Plants – Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists

Local wild rice beds? Citizen scientists help requested

Plenty Canada, a non-profit Indigenous-based charity in Lanark County are starting a World Wildlife Federation funded field project to study wild rice in the surrounding area. The organizers have heard there could be beds of wild rice in Clayton Lake and contacted MVFN asking for local information on these, or possible locations.

Spring paddle, Clayton Lake, 2015. photo Howard Robinson

If you are aware of any wild rice beds in any Lanark County lakes please get in touch with Shannon Farmer directly at or (705)740-5874.

Local Plant Species

A complete list of all the plants which might be found in our local Lanark county area is of course an extensive one. Unlike, for example, the list of snakes, which contains only nine.

The list includes many plants in unique rare habitats within the region. At any time, the list could be subject to update.

Fortunately, local expert and botanist David White has created a website Plants of Lanark County at http://www.lanarkflora.com/. On this site, there is a complete list of species and also discussion of significance of certain rare species and their habitats.

Plants of Lanark County by David White

Even in one 24-hr fall day during MVFN’s Bioblitz many plant species were identified, i.e. on the Bell Bushlot in Mississippi Mills. For a list of these, please see the the report of the species seen that day: Bell Bushlot Bioblitz Report.