Agreement Expands Trout Lily Preserve

The Nature Conservancy acquires 8-acre parcel, protecting Minnesota’s rarest plant

Minneapolis, MN—July 7, 2006--The Nature Conservancy announced today it has acquired an 8-acre addition to its Trout Lily Preserve in Rice County in southeastern Minnesota. The tract, bounded by Conservancy land to the north, east and west, was sold by the Cathedral of Our Merciful Savior. The new tract will help preserve a remnant habitat for the federally endangered dwarf trout lily (Erythronium propullans), found only in Rice, Goodhue and Steele counties of Minnesota.

This delicate lily is the state’s rarest plant. Confined to an area of only 600 acres, it is in critical danger of becoming extinct. The plant has tapering, lightly mottled green/gray leaves; the white flowers, consisting of 4 to 6 petals, are about 8-14 mm in diameter. It blooms in the spring before trees develop their leaves. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says this lily’s unique genetic information makes it important to everyone. Alkaloids from many plants are active ingredients in medicines and other useful products. The loss of this lily would eliminate forever the potential for such benefits.

“We are glad for the opportunity to protect this plant’s core population and appreciate the Cathedral’s willingness to work with us,” said Tom Landwehr, Assistant State Director of Conservation at The Nature Conservancy. “It is a win-win partnership for the dwarf trout lily, the Cathedral and future generations of Minnesotans.”

The Conservancy was contacted by the Cathedral about protecting this key woodland parcel, which also contains a historic pioneer settler cemetery. The acquisition is important because it protects an area that is imminently threatened by development. This project will also generate a stewardship fund for the Cathedral to assist with the cemetery’s long-term care and maintenance.

The 186-acre Trout Lily Preserve consists of bur and white oak savanna, and maple-basswood and oak hardwood forests in an area of wooded ravines floodplains. It is a part of the Upper Cannon River Conservation Area, and provides habitat for numerous migratory songbirds, like the cerulean warbler, wood thrush and red eyed vireo. Because the rare lilies are highly sensitive to disturbance, the preserve is not open to public recreation.

This project was funded by a grant from the Minnesota Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources. These funds were provided to the Conservancy to acquire fragmented corridors that connect areas of quality habitat to sustain fish, wildlife and plants as part of the Wildlife Habitat Corridors Partnership.