Northern Research Station

Pine barren ecosystems once covered millions of acres across the Great Lakes Region. Today, just a few thousand acres, or less than 1%, remain. Historically shaped by frequent wildfires, pine barrens are found in areas with sandy, nutrient-poor soils, and are defined by a diverse savanna-like plant community characterized by grasses, herbs, and low shrubs, like wild blueberries and sweet fern, below a scattered canopy of pine trees.

Patches of forest dotting the urban landscape are easy to take for granted. These are forests at their most informal: natural areas within a city reflecting different ownerships and varying degrees of health, use and stewardship. Nevertheless, encountering nature in a forest patch can be as powerful an experience as visiting a national park.