Plants

As the landscape surounding Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site underwent a transformation from a frontier to an agricultural environment in recent history, it led to the reduction and extirpation of native plant species, followed by the introduction or invasion of exotics. Plant community monitoring has been conducted at the park since 2011, and is critical for understanding the current health of ecosystems and providing feedback on management activities.

Plant communities are essential components of all major ecosystems. Plants are the ultimate source of food for other organisms and the main source of organic material in soil and water. They also influence climate and provide the scenery that park visitors enjoy. The NPS Northern Great Plains Network monitors the number, identity, and relative abundance of plant species, as well as their horizontal cover and vertical structure, to determine the health of park ecosystems.