Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 11/18/2004

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River Beach Communi~' The river beach comrnun~' makes up approXimately.four perc~t of the Park along the banks of the Nfississippi P,_iver ~i~.~re 5). Tins commUmW is located along the park's riverbank and is dominated by amnual and per~,~nniai plants that ~ow on *&e e,?osed river beaches. Silver maple comprises most of the voiurae of woody species, swamp miikweed and blue vervain cornnfise the forb ~ecies found here. The pan of nger beach community located northwest of the red cedar forest contains more of the natural 'vegetation that makes up r2~is commUmX~- .-?p, e. The area southeast o£the r~ c~_ar forest is mostly :%-nencan Agricultural Area The agTi~'cukm-ai fields on the park ~rnpnse approximately thirty%eon percmt of the area and are found Ln the area nor~& of the Husby home ~igtu-e 5). Farming is still pra~iced in many areas of Mississippi West Regionat Park. In the areas east of Traprock Stree*~, cam fields are maintained to provide a food source for Wd~Lrte-tafted deer, n-Ligatmg wareffowI and ~-xher wil~e~ The fields of eom, sorg~hum, and soybeans west of Traprock Streer~ are gown for profit by ~an Pearson, who rents the land fi'om the Husbys. Water erosion was observed occmwS~2g on the softs orA. Pearson's fields we~ of Traprock Street. Fauna Mississippi West ke~onal Park offers a suitable habizat for birds such as meadow larks, pheasants, ~pa=ows and wareffowi .(Table 4). O~rey, owls, ea~es, and hawks are provided predation grounds at t&US sire. A large number of mammals inhabit the area such as white-tailed d~r, white-f~ed mouse, common raccoon, fox sqmrre!, and coyote. Reptiles and amphibians also make their home at Mississippi West Re~onal Park mciuding the plain's garter make, .~merican toad, wood flog, painted tut'de, and the prairie skink. Tae abundance of iambs, prairie, and island habitats supply nesting and re,ge areas for a vanet2; of wiidlir% CvVovcha a al, ~995). Cultural Tqe cu/Carai ;nventorv covers all parrs of Ce park and surrounding land that contain stm~ures, r~ciiit~es and otb. er de,;eiooment, included are human ~-Irac~ares, roads, trails, and uriE~ies coming into park. 68