BWCA Info

Yesterday evening, the other Naturalist and I hiked to Magnetic Rock. That trail has had three fires in the last two decades, and is an excellent example of various stages of wildfire succession. If anyone thinks that a wildfire is the death and not the rebirth of a forest, they should take the time to hike the Magnetic Rock Trail. Not only would they be amazed at the wildflowers, but they would also be in awe of the blueberries, and the rapidly growing Jack pines and other trees. They would see that the forest is like the phoenix of myth, in that it needs to have wildfires every few decades to come out of the ashes as a newer and healthier forest. The only bad fires are those which may be set by humans, and destroy homes, so remember to be careful with all open flame.

This first list of flowers was just on the Magnetic Rock Trail:
Bird’s Foot Trefoil
Fireweed
Pearly Everlasting
Ox-eye Daisy
Red Clover
White Aster
Yellow Hawkweed
Fringed Bindweed
Bristly Sarsaparilla
Thyme Leaved Speedwell
Northern Bush Honeysuckle
Meadowsweet
Joe Pye Weed
Wild Mint
Marsh Skullcap
Early Goldenrod
Harebell
Lesser Daisy Fleabane
Pale Corydalis

The list of the other flowers I have seen in the last week is below:
Purple Pea
Smooth Hawkweed
Orange Hawkweed
Common Tansy
Mullein
Scentless Chamomile
Lupine
Fireweed
Spotted Jewelweed
Heal-all
Plantain
Alsike Clover
Tall Buttercup
Blue Aster
Woolly Yarrow
Large-leaved Avens
Pineapple Weed
Curled Dock
Cinquefoil
Rough Bedstraw
Columbine
Creeping Bellflower
Evening Primrose