Meet the rare plants and animals of Washington County

Minnesota is home to 2000 known native wildlife species, 346 of which are identified as Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). In addition, there are more than 2100 species of plants and 9000 species of mushrooms and fungus that call Minnesota home. People often assume that the rarest species are found far away, in the middle of protected wilderness. In reality, the Minnesota plants and animals most at risk are the ones that live in habitats such as prairie, oak savanna, and shallow wetlands that are heavily impacted by farming and development.

https://eastmetrowater.org/2023/04/21/meet-the-rare-plants-and-animals-of-washington-county/