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

Home

REC OMxYLENDATI ONS Recomme,uda.~on: :9far~gement ac,~o~ in ~vfississ~£i West Regi, o~al 2ark should focus on maintaining the hah'ye vegera~ve communes'es. ~s seal is of ~~ because ~ is closely tied re.~e identified goals of~e ,~o~ Co~ Board of Par~ ~d Recrmrion. ~s goal will help 1) rCres~r ~e native co~es of~e .~o~ s~d plato, ~d ~) prev~t erosim of so~s *&rou~om ~e park These goals serce as ~e fo~on for ~er reco~tions m ~s se~on. Wildlife Refuge Zones Fos~er's Island (w4Jdlife refuge management zone 1) and Clcquec Island (,~ildli£e refuge management zone 2) are r_he park's only wildlife refuge zones. Wildlife Refuge Management Zone 1 Recommena'arion: Access should be limited onto Foster's ]gland. : Fosrer's Island r~ressnts a declining floodp.. Iam fore~ corramUrurY native to the Anoka sand plain. Vew 15tile human dis-mrbance has occurred on this island. Limited access onto this island m-ill help preserve ~ ecoiogical mtegrit? as a wildlife management zone. Recomme,~,anor,: Foster's .Island wetlands should be marmged for the waterfow! £opula~'ons passing rhroug,h the area. Fosrer's Island contains we*land kabitat. Because the ~fississippi Pdver is part of many migratory waterfowl flyways, the island and other habitat along the river attract rm~m-atmg birds. This represenU an important ecological commtmxty m Minnesota that ~e park visitors would benefit from by being able to watch the birds m the park. Recommendation: Foster's ]siand wet/ands should be classified as DNR wetlands. Currently *&ese w~lands are nm in the DN'R's rate wetlands inventory. Classifying these wmlands as r~are wetlands wou!d give Fosrer's Island state protemion. Th/s would add iegal power Co enforcement effo~s towards the presep;at,.on of ~ese w~lands.