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Natural Habitats <br />Protection and enhancement of natural habitats ranks high with Anoka Conservation <br />District not only because having abundant wildlife improves the quality of life in Anoka <br />County, but because it is one of the least regulated resource concerns. The lack of <br />regulation is resulting in rapid losses of habitat and the wild flora and fauna it supports. <br />More programs are needed to address these losses. <br />Natural Communities <br />Anoka County has the highest concentration of MN County Biological Survey mapped <br />natural communities in the metro area. These areas are recognized as pristine <br />ecological systems, existing today in much the same condition as they did prior to <br />European settlement of <br />the area. Preservation of <br />the few remaining natural <br />communities is a high <br />priority for ACD. <br />Preservation of <br />these areas <br />will be <br />pursued and <br />encouraged <br />at the local <br />and state <br />levels. <br />Figure 9: Presettlement <br />Vegetation <br />Wildlife Connectivity <br />ACD developed a <br />wildlife corridor plan as <br />part of the land cover <br />inventory and greenway <br />planning efforts <br />completed in 2005. The <br />corridor plan should be <br />updated to identify <br />parcels protected during <br />the last decade. ACD will <br />continue to work with private <br />landowners and local, county, state <br />and federal government programs to <br />help manage lands in a way that allows <br />open space to serve as effective wildlife <br />habitat and travel corridors. <br />Figure 10: Remaining Natural <br />Communities <br />Figure 11: <br />,Wildlife Corridors <br />Wildlife Hubs and Corridors <br />Natural Community Types <br />Oak Forest <br />▪ Maple -Basswood Forest <br />Aspen Forest <br />▪ White Pine -Hardwood Forest <br />VVIttle Pine Forest <br />- Oak Savannah <br />Dry Prairie <br />- Lowland Hardwood Forest <br />▪ Floodplain Forest <br />Lake Beach <br />Mixed Hardwood Swamp <br />Mixed Emergent Marsh (Forest) <br />- Emergent Marsh <br />- Cattail Marsh <br />- Ilow Swamp <br />- Alder Swamp <br />Tamarack Swamp <br />White Cedar Swamp <br />- Shurh Swamp <br />▪ Hardwood Swamp Forest <br />- Black Ash Swamp <br />▪ Wet Meadow <br />Rich Fen <br />- Poor Fen <br />- other <br />page 18 <br />Anoka Conservation <br />District Comprehensive Plan October 2014 <br />