Tree Trackers volunteer project

As Minnesota’s climate changes, suitable habitat for some tree species may shift, causing their ranges to expand, contract, or move over time. Tree Trackers is a participatory science project that invites people across Minnesota to help document these changes. 

By submitting tree observations through iNaturalist, volunteers provide researchers with valuable information about where species are growing and how they may be responding to a changing climate.

Researchers have identified a list of near-native tree species that may move into new parts of Minnesota as conditions change. Use the map to find your ecoregion, then select the corresponding link below to see which species we're looking for in your area.

Map of Minnesota split into 11 numbered regions

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Region 1: Agassiz Lowlands and Littlefork-Vermillion Uplands

The area of northern Minnesota known as the Agassiz Lowlands and Littlefork-Vermilion Uplands subsections includes all or parts of Beltrami, Clearwater, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington, Roseau, and St. Louis counties.

This region is shaped by the deposits from Glacial Lake Agassiz during the last glacial period. These clay-rich deposits contributed to the widespread formation of wetlands, such as lakes, bogs, and fens across the northern part of Minnesota.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 1, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species.

Region 2: Northern Superior Uplands

The Arrowhead region of Minnesota, known as the Northern Superior Uplands subsection, includes all or parts of Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis counties.

This area is characterized by bedrock terrain peppered with many lakes and thin deposits of coarse loamy soil. The region receives more of its precipitation as snow than any section in the state, has the longest period of snow cover, and has the shortest growing season.

Forests with red and white pine were widespread in the past, mixed with aspen, paper birch, spruce, and balsam fir. Much of the pine was cut in the late 1800s and early 1900s, leaving forests dominated mostly by aspen and paper birch. Jack pine forests are present on droughty ridges and bedrock exposures, as well as on local sandy outwash deposits. The highlands along Lake Superior have a local climate moderated by the lake that favors forests dominated by sugar maple with some white pine, yellow birch and northern white cedar.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 2, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species.

Region 3: Chippewa Plains and Pine Moraine-Outwash Plain

The Central Lakes region of Minnesota is known by ecologists as the Chippewa Plains and Pine Moraine-Outwash Plain subsections. This area includes all or parts of Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, Mahnomen, Morrison, Otter Tail, Polk, Todd, and Wadena counties.

Here you’ll find complex surface geology, formed over many episodes of glaciation. Mesic forests of sugar maple, basswood, paper birch, aspen, and northern red oak are widespread and occur mostly on moraines (mounds of rocky sediment deposited by glaciers) or till plains. Historically, forests and woodlands of jack pine and red pine were very common on the sandy outwash plains formed by glacial meltwater.

Sandy and gravelly deposits that cap many of the major moraines provide habitat for mixed forests of pine and boreal hardwood species such as quaking aspen and paper birch. Sedge meadows and alder and willow swamps occur along the slow-moving streams draining the flat lake plains and along the Mississippi and Leech Lake rivers.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 3, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species.

Region 4: St. Louis Moraines and Tamarack Lowlands

The area of north-central Minnesota known as the St. Louis Moraines and Tamarack Lowlands subsections includes all or parts of Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, and St. Louis counties.

These areas have been shaped by the glacial history of Minnesota, just like the rest of the state. Rolling hills in this area are caused by glacial deposits called moraines. Lowlands cover a large part of this region as a result of ancient lake plains, where glaciers previously melted and left behind flat topography with lacustrine (lake drainage) deposits. The Sax-Zim Bog is a great example of this landform.

The low-lying topography and wet conditions led to the accumulation of slowly decomposing vegetative material called peat on top of those lacustrine deposits. These conditions created the large areas of bogs that we see today, characterized by tree species such as black spruce and tamarack, but also a great diversity of bird species. The Sax-Zim Bog is a very popular destination for Minnesota’s birders.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 4, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species. 

Region 5: Hardwood Hills

The western edge of Minnesota’s forest biome is known as the Hardwood Hills, and it includes all or parts of Becker, Clearwater, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Mahnomen, Meeker, Morrison, Otter Tail, Polk, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties.

The Hardwood Hills region is characterized by steep slopes, high hills and lakes, and acidic to alkaline, loamy soils. Pre-settlement vegetation ranged from tallgrass prairie to aspen, oak savannas, maple, basswood and other hardwood trees in fire-protected areas.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 5, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species.

Region 6: Mille Lacs Uplands and Glacial Lake Superior Plain

The area of east-central Minnesota known as the Mille Lacs Uplands and Glacial Lake Superior Plain subsections includes all or parts of Aitkin, Benton, Carlton, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, and Sherburne counties.

The soils of the Mille Lacs Uplands are coarse-textured near the southwestern edge of the region but become increasingly clayey to the northeast. The forests in areas of coarser drift (clay, silt, sand, gravel, and boulders deposited by glaciers) are dominated by northern red oak, while areas of clayey soil have forests of sugar maple, aspen, and birch.

Sandy terraces along the St. Croix River and small sand plains in other parts of the section have fire-dependent woodlands or forests of jack pine, bur oak, northern pin oak, and aspen. Fire-dependent pine, oak, and aspen forests are also present occasionally with mesic hardwood forests on coarse till and drumlins (teardrop-shaped hills of rock, sand, and gravel). Peatlands and other wetland communities are present mostly as inclusions within the broad areas of hardwood forest.

The small region near Duluth called the Glacial Lake Superior Plain is composed mostly of clayey sediments. The landscape is highly dissected by the Nemadji River and its tributaries, characterized by steep-sided ravines. The ravine slopes support wet-mesic forests of aspen and paper birch mixed with conifers such as white spruce, balsam fir, northern white cedar, and white pine; and mesic forests of sugar maple, basswood, and paper birch.  High areas between the ravines represent flat, clayey, poorly drained remnants of the glacial lake bed. These sites most commonly have wet forests dominated by black ash mixed with northern white cedar and yellow birch.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 6, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species.

Region 7: Anoka Sand Plain, Big Woods, and St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and Moraines

The Twin Cities greater metropolitan area is known to ecologists as the Anoka Sand Plain, Big Woods, and St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and Moraines subsections. This region covers all or parts of Anoka, Benton, Blue Earth, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Le Sueur, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Nicollet, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Waseca, Washington and Wright counties.

The Anoka Sand Plain is characterized by flat, sandy lake plains and terraces along the Mississippi River. Most of the soils are sandy and dry, but there are some poorly drained organic soils. Originally this area was filled with oak barrens and openings, with some jack pine along the northern edge.

Topography in the Big Woods is gently to moderately rolling. Soils were formed in thick deposits of gray limey glacial till left by the retreat of the ice sheets over 12,000 years ago. Red oak, sugar maple, basswood and American elm were most common in this mostly forested region.

The rolling to steep slopes of the St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and Moraines gently level on the outwash plain, with soils ranging from clay loam to sand. This area was once a mosaic of tall grass prairie, savannahs and maple-basswood forests prior to settlement.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 7, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species. 

Region 8: Oak Savanna

The Oak Savanna subsection includes all or parts of Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele and Waseca counties.

Much of this area is a rolling plain of windblown, silt-covered ridges over sandstone and carbonate bedrock and till. Soils range from wet to well-drained, formed under prairie or forest conditions. Original vegetation included bur oaks, maples, basswood and prairie tall grasses.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 8, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species.

Region 9: Rochester Plateau and Blufflands

The extreme southeast region of Minnesota commonly referred to as the Driftless Area, is home to the Rochester Plateau and Blufflands subsections. This region includes all or parts of Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha, Washington, and Winona counties.

A rolling, high plateau of windblown silt over glacial till in the west and bedrock in the east, the soil depth in this region generally decreases from west to east. Plant communities were historically dominated by oak forests, maple-basswood forests, riparian forests, and tallgrass prairies and oak savannas in the drier areas. The eastern blufflands were extensively eroded by rivers and streams. Broad ridge tops, steep coulees, and deep valleys were dominated by oak, shagbark hickory-basswood forests on moist slopes, oak-basswood-black walnut forests in the valleys and prairies on the ridge tops and dry valleys.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 9, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species. 

Region 10: Red River Prairie and Aspen Parklands

The Red River Prairie and Aspen Parklands subsections cover all or parts of Becker, Beltrami, Big Stone, Clay, Clearwater, Grant, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin counties.

Bounded to the west by the Red River and extending eastward to the limits of continuous tall grass prairie presettlement vegetation, much of the Red River Prairie is a large lake plain formed by the Glacial Lake Agassiz. Soils range from clays to sandy/gravelly beach ridges, may be poorly to moderately well-drained, and are often very alkaline. Originally, the area was vegetated by bluestems, Indian grass, and other grasses. Narrow, forested floodplains were common along larger streams and rivers. Broader zones of woodland were common along the fire shadows of streams.

The Aspen Parklands is a low, level plain that is a transition zone between conifer peat bogs to the east and tallgrass prairie to the west. Soils range from loamy to gravelly, poorly- to well-drained, and acidic to very alkaline. Originally, the area was vegetated by various types of prairies, aspen, silver maple, elm, cottonwood and ash.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 10, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species. 

Region 11: Minnesota River Prairie, Coteau Moraines, and Inner Coteau

The Minnesota River Prairie, Coteau Moraines, and Inner Coteau ecological subsections cover a vast swath of southwestern Minnesota and account for nearly a quarter of the land area in the state. This region contains all or portions of Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Faribault, Freeborn, Grant, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Stevens, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan, and Yellow Medicine counties.

The Minnesota River Prairie is a region of level to gently rolling moraines, with well- to moderately well-drained loamy soils. A few soils are clayey, some sandy and gravelly. A very drying environment for woody plants. Original vegetation was prairie grasses and riparian forests of silver maple, cottonwood, elm and willow.

Soils in the Inner Coteau are well-drained and consist of windblown silt with occasional bedrock outcrops. Plant communities were dominated by prairies and occasional riparian forests.

The far southwestern corner of Minnesota is home to the Coteau Moraines. Here, gently rolling to hilly land with windblown silt soils covers loamy, well-drained glacial material high in lime. Plant communities were dominated by tall grass prairies with occasional forests near streams.

Unlike their forest biome counterparts to the east, this prairie-rich region is not heavily forested. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any woodlands in this area–they are just smaller and less common.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 10, but this region's future climate may be suitable to support habitat for these species.

Frequently asked questions

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How do I use iNaturalist?

If you're new to iNaturalist, please visit their step-by-step guide to create an account and start submitting observations.

What does "near-native" mean?

Near-native trees are species that are not currently native in a region, but are native in a neighboring ecoregion. For example, swamp white oak is considered a near-native in the north-central region of Minnesota because it is natively found in southeastern Minnesota.

The near-native species we're interested in were identified as part of the University of Minnesota Extension Forestry Climate-Ready Woodlands program.

Do I need to register for this project?

Any observations of target species in Minnesota will be included in the Tree Trackers dataset. No extra steps or signups required. Joining the project is optional, but it’s a great way to follow updates and see what others are finding!

Is my location public in iNaturalist?

While all observations posted to iNaturalist are public, there are tools to restrict access to an observation’s geographic information. Learn more about geoprivacy in iNaturalist.

What kinds of photos should I take?

Taking clear photos is key to making a great observation in iNaturalist. It's also helpful to have close-up photos of multiple parts of the tree, such as leaves, bark, and seeds. Watch this video on iNaturalist to learn how to take identifiable species photos. 

What if I can't identify a tree?

Don't sweat it! iNaturalist has a pretty great built-in suggested species feature. Additionally, all observations are independently verified by other users in the community before they are marked as Research Grade. Read more about data quality on iNaturalist.

Can I only add observations of the trees in this project?

Nope! We're big fans of making observations of any nature you see. While there are certain species of trees we're really interested in learning more about, you shouldn't let that stop you from making observations of other plant, fungus and animal species that you want to record.

Some volunteers may see this project as a fun opportunity to go on a little "treasure hunt" for these species of interest. Other folks may just happen across one as they are out on a hike. And there are literally thousands of iNaturalist users who have made observations of these trees without even knowing about the Tree Trackers project! As long as the observations are public, they'll be added to the dataset and help us with this research project.

Do planted trees count?

They sure do! Just make sure when making observations of planted trees that you mark it as "captive or cultivated" in iNaturalist. Read more about checking captive/cultivated on iNaturalist.

Do I need to own land to participate?

Heck no! Anyone can make observations anywhere on public property. So find yourself a state forest, a park reserve, or even wander along a city boulevard to collect observations of trees you see. Just please don't go wandering onto private lands without permission from the landowner.

That being said, if you are a landowner and have planted any of these trees in your yard or landscape, you can opt to join the Tree Steward Journal project to help us fill in vital knowledge gaps about the survival, health and ecological interactions of these trees. 

How else can I help?

Besides recruiting everyone you know to use iNaturalist (only slightly kidding), there are several other ways you can help!

  1. Become a Tree Steward Journal volunteer. If you have planted any of these trees in your yard or landscape, you can opt to join the Tree Steward Journal project to help researchers fill in vital knowledge gaps about the survival, health and ecological interactions of trees.
  2. Become an iNaturalist Verifier volunteer. The amount of data that's already been collected on these trees is amazing, and we could use your help with iNaturalist verifications. If you are interested in learning more about trees or becoming an expert on certain species, this could be for you. This volunteer activity is done entirely online and could be a good fit for volunteers with limited mobility or anyone looking for a rainy day project.
  3. Join a Terrestrial Invasives Participatory Science (TIPS) projects. Each year, we focus on a few priority species where your observations help researchers and state agency partners better understand where invasive species are spreading and how to respond.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Questions or comments about this project can be directed to Extension forester Angela Gupta, [email protected].