Wetland Classification of Seward, Alaska

Plant Communities

Wetland plant communities have been described as a part of two separate projects on the Kenai Peninsula: the Kenai Lowlands Wetland Mapping Project and the Plant Community Types of Chugach National Forest: Southcentral Alaska.    The Kenai Lowlands classification was carried out by Mike Gracz working with the Alaska Natural Heritage Program, under a grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Kenai River Center.  The Chugach classification was run by Rob DeVelice, Chugach National Forest's Ecologist.

This page provides a list of the communities at-a-glance, and links to their descriptions.  Many sites visited supported plant communities not described in either project.

Plants are readily visible and simple to measure, so plant community knowledge is useful to understand wetland characteristics.  However, it might be easier to learn the specific characteristics of the three dozen dominant wetland plants, for they will often provide a good indication of what type of wetland is present and how it is functioning.  These community descriptions should be used with your field experience and the mapping classification and soils descriptions provided on this website, to learn those specific characteristics.

Contact: Mike Gracz Kenai Watershed Forum  PO Box 15301 Fritz Creek, AK  99603 907-235-2218

03 May 2007 19:08