7. PRSR 04-1-2005Item # 7
ver
MEMORANDUM
TO: Parks and Recreation Commission
FROM: Bill Maertz, Parks and Recreation Director
DATE: April 6, 2005
SUBJECT: Directors Report
1. Proposal to Elk River Lions Club
2. Giant Proposal fox I-Iighlands West
3. Introduce new Rccxeation Coordinator
4. Status of Adult Softball League
5. 2005 Parks Capital Improvement Plan update
2005 Conservation Partners -Environmental Partnership Grant Application
City of Elk River
Highland Park Trail Natural Area Restoration & Environmental Education
1 Applicant Organization: City of Elk River
2 Contact Person's name and title: Bill Maertz, Director of Parks
3 Mailing Address:
Lions Park Center
1104 Lions Park Drive
Elk River, MN 55330
4 Telephone: (763) 635-1150 Email Address: bmaertz@ci.elk-river.mn.us
5 Project Title: Highland Park Trail Natural Area Restoration & Environmental Education
6 Project Cost: $12,750 Grant Request $6,375
7 Project Type: ^ Habitat Enhancement ^ Research /Survey ^ Environmental Service
8 Project Description:
Elk River designed Highland Park/Trail to connect existing natural areas in other parks in the city. This
project will restore 6.3 acres of existing prairie and Oak woodland, as well as design and install two
interpretive signs to share natural history information with park/trail users.
9 Project Location: County Sheruburne City: Elk River
10 Project map:
Please see Maps on following pages.
11 Public Benefit:
The City of Elk River is afast-developing community that is proactively identifying and protecting
natural areas as part of its strategy to build a large, interconnected park system. As part of this
strategy, the City is striving to link existing park natural areas with corridors and multi-use trail systems.
One such area is Highland Park, which links significant tracts of oak forest to the west, with similar
areas to the east. The City views the Highland Park trail connection as an important link in our heavily
used trail system, as well as an first effort for the City to carry out ecological restoration on existing
natural areas and develop environmental education signage to interpret natural features of the area.
City of E/k River- Highland Trails Environmental Education and Natural Areas Restoration
2005 MN DNR Conservation Partners -Environmental Partners Grant Application
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City of Elk River- Highland Trails Environmental Education and Natural Areas Restoration
2005 MN DNR Conservation Partners -Environmental Partners Granf Application
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12 I Work Plan:
The Highland Park Environmental Education and Natural Areas Restoration project will be timed to
coincide with building of shard-surface trail through the park corridor. The two main components of
this Grant Request include Educational Signage and Natural Area restoration. These are described in
greater detail below:
Activity: Environmental Education Signage
Activity Cost: $3,250
An interpretive sign will be designed for use in the park/trail corridor. We anticipate that the minimum
sign size will be 18 x 24 inches and include natural history information about the site itself and the
landscape of Elk River. Particular emphasis will be placed on explaining the process of natural area
management/restoration as well as the problem of nonnative/invasive species and how they are
treated. The sign is also anticipated to include text on how residents can get involved in managing
natural resources on their own property. Two signs will be manufactured of a weather/vandal resistant
material and then installed by City staff in prominent locations within the park (potentially at trail
intersections and/or high points in elevation). The City Parks Staff and ecologist will be responsible for
design, installation, and maintenance of the signs. Sign design is anticipated to cost $1,800,
manufacturing of two signs $800, and installation by City is $600 of in-kind work.
Activity: Natural Areas Restoration
Activity Cost:
This portion of the project involved restoration of existing prairie (2.5 acres) and oak woodland (2.6
acres), as well as reforestation with oaks of 1.2 acres of City park land. Restoration activities will be
publicized through the city website, local newspaper, and/or other local/regional news outlets.
The prairie restoration will involve site preparation to control exotic/nonnative grasses, brush, and
small trees, and inter/over seeding of local ecotype seed for species that are native to the City of Elk
River. Seeding anticipated for spring 2006. Site preparation is anticipated to be $750, while
seed/seeding and grow-in maintenance is expected to cost $3,150. Seeding is anticipated to include
drilling and/or broadcast seeding, depending on the results/method used in site preparation, final
method selection will be made to accomplish the best seed-soil contact/success. Maintenance of this
area will be accomplished by the City of Elk River in cooperation with Connexus Energy, who operates
the electrical transmission lines traversing the site as right-of-way maintenance activities for this type of
area is consistent with maintaining prairie.
The oak woodland restoration area is in generally good condition, as noted in the Elk River Natural
Resources Inventory. However, it is in need of control of European buckthorn and honeysuckle that is
moderately thick to thick at the site. Invasive/exotic shrub control is expected to take place in the fall
2005 to spring 2006 period and cost $1,950 to complete with City staff or hired restoration company,
including labor, equipment, and all materials.
There are two Reforestation Areas proposed that total 1.2 acres. These will be prepared and planted
in the spring of 2006. We propose to prepare planting locations by using a solution of Roundup to
spray individual 2' X 2' spots into existing cool season grass cover, then planting 18-24 inch tall bur
and pin oak saplings, and installing a woven polypropylene weed barrier (up to 3' X 3') with each
planted tree to reduce competition from weeds and provide a good head start for the saplings. We will
plant at a rate of 350 trees for the 1.2 acre site with a goal of 50% survival after 3 years (175 trees
established). Site preparation, planting, and two-year maintenance are expected to cost $3,650.
Plant Materials/Origin:
We propose to purchase grass and flower seed from one of three local vendors with plant material
originating within 25-50 miles of the site (Prairie Restorations, MN Native Landscapes, and/or North
American Prairies). Purchase of tree saplings will be accomplished from the nearest source practical,
and within 50 miles origin if possible. A proposed seeding list is included below.
City of Elk River -Highland Trails Environmental Education and Natural Areas Restoration
2005 MN DNR Conservation Partners -Environmental Partners Grant Application
Hiqhland Park Prairie Restoration Proposed Seeding (Sp ecies Enrichment) List
Common Name Scientific Name Amount/Acre
Graminoids
Big bluestem Andropogon gerardii 2.5 (pounds)
Sideoats grams Bouteloua curtipendula 1.0
Kalm's brome Bromus kalmii 0.5
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis 0.5
Indian grass Sorghastrum nutans 1.0
Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis 0.5
GRASS SUBTOTAL 6.0 #/acre"
Forbs and Sedges
Anise hyssop` Agastache foeniculum 0.5 (ounces)
Leadplant* Amorpha canescens 0.5
Thimbleweed Anemone cylindrica 0.5
Butterfly milkweed' Asclepias tuberosa 1
Heath aster Aster ericoides 0.25
Sky blue aster Aster oolentangiensis 0.25
Canada milkvetch Astragalus canadensis 0.5
White prairie clover Dales candida 1
Purple prairie clover* Dales purperea 1
Canada tick trefoil' Desmodium canadense 1
Oxeye false sunflower` Heliopsis helianthoides 2
Round-headed bushclover Lespedeza capitata 0.5
Rough blazingstar' Liatris aspera 1
Wild bergamot" Monarda fistulosa 0.25
Yellow coneflower` Rafibida pinnata 2
Black-eyed susan' Rudbeckia hirta 0.25
Stiff goldenrod Solidago rigida 0.5
Showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa 0.5
Heartleaf alexanders' Zizia aptera 1
FORB SUBTOTAL 14.5 oz./acre
basic Forbs recommended if resources are limited
"grass rate is for drilling, if broadcast increase grass rates by 1.5 times
13 Evidence of Matching Funds:
The City of Elk River has dedi cated approximately $30,000 for trail cons truction and associated
infrastructure, plus $5,000 in cash and a minimum of $1,375 of in-kind services for this environmental
education/restoration project. Including.
Other in-kind sources of assis tance may also be secured for work on thi s project through sources such
as park volunteers, Connexus Energy, and others.
Photos of the site are attached to this application as additional information
City of Elk River- Highland Trails Environmental Education and Natural Areas Restoration
2005 MN DNR Conservation Partners -Environmental Partners Grant Application