Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/10/1997

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Planning Proposal for: Mississippi West Regional Park Anoka County Department of Parks and Recreation MISSISSIPPI WEST REGIONAL PARK PLANNING ISSUES There are several planning issues and oppommifies that benefit from a thorough discussion. Listed below is a discussion of each issue followed by a planning recommendation. AR_BORETUM Mr. and Mrs. Husby are horticultural enthusiasts. Toward that end, they are experimenters with a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers on their farm over an extended period of time. The options for the Husby collection are two-fold: A. Commit the necessary planning, plantings, documentation, and maintenance toward moving the "hobby collection" into an "arboretum collection." An arboretum is a collection of plants used for public education and research. B. Use the Husby "hobby collection" as a point of interest within the regional park. Trees and shrubs of unusual size, origin, md/or growing range would become a part of the interpretation program for the entire park. RECOIvl/VIENDATION. The Husby "hobby collection" should be maintained, documented, and used as a point of interest within the context of being a part of a regional park. The collection should not be expanded or maintained as an arboreta]m unless Anoka County and/or the Metropolitan Council is willing to commit the necessary staffing and funds for a minimum period of fifty years. Significant trees need mapping and documentation now. A management program needs to outline proper care for the significant trees. Designating significant trees requires a person knowledgeable of arboretum standards and practices. Mr. Husby is a valuable resource for the ongoing care of significant trees. His efforts need to be directed toward the tong-term management of the ~significant" trees. FARM FIELD CONVERSION A large portion of the proposed Mississippi West Regional Park is either actively farmed for wildlife or idle farm/and and pasture. The result is that only a small portion of the proposed park and trail is wooded with either deciduous or evergreen trees. Many of the wooded portions of the park are also adjoh'4ng two park residents. The proposed Mississippi West Regional Park's native vegetation as a part of the Anoka Sand Plain is an oak-savanna landscape. This landscape is lost to past farming practices. The guiding planning document for regional parks is the Recreation Open Space Development Guide/Policy Plan and on page 30 says, "The recreational site quality ora regional park is measured by the presence or absence of outstanding resources ...".