The Mill City Times Interview: Adam Regn Arvidson, Author of Wild and Rare: Tracking Endangered Species in the Upper Midwest

Article by Becky Fillinger

Adam Regn ArvidsonDid you know that we have 19 endangered species in Minnesota? Adam Regn Arvidson has put together a history of these species in his new book, which by the way, makes an excellent holiday gift. We talked to him about why we should all care about endangered species and how individuals can get involved. 

Q:  Tell us how you got interested in Minnesota and Midwest endangered species. 

A:  The idea for the book began in Ely, Minnesota. I was visiting the International Wolf Center there on assignment for a design magazine and I got intrigued by the permanent exhibit there about wolves and humans. That evening, I continued down the proverbial rabbit hole a bit and ended up researching what other species were on the federal endangered species list. I love lists...and this list turned out to be a very broad picture of the state’s landscape. It had species from every biome, from every corner of the state, and of every type. It also illustrated the many ways humans and animals and plant come into relationship - or conflict. I understood, seeing that list, that this could be a way to illustrate the landscape of the Midwest: by profiling each species in turn. I connected with a few scientists early on and was off and running.

Adam enjoying nature with his sons.

Q:  Did becoming a father sharpen or focus your thoughts on regional or global environmental issues?

A:  I was just beginning the early stages of book research when my oldest son Ethan was born, in 2008. Mason followed three years later. So, in many ways my eyes were very much on lesser-known, underappreciated plants and animals, at the same time I was witnessing first smiles, first steps, and first words. My boys do appear in the book, because an author necessarily blurs boundaries between “research” and “family trips.” They both first camped at Nerstrand Woods, where the dwarf trout lily grows. They went with me and my wife to the Boundary Waters, where wolves and lynx can be found.

As I talked with them about these landscapes, taught them the names of trees and plants and animals, sat quietly in the woods with them listening for - hoping for - the tiny sounds of rare animals, I of course was thinking about the longevity of the landscape around them. Would they see the same richness in their adulthood? Would they be more likely to see a list of extinctions than of living beings?

The Canada lynx is on Minnesota's endangered species list

Minnesota dwarf trout lily

Counting dwarf trout lilies

There are currently five species of mussels listed as endangered in Minnesota

Q:  You've written a book on the subject, Wild and Rare: Tracking Endangered Species in the Upper Midwest. How long did it take you to document the species on the endangered species list?   

A:  When I first looked at the list that evening in Ely, there were 12 Minnesota species on the Federal list. It took me eight years to research the book, and another year and a half to write it. Upon publication, the Minnesota list had grown to 19. With the pending delisting of the wolf, that could drop to 18 (though there are already lawsuits in the wings attempting to overturn that delisting).

Searching for Leedy's roseroot can be an adventure!

Q:  I enjoyed hearing you speak recently on tracking the Leedy's roseroot in Southeastern Minnesota, one of the species highlighted in your book. You had to trek through a river bed, climb a sheer rock wall with helmets to study the plant. What do you say to people who think this plant serves no purpose in the grand scheme of life and that it does not deserve our attention?   

Western prairie fringed orchidA:  This is probably the central question of the book. It is one I asked every scientist, enthusiast, policy-maker, and volunteer I encountered: Why does this species matter? Why does that cliff-hanging sedum, the tiny minnow, a prairie plant, or a sedentary butterfly matter in the grand scheme of things. Their answers were incredibly varied, ranging from the scientific (it is here for us to learn about and from) to the practical (what if there are undiscovered pharmaceuticals?) to the religious (these are gifts from God, which we must protect) to the aesthetic (the woods/prairie would not be as beautiful or as powerful or as healing without all its components). To truly unpack this, you’ll need to read the book, because each species has a little different nuance. But where I mainly land is this: What kind of species do humans want to be? One that eliminates other species from our world, or one that protects and stewards them? How do we want to be judged as a species?

Q:  Does your book provide us with steps to take to assist these fragile species?

A:  In some cases, yes. Some species have either such tiny ranges or have issues that are so complex that there are few small actions people can take. Others, like migrating butterflies and the rusty-patched bumblebee, can benefit from even small patches of (chemical-free) prairie in our yards - yes, even in the city! What these species all need from us, though, is enthusiasm that leads to advocacy. The Endangered Species Act has been under threat by a Congress that sees it as a hindrance to economic development. What can we all do? Anyone can stand up for the Act and the species. Anyone can volunteer with the DNR to help with the foundational studies that chart the way forward to sustain these plants and animals. Anyone can show a friend or family member the dwarf trout lilies at Nerstrand and inspire the next advocate.

Q:  Is the gray wolf on or off the endangered species list at this time?

A:  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially published on November 3 the delisting of the gray wolf in the lower 48 states (it was announced earlier, just before the presidential election). The rule becomes effective on January 4, at which time the protection of the gray wolf will fall to the states. Six conservation groups have filed an intent to sue to block that ruling. Under the endangered species act, lawsuits must be preceded by an “intent to sue” that runs for 60 days. If the USFWS offers no remedy during that 60 days, the suits will go forward. The 60-day intent to sue deadline is January 2nd. So...the wolf is currently ON the list, but will go OFF the list on January 4 barring any legal injunctions before then.

Q:  Is your book available for purchase locally and if so, are you available to sign the books for gift giving? I think it would appeal to park enthusiasts, scientists, ecologists, environmentalists, boy and girl scouts – I could go on and on.

A:  Pretty much any local bookstore will be able to order the book (please support your local bookstore!). Magers and Quinn Booksellers and Moon Palace Books definitely have copies in stock last I checked. There are a limited number of signed copies at Magers and Quinn. It’s unlikely I will be able to sign individual books around the holidays due to the pandemic logistics.

Q:  You have another job - what are your responsibilities on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board?

A:  As the Director of Strategic Planning, I am responsible for a team that manages all the long-range, large scale planning of the entire park system. We lead extensive community engagement efforts to create master plans for parks, and to envision the future of the roughly 6800 acres of land in the Minneapolis system. I also oversee the real estate function of the park board and am involved in ongoing land acquisition to close historic gaps in park service, especially along the Mississippi in north/northeast Minneapolis and the “missing link” of the Grand Rounds in northeast/southeast. I am also heavily engaged in our racial equity work as a member of the racial equity guidance team, co-author of the racial equity action plan, and manager of the data metrics we use to make equitable decisions about capital improvements in the parks.

Q:  How can we stay up to date with you and your writings?

A:  I’m not writing a ton these days, as my park board responsibilities are my focus at the moment. However, you can reach out on Facebook or follow me on Instagram.