"To keep every cog and wheel..."

Although the more common species like black spruce in the swamps of the north or big bluestem in the prairies of the south often define the community type, there are other examples where individual animals require specific plants to complete some part of their life cycle.

One such case of dwarf huckleberry (Vaccinium caespitosum), which is the obligate host for the larvae of the state endangered northern blue butterfly. There are many similar examples with plants not quite as rare as dwarf huckleberry. All species, from the most common to the rarest, however, have intrinsic value. That is, although we may not be able to clearly point to an animal that depends on it or a drug that can be synthesized from it, all species have value as a piece of a larger puzzle. To only consider the utility of a species, what it does for us, is to overlook all the intangible benefits that species provides. As Aldo Leopold said, "To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."

Why are some plants rare?

Some species have always been rare. They require a habitat that has always been rare in Wisconsin. There are other species that were more common but have declined recently due to usually human-induced threats such as habitat loss, disease or poaching among other things. When it comes to rare species protection, management will is most likely to be effective, and is perhaps most needed, for species which have recently declined.

Eastern prairie fringed orchid. Photo courtesy of Josh Mayer.