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| Minnesota Biological Survey | |
|---|---|
| Name | Minnesota Biological Survey |
| Formed | 1987 |
| Jurisdiction | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
| Headquarters | St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Chief1 name | Dr. Jane Leonard |
| Chief1 position | Director |
Minnesota Biological Survey The Minnesota Biological Survey is a state-funded natural heritage program that documents the distribution and status of rare and native species and plant communities across Minnesota. It provides inventory, mapping, and ecological assessment used by agencies such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, conservation organizations like the Nature Conservancy, and academic partners including the University of Minnesota. The survey informs land management, conservation planning, and environmental review processes across the state.
The survey conducts systematic field inventories of flora and fauna and classifies plant communities using standardized protocols tied to regional systems such as the National Vegetation Classification. Its databases integrate spatial layers for wetlands, prairie remnants, and forested landscapes to support land-use decisions by entities like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and regional planning agencies. The program produces statewide maps, element occurrence records, and ecological summaries used by organizations including the Minnesota Land Trust and the Cormorant Lake Conservation District.
Initiated in the late 20th century, the program was created amid rising concern recorded in reports from bodies such as the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board and academic studies at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Early collaborators included the Minnesota Historical Society and conservation groups like the Izaak Walton League of America. Over time the survey expanded through cooperative agreements with federal partners such as the Environmental Protection Agency and grants from foundations like the McKnight Foundation. Major milestones include integration of geographic information system tools pioneered by researchers at Purdue University and the adoption of standardized element occurrence methods advocated by the NatureServe network.
The survey's mission aligns with statutory mandates found in state statutes administered by the Minnesota Legislature and operational guidance from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Core objectives emphasize documenting occurrences of species listed under the Endangered Species Act and state rare species lists, assessing integrity of remnants of tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and boreal forest, and identifying high-priority conservation areas that complement federal designations such as National Wildlife Refuges and Ramsar wetlands. Targets include informing policy instruments used by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and supporting restoration efforts with partners like the Great Plains Flora Association.
Field protocols rely on vegetation sampling techniques influenced by standards from the Society for Ecological Restoration and floristic inventory methods practiced by taxonomists at institutions like the Missouri Botanical Garden. Teams conduct transects, plot sampling, and GPS-based mapping, integrating remote sensing products from Landsat and LiDAR datasets produced in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Data are curated using element occurrence frameworks compatible with NatureServe and spatially delivered through platforms used by the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office. Quality assurance includes voucher specimens deposited at herbaria such as the Bell Museum of Natural History and taxonomic verification by experts from the Field Museum.
Survey outputs have highlighted extensive loss of tallgrass prairie and fragmentation of wetland complexes attributable to conversion documented in agricultural assessments by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Priority conservation targets include intact prairie remnants, rare oak savanna tracts identified near the Mississippi River corridor, and bog complexes in the Boundary Waters region. Findings have influenced acquisition priorities for entities like the Trust for Public Land and management plans for state units such as Itasca State Park. The survey also identifies invasive species trends consistent with reports from the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council and provides baseline data supporting climate vulnerability analyses undertaken by researchers at the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership.
The program operates through partnerships with state agencies including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and federal partners such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with academic collaborators at the University of Minnesota system and regional colleges. Funding sources historically include state appropriations from the Minnesota Legislature, competitive grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and philanthropic support from organizations such as the McKnight Foundation and regional community foundations. Cooperative agreements with conservation NGOs such as the Nature Conservancy and the Minnesota Land Trust enable joint fieldwork and land protection transactions.
The survey disseminates findings via online interactive maps coordinated with the Minnesota Geospatial Commons and publishes ecological summaries used by educators at institutions like the University of Minnesota Extension and informal educators at the Minnesota Discovery Center. Outreach includes workshops with county planners, training for volunteers from groups like the Master Naturalist Program, and collaborative citizen-science initiatives modeled after programs such as iNaturalist. Public-facing materials support landowners, municipal officials, and conservation practitioners working with programs like the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve Program.
Category:Natural history of Minnesota Category:Environmental organizations based in Minnesota