Anoka Ecosystems:
White Pine Hardwood ForestWhite pine hardwood forests occur on well-drained sandy loams or coarser soils in dry to dry-mesic upland communities. It is common on sites that typically burned less intensely than others, which commonly produce Red Pine Forests. This is an early successional community, but can acheive "old growth" status because of the extensive life span and gap-phase reproduction patterns of the white pine species.
In the Anoka Sandplain, the canopy of the white pine-hardwood forest usually consists of northern pin oak, big-toothed aspen and white pines rising above the deciduous trees. Other species are variable but often consist of northern red oak and white oak as well as paper birch. The understory is much like that of a maple-basswood forest or a mesic oak forest, and may include a shrub layer of bush honeysuckle, beaked hazel, mountain maple, round-leaved dogwood, American hazelnut, chokecherry, and downy arrowwood. The ground layer is relatively sparse, due to the dim light and acidic needle litter, but still may include species such assnowberry, red-berried elder, poverty grass, and rattlesnake-plantain. In canopy openings, it is very common to have continuous moss cover as well.
In the 1840's, prior to settlement, this ecosystem was very common throughout central Anoka county. At that time, it is estimated that between Anoka and its neighboring counties, the area had approximately 20,000 acres of white pine-hardwood forest. However, due to massive logging initiatives, presently there are only about 2,000 acres left, with a meager 30-40 acres which have an intact ground layer and canopy.
Sources:
"Minnesota Land Cover Classification System: User Manual." Version 5.3 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Central Region, 2004.
"Minnesota's Native Vegetation: A Key to Natural Communities" Version 1.5 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage
Program, 1993.
Wovcha, D, Delaney, B, Nordquist, G. Minnesota's St. Croix River Valley and Anoka Sandplain: A Guide to Native Habitats Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 1995.
