistreeisfoundinbogsin its native range

and associateswithBlackSpruce. It canreachheightsofupto70’.

DeciduousTrees

GreenAsh(Fraxinuspennsylvanica) Relativelycommontreefound inthenaturearea, known fordropping the flat, oval shapedseeds.Thistreeusuallyhasauniformlyfurrowedbark throughout the tree. Leaves are teardropshaped around 3-5” long, turning yellow inautumn.

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BalsamPoplar(Populusbalsamifera) ThismediumsizedtreecloselyresemblestheEastern Cottonwood which is also commonthroughoutthenaturearea.TheBalsamPoplarhas lessserrated leaveswith leafsurfacebeingsmooth aswell and lighter coloredbark and isoftensmooth.Cangrowupto80’.Uncommoninthe nature area though possibly spreadingnaturally.

EasternCottonwood(Populusdeltoides) This prairie native lives well in SouthwestMinnesotabutoftentimesbecomesinvasiveinwetterareas.VerysimilartotheBalsamPoplarin all respects, though usually distinguished bydarker, more furrowed, bark. EasternCottonwoods grow to be massive treessometimes reaching 100’ tall with a canopyspreadofover60’.

ChokeCherry(Prunusvirginiana) Thissmalltreeisoftencategorizedasashrub.Capableofreaching25’ inheightthoughrarelytops15’.Uniformlyovalshaped leavesandthereddish,cherry-likefruitinthefallmakethistreeeasy to identify. This tree can form densethickets.

BlackCherry(Prunusserotina) This small tree is uncommon in the naturearea.Itisrecognizedbyitsfragrantwhiteflowersin the spring. Bark is dark brown and smoothwith tiny corky blisters. Fruit ripens in the fall.Thistreecanreach25-30’inheight.

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Boxelder(Acernegundo) This species of maple is considered to besemi-invasive due to its habit of thriving inneglected areas. The hardiness of this treemakes it extremely easy to grow. The leavescomeinleafletsofthreeandresembleashleavesmorethanamaple.SeedsfromtheBoxelderarecommonly referred to as “propellers” or“helicopters”astheyspintotheground.

RedMaple(Acerrubrum) Afittingnameforthismediumsizedtreethatis known for its vibrant red foliage in the fall.Leaves have threemain lobeswhich aremoreshallow- lobedcomparedtoothermaples.Thistreetypicallyreaches60’inheightwithacanopyspreadofupto40’.

SilverMaple(Acersaccharinum) ThismapleisnativetosouthwestMinnesota,with large specimens common in city parksreaching70’tallwithcanopyspreadsaslargeastheyaretall.Limbsbreakeasily instrongwind.Deeplobedleavesturnayellowishcolor inthefall

SugarMaple(Acersaccharum) This tree is known for producing largeamounts of sap which is collected to producemaple syrup. Leaves turn a variety of colors inthe fall, ranging from yellow to red. Like allmaples, they release winged seeds that fall tothegroundinaspiralingmotion.Mostgrowtoapproximately80’tallatfullmaturity.

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AmericanElm(Ulmusamericana) Best known for their tall stature and widecanopies.Manyof the largest treeshave fallenvictim to Dutch Elm disease. They havealternating leaves with serrated edges andprominent leaf veins. These trees can exceed100’withcanopyspreadsof60’ormore.

WhiteOak(Quercusalba) Capableofgrowingtolargeheightswithlongspreadingbranches.Theleavesaredeeplylobedand can feel fuzzy on the underside. Dropsbumpercropsofacornsevery fewyearswhichhave high wildlife value. Typically grows toheightsof80’.

AmericanBasswood(Tiliaamericana) Asignaturehardwoodofwetforests,growingto heights of 80’ quite easily. Heart shapedleavesare3-6”long.Thebasswoodisknownfordroppingsmallpeasizedfruitsfoundinclustersthataredroppedinthefall.

PaperBirch(Betulapapyrifera) Thisiconictreeisbestknownforthepeelingbarkthatgivesthetreeaflakyappearanceandwhitebark.Mediumtosmalltree,oftengrowingin loose colonies, these trees commonly reach40’butveryseldomtaller.

RiverBirch(Betulanigra) Very similar to the PaperBirch, bark is alsoflaky inappearancebutgoldencolored.Leaveshave a much more “toothed” appearance incomparisontothePaperBirch.

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TherelativeabundanceoftreespeciesinasubsampleoftheSMSU-ADMEnvironmentalLearningArea.DataandgraphicfromatreesurveycompletedbyEnvironmentalSciencemajorMelissaKleckersummer2017.

Arowoftreesontheedgeofthenaturearea.Fromlefttoright:1)WhiteSpruce,2)EasternCottonwood,3)WhitePine,4)WhiteSpruce,5)RedPine.PhotobyEmilyDeaver

1 2 3 4 5

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Wetlands Thenatureareacontains3differenttypesofwetlands. Thesewetlandsprovide someof thebest opportunities to view wildlife. Aconstructedstormwater runoffpond ispresentontheeasternedgenearthestadium.Anaturalfreshwatermarshisadjacentandtothewestofthe stormwater pond. An ephemeral wetland(notshownonthemap)islocatedamongstthetrees in the northern section. It only holdsstandingwater in the spring season butwatermaynotormaynotbepresentatanygivenyear. These wetlands are home to aquaticorganisms such as crayfish, Northern LeopardFrog, Chorus Frog, Painted Turtle, SnappingTurtle,andaquaticinsectlarvae.Manywetlandplants such as sedges, rushes, grasses andcattails are present. Listen for Chorus Frogs inthespringandearlysummer.Theircall isoftendescribed as being similar to running yourfingernaildowntheteethofahaircomb.

CanadaGooseinthemarsh

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SuggestedResourcesFor Birds: Sibley Guide to Birds 2nd edition;NationalGeographicFieldGuidetotheBirdsofNorthAmerica6thEdition;eBirdapp;AudubonBirds of North America app; iBird app; MerlinBirdIDapp.

For Plants: LeafSnap app; Trees Pro app;TallGrass Prairie Wildflowers 2nd edition;MinnesotaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesPlantpagesfoundathttp://www.dnr.state.mn.us/trees_shrubs/index.html

CAUTION,BeAware:PoisonIvyispresentinthenaturearea;stayonthepaths.Lookforglossy,mittenshapedleavesinsetsofthree.

https://www.medicinenet.com/poison_ivy_oak_and_sumac/article.htm

Exampleofpoisonivyleaves

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Map

MapoftheADM-SMSUEnvironmentalLearningArea,whichis40totalacres,with13acresofprairieand27acresofforest.

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RA PE

ST

MAINT

Mattke Field

HB GM

CW

REC

MAINT

CSC

Mustang Trail

Stadium DriveM

usta

ng T

rail

RAParking Lot

BA/PELot

Sw

eetla

nd

0.27 mi

0.37

mi

0.20

mi

0.15

mi

0.08 mi

0.06 mi

0.05 mi

Wildlife Area

E

SOUTHWESTM I N N E S O T A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

HabitatMowed Grass

Old Field

Pond

Prairie

Trees

28

ReferencesThe following resources were referenced forbackground information and to create plantdescriptions.

Ladd,DougandFrankOberle.2005.Tallgrass PrairieWildflowers,2ndedition.Falcon Guides,Guilford,Connecticut.263pp.

Laundre,JohnW.andThereseCummiskey.1984.AMammalianandAvianSurveyofthePrairieWoodsWildlifeRefuge.Biology&Earth/SpaceScienceDept.,SouthwestStateUniversity.1(1):1-26.

MinnesotaDNR.2017.Minnesota’sNativeTrees.AccessedonlineOct.23,2017fromhttp://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/education/treeforallseasons/nativetrees.html

MinnesotaWildflowers.2017.MinnesotaWildflowers,aFieldGuidetotheFloraofMinnesota.AccessedOct.17,2017fromhttps://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/

SouthwestMinnesotaStateUniversity.2017.ADM&SMSUEnvironmentalLearningArea.AccessedonlineOct.17,2017fromhttp://www.smsu.edu/campuslife/attractions/wildlife/index.html

29