The
Lakeshore Nature Preserve has several different plant communities
including woodland, marsh, and prairie. Although the Preserve
has a diverse native plant population, in some parts of the Preserve
alien species are threatening this diversity.
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For an explanation
of why the Preserve is managed to promote native plants and why
native plants are uncommon in some areas of the Preserve
and consequently need to be reintroduced, see:
Restoration is challenging. To hear a personal reflection on some of the difficulties, see:
A measure of restoration success is insect diversity. A diverse native insect population requires a diverse set of native plants. In many areas of the Preserve, in order to have plant diversity the areas have to be restored by adding additional species of plants. To learn about butterfly diversity as a measure of restoration success, see:
Oaks are important to the Preserve. Unfortunately,
oaks do not grow well in shade and so tend not to regenerate in
our forests. To learn about oaks regeneration and savanna
restoration in the Preserve, see:
Be a 'plant-watcher' in the Preserve. For a close-up
of the Cup Plant, see:
Of course, not all plants are equally appealing. For
information about plants that produce seeds that stick to human clothing
and animal fur and feathers, see:
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Eagle Heights Gardens and Ag Fields
Eagle Heights Woods
Frautschi Point
Lake Mendota
Lakeshore Path
Muir Woods
Tent Colony Woods
Picnic Point
Picnic Point Marsh
Raymer's Cove
Second Point Woods
University Bay and Willow Creek
Wally Bauman Woods
Willow Creek Woods