Mississippi Valley Conservancy just released a video about why it is pursuing national land trust accreditation. Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vPkvrgvpSc

Over the weekend, Executive Director Tim Jacobson found what may be Orobanche fasciculata Nutt. (clustered broom-rape), listed as a state threatened species. It's parasitic on tree roots, and its genus name means, in part, to "choke or strangle" because of a parasitic habit. If we confirm its identity, it will be the first time this plant has been found in La Crosse County.

MVC protects habitat for a number of rare species, including the beautiful northern monkshood wildflower, the delicate October laddies tresses, prairie bush clover, birds such as Bell's vireo and Henslow's sparrow, reptiles such as lizards and timber rattlesnakes, and little things most people might never see, such as the Pleistocene snail and cherrystone drop snail.