Minutes - Environmental Policy Board - 08/06/2007

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There is a nice wetland area with Oak savannas, butterfly milkweed, porcupine grasses, sage, and many opportunities for restoration. She described a rare prairie groimd area. There were high quality areas along the Trott Brook corridor. She verified that the wetland assessment done by Westwood was accurate. She found a Black Ash swamp. The landowner was cooperative in identifying vegetation. She mentioned there are several landowners that are already taking initiatives to manage their own wetland areas. Some landowners have already restored natural prairies. She stated the Scout Camp in Section 13 is an unmapped area, but they have their own land manager. He took her around the site to show her a silver maple flood plain forest along the river, upland oak woodlands, and oak savannas. She stated this area has great potential for restoration. The scouts are working together to do some restoration work already. Board Member Sibilski pointed out an oak savanna area and asked whether it was owned by the City of Ramsey or private property. Environmental Coordinator Anderson stated it was private property. Board Member Sibilski asked how large the site was. Ms. Carolan stated she was only allowed access to one acre. Board Member Sibilski asked what was unique about the red areas in the northeastern comer of the map. Ms. Carolan responded that the northeastern areas were high quality Oak woodland areas. Ms. Gould reported that their next step was to determine what to do with the information and data collected. They looked at the existing greenway corridor developed by the Anoka Conservation District to further define and fine tune the conceptual greenways/Open Space Corridors. She explained the areas where refining corridors are recommended. She suggested fine tuning the greenway corridors. Board Member Max asked her to define the term "corridor". Ms. Gould stated that broadly speaking, to think of a corridor as a hallway; ecologically speaking, ecologists are trying to find ways to connect existing natural areas. Corridors can run along existing natural features or ways can be found to connect the areas. Board Member Max stated that a corridor by that definition is wherever the corridor is, but it needs to be redefined so it isn't going through people's backyards. Ms. Gould clarified that there are areas where it runs very broadly through sites that are clearly mowed grass and parking lots, which provide low habitat for wildlife and plant species migration. She suggested refining it so it aligns more precisely with wooded and wetland areas. Currently it is really broad. What the City may need is one section of the land as a corridor. Environmental Policy Board! August 6, 2007 Page 4 of 10