Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/08/2021

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of desirable species, combined with continued treatment of undesirable species may make supplemental planting unnecessary. If it becomes clear after three years of active site preparation that the seed bank is insufficient to produce the desired result, supplemental seeding and planting will be pursued. If and when supplemental planting becomes necessary, plant materials of local ecotype will be sought and protocols used consistent with the Board of Water and Soil Resources Native Vegetation Establishment and Enhancement Guidelines or other protocol recommended at the time.15' 16 As regrowth and potential reseeding occur, it is important to manage for establishing some areas of open understory, which promotes the growth of spring ephemerals and improves potential overwintering areas for the rusty patched bumble bee.' Long -Term Maintenance Maintenance of the project once it is completed should be minimal. In riparian forest removal sites a fall foliar spray, naturally sourced if possible, conducted a year after removal is recommended to help new growth get established by providing nutrients, especially nitrogen. Buckthorn seed remains viable for up to five years in the soil, so a sweep of the park to identify and treat any woody invasive re -growth once a year will keep populations under control and provide the opportunity for native species to become re-established. We will use the initial project to train volunteers on proper identification and treatment methods to ensure long-term maintenance activities have sufficient labor resources and are carried out adequately.15 Remaining Invasive Plants of Concern To combat the infringement of cool season turfgrass on the native prairie, a selective cool season spray is proposed that will control the problem species while avoiding damage to Canada wild rye. It is recommended that spotted knapweed, leafy spurge, and poison ivy be immediately addressed as well. At this time, the effects of the remaining species of concern on ecological function and stability should be monitored to determine whether they should be controlled or removed in the future. Resources for removal and control guidelines can be found on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Invasive Terrestrial Plants page and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed page. Native Prairie Creation Located near a few of the scarce remaining pockets of native prairie in the Big Woods, Big Rivers biome and already containing six acres of restored prairie, the park's currently maintained turfgrass area holds vast potential ecological value as an expansion of the restored prairie area. Reconstructing a native dry mixed grass prairie community provides native flora that actively attracts invertebrate species critical to the site's food chain stability and natural functioning in addition to secondary species such as birds, herptiles and small mammals. Considering the current plight of invertebrates, specifically designing habitat to attract native species, especially pollinators, is a project worth high prioritization. Further benefits include production of natural aesthetic beauty that requires little maintenance, promotion of a prairie habitat corridor that connects the prairie remnants in the area, decreased long-term costs, and decreased emissions from mowing.17 Preparing the Site Four portions of the maintained area to the north, northwest and northeast of the current restored prairie are the proposed sites for construction of mixed grass prairie (Maps 1-3). Any existing grass and weeds must be removed. The easiest way to do this is to treat the site with a 11