Wild rose blooms near the Dune Climb

It doesn't require much work to notice the colorful wildflowers that line the trails and sprout from the sandy dunes in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The abundant flowers not only provide beauty to the setting, but also play a vital part in the park ecosystem, said Joanne DeJonge, an interpretive ranger with the National Park Service for the past 17 seasons.

“They are part of the whole web of life,” said DeJonge. “If you take them out, the whole web collapses.”

DeJonge works with the National Park to help educate visitors about the beauty and benefits of the wildflowers, many of which are on the endangered or threatened species list. The Pitcher’s Thistle, for example, is endangered while trillium is a protected species.

“We don’t pick them, we need the pollinators,” said DeJonge. “The major threats that they face are picking (by humans) and invasive threatening species.”

Plants that threaten natural species include Garlic Mustard and Baby’s Breath, which take over areas where non-invasive native plants generally thrive, she said.

Lady Slipper spotted along park trail.

“The right pollinators can keep out endangered species and allow native wildlife to thrive. What we have is a protected environment. The biggest threat is probably development; it changes the entire habitat,” she said, adding it’s not a problem locally because the park is protected from the kinds of growth that impact other dunes areas.

She said the protected environment makes it possible for species to thrive in their native area without the threat of the environment changing. The Pitcher’s Thistle, for example, needs an open dune with shifting sand to thrive, while trillium require deep, rich woods.

The Lakeshore is also home to many plants and flowers that are not endangered. Among them are the Wild Rose, Wood Lily, Lady Slipper, and many others. Most flourish in the dune area, where they add color and life to the sand and trails.

“The Sand Cherry, which is a regular cherry, provides food and holds together the sand on the dunes,” said DeJonge. She’s eaten the fruit from the bush-like tree that prospers on the dunes.

DeJonge said the No. 1 tip she has for visitors is don’t pick plants and flowers. Also, she said, it’s important for hikers to stay on clearly marked paths.