Bio:

Otto originally started in the field at the age of 15, serving as the field assistant to Dr. Peter Jordan of the University of Minnesota and his work studying moose browsing patterns in Isle Royal National Park, Michigan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Puget Sound in 2008 and has been at MNR since 2006.

He has conducted rare plant and bird surveys on over 20,000 acres in the Chippewa, Superior, and Chequamegon National Forests. He has located numerous populations of state listed plant species including the first record of Potamogeton bicupulatus (MN Endangered) in the Chippewa National Forest and the first known population of Sparganium glomeratum (WI Threatened) in the Chequamegon National Forest. Other recent notable rare plant finds include Botrychium lanceolatum, B. mormo, B. pallidum, B. simplex,Carex michauxiana,C. novae-angliae, C. obtusata, C. pallescens, C. sterilis, Cladium mariscoides, C. candidum, Eleocharis nitida, E. quinquefora, E. rostellata, Juncus stygius, Platanthera clavellata, P. flava, Pyrola minor, Ranunculus lapponicus, Rhynchospora capillacea, R. fusca, Rubus chamaemorus, Salicornia rubra, and Scleria verticillata.

Otto also has conducted vegetation monitoring of native prairie in Northwestern Minnesota and has conducted breeding bird surveys including audio surveys and stick nest surveys. He is also on the MN DNR list of approved Botrychium spp. surveyors and the MN DNR list of approved Endangered and Threatened plant species surveyors.

Focus:

Rare Plant Surveys: (Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, Lichens)

Native Plant Community Classification

Vegetation Monitoring

Rare Bird Surveys

Recent Projects:

MN DNR Prairie Monitoring: Vegetation Monitoring

Enbridge Pipeline: Invasive Species Mapping, Rare Plant Surveys

CapX2020 Bemidji to Grand Rapids: Ornithological Surveys

Chippewa National Forest: Rare Plant Surveys

Superior National Forest:Rare Plant Surveys

Chequamegon National Forest: Rare Plant Surveys