Here is a list of links to web sites we hope you will find useful.

Plant & Animal Information:

• Michigan Flora - Anyone familiar with the Michigan Flora books will want to check out this site. The goals of this Michigan Flora Website are to present, in a searchable and browsable form, the basic information about all vascular plants known to occur outside of cultivation in the state. This includes, unlike the published Michigan Flora, the spore bearing vascular plants (ferns, horsetails, club mosses, etc). Information available includes maps showing the distribution of all the species in the state, keys to all the families, genera, and species, brief discussions about the species, including habitats, nativity, date of first collection of aliens, and in some cases, notes helpful to identification beyond the features noted in the keys.
• USDA PLANTS Database - The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. Includes county distribution maps based on Voss' work. For any species which we do not yet have photos, I suggest visiting this site.
• Michigan Natural Features Inventory - The MNFI web site contains a wealth of information including pre-settlement maps, natural community abstracts, rare plant and animal abstracts/summaries, and a rare species explorer. I highly recommend spending some time at this site.
• Missouri Flora - This site has some of the best photos of native species on the web. The stems, leaves, and flowers are described in detail with photos for each part. Many Michigan natives are also native to Missouri.
• Edge of the Prairie - This site includes information for the plants and invertebrates living in the sand prairies and oak savannas of the Chicago region. There are also plant community descriptions and links to various organizations, preserves, further information on Aldo Leopold.
• Butterflies and Moths of North America - A searchable database of verified butterfly and moth records in the United States and Mexico. This site includes dynamic distribution maps, photographs, species accounts, and species checklists for each county in the U.S. and each state in Mexico.

Conservation Organizations:

• Wildflower Association of Michigan - By increasing awareness and knowledge, The Wildflower Association of Michigan encourages the preservation and restoration of Michigan's native plants and native plant communities. I am currently on the Board, so I will try to limit my bias, but I will still suggest visiting the web site and attending the excellent conference they have each spring.
• Michigan Nature Association - Established in 1952, this is a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting Michigan's exceptional natural habitats and extraordinary and endangered plants and animals. Our members have made it possible for us to preserve 164 nature sanctuaries in 54 counties throughout the state today and forever. They own and manage some of the best preserves in the state. Visit one (or several) in your area to see the excellent work this organization does.
• Michigan Audubon Society - Michigan Audubon, Michigan's oldest conservation organization, was established in 1904. It has worked through the years to study and preserve wild birds, plants, animals and their habitats and to enlighten the public of their importance.
• The Nature Conservancy - Michigan page - the mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.
• Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy - Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy invites you to help protect the local wild and scenic places you care most about: dunes, wetlands, forests, savannas, prairies, farms and vineyards. It's this diverse beauty that makes the landscape of southwest Michigan such a special place to call home. Working together, we can ensure that future generations will continue to enjoy the extraordinary quality of life our natural lands provide.
• Land Conservancy of West Michigan - To keep nature nearby, the Land Conservancy of West Michigan permanently protects natural and scenic lands. To date, the Land Conservancy has permanently protected more than 4,500 acres of West Michigan's forests, fields, wetlands and dunes in a service area that includes all or parts of Allegan, Kent, Ottawa, Newaygo, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason and Lake Counties.
• The Stewardship Network - The Stewardship Network builds the capacity of organizations, individuals, and businesses to preserve, restore, and manage Michigan's natural lands and waters. Since its inception, the Network has collaborated with nonprofits large and small, governmental agencies and units, private business, and dedicated individuals to achieve that goal.
• The Xerces Society - The Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. For over forty years, the Society has been at the forefront of invertebrate protection worldwide, harnessing the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of citizens to implement conservation programs.

Miscellaneous:

• Managing Michigan's Wildlife: A landowner's guide - this is an online publication from the Michigan DNR and here is an excerpt from the foreward: "The purpose of this guide is to present landowners with a variety of methods through which they can improve wildlife habitat on their property, and ease the consequences of our changed ecosystems. Each chapter pertains to managing different ecosystems or species in Michigan. Regardless of the size of your property, whether it is an urban back yard, a "back forty", or more than a section, you can set goals and take the proper steps to improve your property for wildlife. Every piece of property is important to the big picture, and it is not too late to begin improving our land. This guide provides the information you will need to conserve Michigan's plants, animals, and ecosystems."