306 Can This Wildflower Route Be Saved? - webapps8

flowers were Scenic, Itasca,Zippel Bay, Lake Bemidji,and Hayes Lake.Volunteers (left) have transplantedorchids such as small yellow lady'sslippers(above) in an attempt to savethem from roadwork along Highway 11.thrived and awaited their return totheir roadside home when constructionwas complete. In September1998, after the new highway wasfinished, a handful of local volunteersmoved about three-quarters ofthe plants back to the roadside. Therest of the plants will be returnedwhen they flower this June.Many plants traveled to stateparks. Volunteer Anne Smithmoved about 300 plants to Old MillState Park near her hometown ofWarren. "When I found out I couldgive others the chance to see theshowy and yellow lady's-slippers,"she said, "I seized the opportunity."Other state parks receiving theEYE-OPENER, steveBorough brought his Sentenceto Service youth, 14- to16-year-olds fulfilling theircourt-ordered communityservice for minor offenses, tohelp with the digs. "It wasquite an eye-opener for myyoung people," he says."Some of them said they'dlived here all their lives, andyet they'd never seen theorchids bloom. This projectgives them a sense of pride. Itell them they can come back andsay they helped save these flowers."Sid and Nancy Marler came fromChattanooga, Tenn., for the WilliamsWildflower Route Celebration andspent five hours helping to moveorchids.Beth Siverhus and her 12-year-olddaughter, Emily, participated in thedig; for them it was a learningexperience. They learned that someplants with 20 or more orchids arethought to be 100 years old. Bethsays, "Any person who has drivenalong Highway 11 betweenBaudette and Warroad when theyellow and showy lady's-slippersare in full bloom would understandwhy such an effort is being made tosave them."To satisfy state law, volunteersapplied for and received a permitM AY-JUNE 1999 13