6.2 at 1 Camp Cozy Park_NRMP_20231 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Camp Cozy Park
Natural Resources Management Plan
Prepared for:
The City of Elk River, Minnesota
Prepared by:
Laura Domyancich-Lee and Julia Leone
Friends of the Mississippi River
St. Paul, Minnesota
Fall 2023
2 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
This Natural Areas Management Plan and associated Work Plan have been
reviewed and approved by:
City of Elk River, Minnesota Parks Commission
_________________________________________ Date: _________________________
Name
City of Elk River, Minnesota Parks Director
_________________________________________ Date: _________________________
Name
3 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6
Background 6
Natural Resources Inventory and Assessment 8
Natural Resource Management Recommendations 9
INTRODUCTION 11
SITE INFORMATION 13
Site Geology and Groundwater 17
Topography and Soils 19
TOPOGRAPHY 19
SOILS 22
Rare Species 25
Existing Wildlife Populations 25
Historical Vegetation 27
Historical and Existing Land Use 33
Water Resources 35
Surface Waters – Rivers 37
Impairments 37
Floodplain 37
Erosion 37
Buffer Areas 37
Stormwater Management Issues 38
Wetlands 38
Adjacent Land Use 40
EXISTING LAND COVER & ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 40
PLANT COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 42
Land Cover 42
Site Description & Recommended Plant Communities 44
RESTORATION 56
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Target Plant Communities 57
Restoration Process 58
Restoration Goals 60
WORKPLAN 61
Management Priorities 63
Long-Term Monitoring and Maintenance 69
5-YEAR WORK PLAN 70
Long Term Management 73
SITE PROGRAMMING 74
CHARACTER 74
NAME 74
TRAILS 74
BOAT LAUNCH 76
SIGNAGE 76
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 77
Hunting 77
Tree Disease (Dutch elm disease, Emerald ash borer, Oak wilt, Bur oak blight) 77
Dutch Elm Disease and Emerald Ash Borer 77
Oak Wilt and Bur Oak Blight 78
INFORMATION SOURCES 80
APPENDICES 81
APPENDIX A. Plant Species Recorded at Camp Cozy 81
APPENDIX B. MN DNR Native Plant Communities and Recommended Plant Species 91
APPENDIX C. Methods for controlling non-native and invasive plant species 102
APPENDIX D. Ecological Contractors 108
FIGURES AND TABLES
FIGURE 1: CAMP COZY CA. 1938. ................................................................................................................................... 7
FIGURE 2. PROPERTY PARCELS .................................................................................................................................... 14
FIGURE 3. LANDSCAPE CONTEXT ................................................................................................................................. 16
FIGURE 4. MODELED SURFICIAL GEOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 18
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FIGURE 5. SITE TOPOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................................... 20
FIGURE 6. SITE ASPECT ................................................................................................................................................ 21
TABLE 1. SOILS ............................................................................................................................................................. 22
FIGURE 7: SOILS ........................................................................................................................................................... 24
FIGURE 8: RUSTY PATCHED BUMBLEBEE POTENTIAL ZONES ...................................................................................... 26
FIGURE 9: HISTORIC VEGETATION COMMUNITIES ...................................................................................................... 29
FIGURE 10. 1938 AERIAL PHOTO ................................................................................................................................. 30
FIGURE 11. 1953 AERIAL PHOTO ................................................................................................................................. 31
FIGURE 12. 1957 AERIAL PHOTO ................................................................................................................................. 32
FIGURE 13. 2010 AERIAL PHOTO ................................................................................................................................. 34
FIGURE 14. POLLUTION SENSITIVITY OF NEAR-SURFACE MATERIALS ......................................................................... 36
FIGURE 15: WETLANDS ................................................................................................................................................ 39
FIGURE 15. ECOLOGICAL SUBSECTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA ........................................................................ 41
FIGURE 17: EXISTING MLCCS LANDCOVER .................................................................................................................. 43
FIGURE 18. RECOMMENDED/TARGET PLANT COMMUNITIES .................................................................................... 57
TABLE 2. RESTORATION TARGET PLANT COMMUNITIES FOR EXISTING LANDCOVER ................................................. 58
FIGURE 19: RESTORATION WORK UNITS ..................................................................................................................... 62
TABLE 3. RESTORATION SCHEDULE AND COST ESTIMATES ......................................................................................... 70
TABLE 4. LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT SCHEDULE AND COST ESTIMATES .................................................................. 73
FIGURE 20: EXISTING TRAILS AND POTENTIAL FUTURE TRAIL ALIGNMENT ................................................................ 75
6 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Background
This document was drafted by Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) in 2023 to guide the
restoration and management of Camp Cozy Park in Elk River, Minnesota. The property
encompasses approximately 48 acres in Elk River, Minnesota and is located on the north bank
of the Elk River. Community values around Camp Cozy’s rare native plant communities and
location on the Elk River point to preservation and restoration, and this natural resources
management plan (NRMP) provides a framework for those goals while also carving out areas
that are suitable for park programming.
The NRMP is intended to guide management of the natural features of Camp Cozy Park with a
focus on restoration and preservation of native plant communities with the goals of improving
wildlife habitat and water quality. This focus provides specific recommendations on natural
resource management which are complementary to work contemplated by broader Elk River
Parks and Recreation Master Planning to be conducted in 2025. Areas of the park that are best
suited to future park improvements and programming are carved out of management units
where restoration activities are recommended. This separation ensures that future state grant-
funded restoration areas will not conflict with future park improvements.
The site’s location adjacent to the Elk River and proximity to the confluence of the Elk and
Mississippi Rivers may point to a long history of Indigenous use. The vegetation community
around the time of the public land survey of Minnesota (1847-1907) was classified as “Oak
opening and barrens.” This cover type is most closely associated with today’s oak savannas that
feature large, open grown bur oak, and to a lesser extent, white oak, with a grass-dominated
herbaceous layer. The open understories of oak barrens persisted with frequent wildfires or
human-ignited burning to suppress woody encroachment and favor the growth of food plants,
while the oaks’ thick and corky bark provided protection from fire.
The property’s more recent documented history includes its use as a private resort and
campground in the 1920s (Figure 1). At that time, people regarded Camp Cozy as a
technological marvel with its series of canals and flues which allowed canoes to float a circuit
down the Elk River and up through the resort; these canals are still visible today 100 years later.
After the closure of Camp Cozy during the Great Depression, it reopened in the late 1930s as a
bar, dance hall, roller rink and fast-food restaurant. Camp Cozy lived on as a gathering place for
Elk River into the 1950s until a portion of the resort burned, and the remainder of the land was
sold. (Mike Brubaker, Sherburne History Center)
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Figure 1: Camp Cozy ca. 1938. Credit: LeeAnn Watzke, Sherburne History Center
There has been a long history of agriculture in this area of the County, and agriculture
continues to dominate the overall landscape. However, the area directly around the property is
now mostly in seasonal and permanent residential use, which reflects the conversion of
remnant plant communities, agriculture and pasture lands as the City of Elk River expands.
Historically, conversion of prairie and savanna habitat led to the loss of many native plant and
animal species. Existing conditions show evidence of imperiled plant communities and a
proliferation of invasive vegetation. Camp Cozy has primarily been used for passive recreation
and cross-country running races, and controlled archery hunting is permitted as part of the
city’s white-tailed deer management program. These uses are easily compatible with targeted,
intentional management of invasive plants and the return of historic disturbance regimes, such
as fire, which will preserve these unique habitats for generations to come.
Driven by the rarity of natural ecosystems in this matrix of residential and agricultural lands and
degradation from invasive species and other land use practices, this plan recommends restoring
native plant communities on the site. Restoration of prairie and oak savanna communities on
the site is prioritized as these habitats are among the most in need of restoration in this
ecological subsection, the Anoka Sandplain/Big Woods subsections. Vegetation and breeding
bird surveys are also recommended by this plan to monitor the site for plant and bird diversity,
the measure of which would show trends in the site’s ability to provide improved habitat.
8 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Natural Resources Inventory and Assessment
A natural resources inventory and assessment was conducted by FMR ecologists during the
summer of 2023 to determine existing plant and wildlife communities, identify opportunities
for restoration, and develop guidance for long-term public use. The Camp Cozy site consists of
five primary vegetation cover types: remnant dry prairie, oak forest, mixed deciduous forest,
terrace forest, and floodplain forest. These cover types occur in eight distinct units across the
park.
The most notable and imperiled features of the property from an ecological perspective are the
two remnant dry prairies in the central north and central south portions of the park now
comprising 15.3 acres. These plant communities, likely remnants of plant communities present
at the time of European colonization, are part of 0.1% of the remaining native prairie in
Minnesota, which once covered two-thirds of the state. In the absence of natural disturbance
regimes, woody species have encroached into the perimeters of both remnant prairies at Camp
Cozy. In addition to a mowed, natural surface main trail that encircles and connects the two
prairies, several mowed spur trails loop through the prairies.
Oak forest and mixed deciduous forest encircle the remnant prairies in the upland areas. The
forest plant communities exhibit a range of quality with some intact native plant communities,
and other areas have been degraded by non-native, invasive woody and herbaceous species.
Very small mesic prairie remnants occur in three distinct areas surrounded by oak forest.
A plant community resembling a southern terrace forest is present on the southwestern edge
of the park, and vegetation characteristics synonymous with terrace forests continue to the
east-central edge of the site due to dredging in the 1920’s. These channels receive flashy flows
during rapid snowmelt and heavy rains and are undercut and not well-vegetated.
A floodplain forest is present within an oxbow of the Elk River at the eastern extent of the park.
High quality wetlands with high species diversity are present here, but the floodplain appears to
be frequently inundated, and a significant amount of trash has littered the area.
Maintenance, restoration and preservation efforts within Camp Cozy have been limited. Several
wide trails are maintained by mowing throughout the prairie remnants, and narrow footpaths
are present in the forested areas. Vegetation management has been restricted to a single
prescribed burn of the prairies conducted by volunteers and an Eagle Scout candidate more
than 20 years ago. Elk River City Council meeting minutes from 2003 include a report on this
prescribed burn and indicate that 5 acres of a 10-acre prairie and an additional 10 acres of a 20-
acre prairie were burned and seeded. While the prairie acreage may have been overstated in
2003, in 20 years’ time, the extent of prairie at Camp Cozy has been greatly reduced due to
woody encroachment. Typically, a fire return interval of 4-5 years would suppress woody
species and weedy cool season grasses that are present in the prairies at Camp Cozy. The lack
of burning in the fire-dependent prairies has allowed woody species – both native and non-
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native – to become overabundant. The habitat that these remnant plant communities provide
will be completely lost if fire and other disturbances are not reintroduced.
Common buckthorn dominates several areas of the forest understory, and in addition to
displacement of native shrubs that provide superior habitat, buckthorn shades and suppresses
herbaceous forest plants causing large areas of bare soil that are prone to erosion. Buckthorn-
dominated areas are adjacent to the channels in the southern third of the park, and the
combination of low vegetative cover in the forest and flashy flows in the channels is leading to
soil loss and erosion. Herbaceous weedy species such as garlic mustard and creeping Charlie are
present in patches. These issues should be resolved as resources allow. Future issues should
also be considered in planning budgets and timelines of management. In particular, the
population of ash trees on the property is at risk from emerald ash borer infestation.
Understanding future risks and their likelihoods can help design and prepare future
management strategies.
Natural Resource Management Recommendations
Natural resource management recommendations for Camp Cozy Park are based on the
resource assessment conducted by FMR ecologists, past land use and management activities,
the goals and perspectives of the City of Elk River Parks Department, and the community’s
desired uses of the park. The recommendations stem from general ecological guidelines for
these types of landscapes set by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) in
consideration of native plant communities of Minnesota, accepted practices for restoration and
protection of native habitats and incorporation of compatible public use.
This plan recommends the restoration and preservation of the remnant prairies within Camp
Cozy Park, reduction or elimination of non-native woody species in the forest areas and
progressive management of herbaceous invasive species. Because of the imperiled state of the
remnant prairies, management and intervention in these units is the priority. Removal of
woody encroachment by hand-cutting and treating stumps followed by spot management to
eliminate resprouting trees and shrubs would allow sun-loving prairie species to rebound. Fire
would be reintroduced to the prairies by prescribed burning with supplemental seeding used to
diversify the plant community.
Secondarily, the removal of mature buckthorn in the forests with follow-up management of
smaller and newly germinating buckthorn should be pursued. Forest management units could
be grouped for concurrent management and the work phased over several years to distribute
costs and reduce overall site disturbance to this publicly used space. Over time, reintroduction
of native species will provide longevity of these plant communities.
Tertiarily, the number of trails within the northern prairie could be reduced to create more
contiguous habitat and reduce park maintenance. The community has also expressed the desire
for a trail that would allow access to the river’s floodplain and the river itself. Such a trail could
10 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
lead to a future canoe launch on the Elk River, which was also an amenity of interest to the
community.
In addition, vegetation, breeding bird, and pollinator surveys are recommended to monitor the
site for plant, bird, and pollinator diversity, the measure of which would indicate whether the
management activities are successful and wildlife habitat is improving.
The estimated cost for restoration and maintenance of the remnant prairies is $59,278. The
estimated cost of management of invasive woody species in the forest is $113,650. These are
the highest priorities and should be undertaken as soon as possible to preserve the plant
communities and associated habitat. A comprehensive restoration process would take
approximately 5 years at an estimated cost of $172,928 if all activities are undertaken and
contracted. FMR will continue to assist with obtaining grant funding for restoration and
enhancement, as well as with the coordination and management of restoration activities.
11 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
INTRODUCTION
This Natural Resource Management Plan presents the site analysis and recommended
management and land use activities for the 48-acre Camp Cozy Park in Elk River, Minnesota.
This document can be revised only by written agreement by the City of Elk River, MN and
Friends of the Mississippi River.
Camp Cozy Park is owned by the City of Elk River, Minnesota. Camp Cozy’s name is a nod to its
history as a riverside resort in the 1920s and 1930s, which featured camping and hand-dug
channels that allowed paddlers to canoe a circuit through the resort and along the Elk River.
The park is located on the western edge of the city and sits on the north bank of the Elk River
approximately 5 miles of the Elk’s confluence with the Mississippi River. The Elk River is freely
flowing in this stretch with many small islands and channels connecting the river to its
floodplain. In addition to a wide floodplain and terrace forest, Camp Cozy Park features oak
forest and two remnant dry prairies.
The property is approximately 2,400 feet long and 1,500 feet wide at its maxima. The core of
the city of Elk River lies to the east of the property, and US-10 runs to the south of the property
across the river. Vintage private residences flank the property’s boundaries on the west, north,
and east edges.
The property can be divided into four primary areas: the upland dry prairies, the upland oak
forest, the terrace forest and the floodplain. The site’s topography is relatively flat and grades
from the river channel at 874 feet above sea level (FASL) to 886 FASL at the center of the
northern prairie. Four specific soil types are present within the park with three of those types
attributed to the Elkriver soil series. This series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly and
moderately well drained soils that formed in postglacial alluvium consisting of a coarse-loamy
mantle and underlying sandy sediments on flood plains. These soils have moderate and
moderately rapid permeability in the upper part and rapid permeability in the underlying
material. The northwestern forest, northern prairie, southern forest and southern remnant
prairie have these fine, sandy loams that are rarely flooded. The eastern and central forest
areas that extend to the park’s southern floodplain have fine sandy loams that are occasionally
flooded. The floodplain terrace has a more unique soil complex made up of both very poorly
drained and poorly drained soils with sandy particle sizes.
Camp Cozy Park is located at the southern edge of the Anoka Sandplain ecological subsection,
just north of its boundary with the Big Woods subsection, as designated by the Minnesota DNR
(Figure 16). This subsection lies within the Minnesota and Northeast Iowa Morainal section in
the Eastern Broadleaf Forest province of the state. The property is also situated directly within
the Metro Conservation Corridors system (Figure 3), an important habitat network defined by
the DNR for both sedentary and migratory plant and animal life in and around the Twin Cities.
The property is also surrounded by a variety of land units identified by the Minnesota County
Biological Survey (MCBS) as areas of biological significance (Figure 3).
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Camp Cozy Park presents a unique opportunity to preserve remnant prairies of which only 0.1%
remains from the original prairie extent at the time of European colonization. Prairie plant
communities, because of their rarity and unique plant structure composition, provide vital
habitat for many declining species. As an example, grassland bird species show the greatest
rate of decline of any group in North America. Diverse prairies with blooms throughout the year
also provide a consistent source of nectar and pollen for the federally endangered rusty-patch
bumblebee among other important pollinators. Given Camp Cozy’s unique position on the
landscape – on the Elk River and located within the Metro Conservation Corridors – restoration
and protection of this property would have a large impact on migrating species by providing
high-quality habitat.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) recommends stabilizing and
increasing SGCN populations in oak savanna and prairie areas by managing invasive species,
using prescribed fire and other practices to maintain savanna and prairie, to encourage
restoration efforts, to manage grasslands adjacent to native prairie to enhance habitat, and to
provide technical assistance and protection opportunities to interested individuals and
organizations.
Based on information derived from public land surveys of Minnesota in the late 19th century,
the pre-settlement vegetation for this site was largely “oak openings and barrens.” In its
current state, the site has been greatly altered by the expansion of forest as a result of fire
suppression and non-native woody species. Restoring prairie and other native plant
communities within the park will be one of the top priorities of this management plan.
The purposes of this management plan are to:
• Document the existing ecological conditions within the park
• Identify and recommend best management practices to maximize habitat values and
retain and improve water quality and increase plant community diversity
• Identify uses of the park that are compatible with natural resources goals and provide
unique recreational opportunities to the community
Specific ecological and cultural goals for this property are to:
• Maximize coverage and diversity of native plant species and minimize non-native,
invasive species
• Provide connectivity with other natural areas in the landscape and along the river
corridor
• Maintain and manage the property for water quality through thoughtful trail planning
and by remaining responsive to the effects of floodwaters
• Create a model for responsible public land stewardship
• Utilize this property to guide surface water management activities on adjacent land in a
manner that protects and fosters natural community establishment
• Utilize this property to enhance and expand the ecological functions of the area
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SITE INFORMATION
Owner name, address, city/township, county and phone:
City of Elk River, Minnesota
1801 Main Street
Elk River, MN 55330
Sherburne County
Contact Person: Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director
763-365-1161
Township, range, section:
T33N, R26W, Section 31.
Watershed:
Clearwater-Elk Watershed
Parcel Identification Numbers (Figure 2):
75-131-2200
75-131-2430
Rare Features:
No rare features have been documented on the property. Blanding’s turtle (threatened status
in Minnesota) and black sandshell mussel (special concern status in Minnesota) have been
documented nearby.
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Figure 2. Property parcels
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Landscape Context
Proximity to established greenways
This property is located within the Metro Conservation Corridors (Figure 3), a regional land
protection plan of the DNR. The park is also near the confluence of the Elk and Mississippi rivers
and Bailey Point Nature Reserve, the William H. Houlton Conservation Area, and the Mississippi
Islands SNA, a chain of seven islands formed by outwash deposited by the Mississippi river
designated as a Scientific and Natural Area by the MN DNR.
Ecological significance and wildlife value
The property, although not ranked by the Minnesota County Biological Survey as biologically
significant, is situated near areas ranked as having ecological significance by the MCBS,
including the Mississippi River Islands SNA and floodplain forest along the Elk River within the
William H. Houlton Conservation Area, just downstream. Camp Cozy’s floodplain of the Elk
River has inherent wildlife significance. All forms of wildlife depend on rivers for sustenance,
especially invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. Mammals and birds also benefit greatly
from the water, shelter and nutrients provided by the river, and birds use the river corridor as
an important migratory flyway.
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Figure 3. Landscape context
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Site Geology and Groundwater
The surficial geology consists primarily of terraces – areas that were once the river channel or
floodplains carved by the torrential flow of the Glacial River Warren in the Pleistocene epoch.
These occur above current floodplain areas but below nearby meander channel areas. The
property itself is located within the Mississippi Sand Plain (Figure 4).
These terraces are principally sand, gravel, and some finer materials, especially along the
Mississippi and its smaller tributaries (Hobbs and Goebel 1982). In and around Camp Cozy, the
depth from surface to bedrock is roughly 200 feet (Olsen and Mossler 1982).
Throughout the site, the depth to groundwater is consistently 0-10 feet, which is quite shallow.
Groundwater flows to the south/southeast across the site, generally in the direction of the Elk
River.
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Figure 4. Modeled surficial geology
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Topography and Soils
TOPOGRAPHY
The site has a generally flat topography with its highest points at the north-central area of the
park and an overall slope to the south and southeast, or towards the direction of the Elk River
(Figure 5). On a smaller scale, the land slopes slightly toward the river to the south and east
with significant depression at the center of the site where old hand-dug channels persist. The
most varied topography occurs on the eastern leg of the site where the terrace forest exists
(Figure 6). The landscape in this area is low-lying with small islands interspersed. The slope
across the site ranges from 0 to 6%. Elevation of the site ranges from a low of 874 feet above
sea level to a high of 886 feet.
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Figure 5. Site topography
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Figure 6. Site aspect
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SOILS
Soils vary slightly across the site and are most influenced by interaction with the Elk River. Four
specific soil types are present with three of those types attributed to the Elkriver soil series.
This series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly and moderately well drained soils that
formed in postglacial alluvium consisting of a coarse-loamy mantle and underlying sandy
sediments on flood plains. These soils have moderate and moderately rapid permeability in the
upper part and rapid permeability in the underlying material. The northwestern forest,
northern prairie, southern forest and southern remnant prairie have these fine, sandy loams
that are rarely flooded. The eastern and central forest areas that extend to the park’s southern
floodplain have fine sandy loams that are occasionally flooded. The floodplain terrace has a
more unique soil complex made up of both very poorly drained and poorly drained soils with
sandy particle sizes.
A summary of soils and their associated characteristics is listed in Table 1 and can be visualized
in Figure 7.
Soil formation is the result of the interaction of five soil-forming factors: parent material,
climate, organisms, topographic position or slope, and time (Foth 1990). Taken collectively,
these factors can help determine the dominant floral and faunal communities that helped form
the soils. The predominant soil types which fall into the Elkriver series are all sandy loams which
are well-suited to cultivation, and in fact, almost all areas of Elkriver soils are cropped with corn
soybeans, and small grains with small areas of native vegetation in prairie grasses. These soils
would have been dominated by graminoid vegetation (prairie or savanna) prior to European
colonization. Due to the fine, sandy nature of some of the soils, the erosion potential is mostly
medium; none of the soil types present have a high erosion potential, though all types are
susceptible to some erosion by wind, water, or both.
Table 1. Soils
Soil
Code Soil Name
Percent
Slope Acres Soil Family
Hydric
(yes
or no) Drainage
771
Elkriver fine
sandy loam,
rarely
flooded 0 to 2 15.1
Coarse-loamy,
mixed, superactive,
frigid Cumulic
Hapludolls N
Moderately
well drained
1255
Elk River fine
sandy loam 0 to 2 14.5
Coarse-loamy,
mixed, superactive,
frigid Cumulic
Hapludolls N
Somewhat
poorly to
moderately
well-drained
1257
Elk River-
Molsford
complex 0 to 6 14.2
Coarse-loamy,
mixed, superactive,
frigid Cumulic
Hapludolls N
Moderately
well-drained
23 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Soil
Code Soil Name
Percent
Slope Acres Soil Family
Hydric
(yes
or no) Drainage
1946
Fordum-
Winterfield
complex 0 to 2 2.5
Coarse-loamy,
mixed, superactive,
nonacid, frigid
Mollic Fluvaquents
and Aquic
Udipsamments N
Somewhat
poorly to
poorly
drained
W Water 0 2.0 NA Y NA
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Figure 7: Soils
25 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Rare Species
According to the DNR natural heritage database, there are no rare species recorded within the
Camp Cozy Nature Preserve. However, twelve rare species have been recorded within five miles
of the site: However, twelve rare species have been recorded within five miles of the site; 1
reptile (Blanding’s turtle), 2 birds (the loggerhead shrike and lark sparrow), 3 mammals (the
Northern long-eared bat, plains pocket mouse, and prairie vole), 3 plants (butternut, creeping
juniper, and seaside three-awn), 2 insects (the uncas skipper and rusty patched bumble bee),
and 1 mussel (Ligumia recta, the black sandshell mussel). This mussel is a species of special
concern in Minnesota and has been recorded in the Mississippi River 0.5 miles from Camp Cozy.
Habitat loss and degradation have been primary drivers of decline for species of greatest
conservation need (SGCN) in the subsection, especially species associated with prairie and oak
savanna. The two remnant dry prairies on the property are potential habitat for numerous rare
species, including the prairie vole, rusty patched bumble bee, uncas skipper, and seaside three-
awn. The property’s location along the Elk River near the confluence of the Elk and Mississippi
rivers also makes it an important potential habitat for myriad plant and animal species,
including the rare black sandshell mussel.
Existing Wildlife Populations
As stated, there are no rare species occurrences recorded on the property. However, a rare
mussel species and a rare turtle species were found in the Elk River to the east of the property.
It is possible that this species and others are present throughout this reach of the Elk River,
which joins with the Mississippi a few miles downstream.
Although no longer a rare species, bald eagles remain on the DNR watch list and are frequently
seen flying above Camp Cozy. Many eagles have been seen flying along the river and across the
property (there is a nearby nest at Bailey Point).
Camp Cozy Park is also within a “High Potential Zone” for the Rusty patched bumblebee, a
federally endangered species (Figure 8). These zones are based on a US Fish and Wildlife Service
habitat connectivity model that estimates the likely distance of movement from known records
of Rusty patched bumblebees within suitable habitat derived from National Land Cover
Database maps. The zones suggest areas with the highest potential for the species to be
present based on typical foraging distances and suitable habitat.
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Figure 8: Rusty patched bumblebee potential zones
27 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Other wildlife seen regularly include white-tailed deer, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers,
American goldfinch, wood thrush, mallards, wood ducks, great blue herons, gray squirrels, red
squirrels, evidence of coyotes, and numerous insects, including honeybees, bumblebees, and
numerous butterflies and moths. There is also evidence of beaver activity on the property.
Stumps left by beavers are visible throughout the floodplain forest, though most if not all seem
to be old and were not felled in the last one or two years.
Historical Vegetation
Public land survey (PLS) records compiled by Francis J. Marschner in the 1850s identified the
dominant tree (bearing tree) and recorded vegetation at every one-mile interval. Based on
these notes, the landcover type in this region was mosaic of different habitats ranging from oak
openings and floodplain forests to prairie, big woods forests, and aspen-oak woodlands. The
boundaries of Camp Cozy Park lie within what would have been oak openings and barrens prior
to European colonization (Figure 9). This was the most common land cover type of the region,
and today these plant communities are known as oak savannas. Savanna is an area of scattered
trees, primarily bur oak, with areas of open prairie between them. Prairie is dominated by
mixed height grasses and forbs (wild flowers), with patches of shrubs and very few to no trees.
The key differences between prairie and savanna plant communities are tied to frequency and
intensity of fire. Generally, frequent fire (every 2 to 5 years) will result in prairie, while slightly
less frequent fire (3 to 8 years) will result in savanna.
Today, the riparian areas long the Elk River are mostly forested, but it is unlikely that trees lined
the entirety of the river channel 200 years ago. While much of the current floodplain forest
areas were likely floodplain forest in pre-settlement times, areas of the river were more likely
lined with savanna or prairie vegetation. Prairie and savanna grasses would have grown right up
to the channel, perhaps forming lips over the banks, and stabilizing the bank slopes, as
currently occurs in the terrace forest areas on the east side of the park where sedges and other
moisture-tolerant species form hummocks and retain soil during times of flooding.
Bearing trees were noted by the 1850s PLS surveyors to help identify each section of land. If no
trees were in the section, that was also noted. One bearing tree was recorded within the Camp
Cozy boundary: a bur oak both on the western boundary of the site in the forest between the
Elk River and the north prairie. The occurrence of bur oak here provides further evidence that
this area was likely a mix of prairie and oak savanna vegetation. The soils data and the historical
vegetation data concur with this determination; the soils are typical prairie soils and pre-
settlement vegetation shows prairie and savanna land cover.
Historical aerial photos, Figures 10-13, also provide clues to the vegetation communities within
the last century, and photos of the Camp Cozy area dating back to 1938, 1953, and 1957 shed
light on past conditions. In 1938, the present-day prairies appear entirely open and grassy with
only sporadic trees. Present-day forest surrounding the prairies appear to have widely spaced
28 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
trees and an herbaceous understory indicative of savanna conditions. Many of the floodplain
forest areas had a sparser canopy and looked similar in structure to vegetation found in a
savanna-type landscape. While a thin strip of tree cover lines most of the riverbanks, some
areas were relatively open right up to the rivers’ edge. Moreover, in what is now some of the
larger floodplain areas, it is easy to see the more open nature of the habitat, with trees
interspersed with more open grassy areas. Over the last 70 years, fires have been suppressed in
the United States, and as a result, open, grass-dominated plant communities have been
encroached by pioneering woody species, and that has been the case at Camp Cozy where the
prairies and former oak savannas have decreased in extent over the last 80 years.
29 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 9: Historic vegetation communities
30 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 10. 1938 Aerial photo
31 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 11. 1953 Aerial photo
32 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 12. 1957 Aerial photo
33 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Historical and Existing Land Use
Records of historical land use are lacking, but some evidence exists that this site may have been
used in prior to European colonization. Aside from the site’s obvious importance on a major
river, the site is located in proximity to a number of other sites where evidence of Indigenous
activity was found. Quartz flakes and projectile points have been found in and around Elk River.
In the 1938 aerial photos, agricultural fields dominated the landscape around the site, and
many farms occurred where they do not today. For example, the agricultural fields east of the
property are now in residential use. North and east of the property, the city of Elk River looked
much as it does today, though with fewer houses and other structures. The major streets
throughout the area, including Highway 10, were all present in 1938. New road construction
occurred when developing the neighborhoods to the east. By 1953, a number of houses were
beginning to be constructed east of the property, with accelerated development occurring
between the 1957 and 2003. The aerial photo from 2010 (Figure 13) shows a dramatic increase
in residential housing having replaced the agricultural fields.
34 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 13. 2010 Aerial photo
In the immediate area of the property, the river channels do not seem to have been artificially
altered, though the river has lost many of its small, braided channels. Many of these have
become filled with sediment over time and vegetated with floodplain tree species. Comparing
35 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
the 1938 and 2010 aerial photos, the water level was much lower in the 1930s, creating a
number of smaller islands. As previously noted, the land of Camp Cozy was previous used as a
resort with “flues” dug to divert flows from the river into the resort property to form a paddling
circuit. These channels have persisted over the last 90 years. Some of the flues have slightly
eroded into gullies and have also been an area of dumping over time.
Many land use changes have occurred on the site over the last century. Several buildings were
present in the 1930s, vestiges of the Camp Cozy resort of the 1920s. These buildings were later
repurposed into a dance hall, roller rink, diner, and bar that served the community into the
1930s. A bridge connected Camp Cozy to US Highway 10 to the south until the late 1950s, and
the resort structures remained on the property until this time when portions of the resort
burned, and the remainder was sold. It does not appear that the land was in agricultural
production during the last century, and the property sat vacant for many years until it was
donated to the city of Elk River in 1996 and a nature park was established.
Water Resources
A compilation of information related to the surface water resources at Camp Cozy and
associated issues such as erosion, impairments and groundwater infiltration is noted below.
The water table elevation at the property is 860-880 feet above sea level (FASL). With site
elevations ranging from 874 to 886 FASL, the depth to water table is quite shallow at 0-10 feet.
Extra care should be taken when using herbicides, fuels and other potential pollutants, given
this shallow depth to water table and the highly permeable sandy soils throughout much of the
site where management is planned. The entirety of the property is considered to be highly
sensitive to pollution due to its geology and depth to groundwater, as shown in Figure 14.
36 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 14. Pollution sensitivity of near-surface materials
37 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Surface Waters – Rivers
The Elk and Mississippi rivers are the obvious surface water resources in this area. The Orono
Dam controls maintains water elevations in this lower stretch of the Elk River. Following large
rain events, and especially in the spring with snowmelt, flows can be quite high, and the well-
connected floodplain clearly receives flood flows. The southeast edge of the property, where
floodplain forest is present, experienced extensive and prolonged flooding in 2023. The banks
along the western edge of the property are relatively higher and bordered by transitional
terrace forest, which leads to infrequent flooding.
Impairments
Based on 2022 sampling by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Elk River is impaired
for both E. coli and mercury in fish tissues in the river reach from the St. Francis River to Orono
Lake just downstream from Camp Cozy. The E. coli impairment has been recognized since 2012
and is related to agricultural runoff from farm fields and pasture areas upstream. The mercury
impairment in this reach has been recognized since 2002. Both impairments require a study to
determine the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), or the calculation of the maximum amount
of a pollutant allowed to enter a waterbody so that the waterbody will meet and continue to
meet water quality standards.
Floodplain
In 1965, an historic flood occurred throughout the state of Minnesota. The city of Elk River
suspended classes so that students could help sandbag local establishments and other key
areas of the city. Today, 24 acres of the property’s 48 acres lie within the floodway or have a 1%
chance of annual flooding. The floodplain within the park not only provides exceptional habitat
in a matrix of other habitat types, but also offers a significant location for flood storage. As
rapid development in the western portion of the city creates additional impervious surfaces,
and climate change increases heavy rainstorms and rapid spring melt, floodplains and wetlands
are a valuable resource to protect infrastructure, homes and businesses.
Erosion
Historically, erosion has not been a problem on the property. As flashy river flows increase with
greater impervious surfaces and a changing climate, the small channels throughout the south-
central portion of the park will receive increased flow. These “flues” should be monitored in
early summer to determine if downcutting or bank erosion is occurring. Because of light
herbaceous vegetation in these areas, future restoration efforts could focus on replanting both
herbaceous and woody native plants in these areas to stabilize the channel banks and prevent
soil loss.
Buffer Areas
38 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
The floodplain and terrace forests surrounding the property act as natural buffers for the
waterways, and these wetlands also buffer the river from activities in the upland areas. Future
park improvements must be designed so that these buffers are protected from degradation,
and plans must comply with local wetland protection rules regarding the increase of impervious
surfaces and the location of trails within wetland buffers.
Stormwater Management Issues
The property is not highly affected by runoff from adjacent properties. Most runoff from
adjacent land use flows into the Elk River before it can reach Camp Cozy. Natural flooding of the
floodplain and terrace forest within the property can and does occur. However, there are also
residential properties north and east of the park that supply some runoff to the site. These
properties are mostly located at a similar elevation to the park, but runoff from roads and
driveways could conceivably flow onto the property. It could be conceived that these vintage
properties might be redeveloped in the future given their proximity to the river. As such,
stormwater runoff if impervious surfaces increase on these parcels, will impact Camp Cozy.
The paving of some trails with Camp Cozy has been contemplated by Elk River Parks and
Recreation staff. If trails were paved, these impervious surfaces would decrease infiltration
within the site.
Wetlands
According to the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) Cowardin Classification of the property,
Camp Cozy contains predominantly freshwater forested wetland (20.1 acres) which is
connected to a 54-acre hardwood floodplain along the Elk River. This floodplain is bounded by a
riverine, non-vegetated aquatic community (Open Water), where the Elk River flows (Figure
15).
39 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 15: Wetlands
40 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Adjacent Land Use
Land use around Camp Cozy is dominated by residential development, industrial and
agricultural use (Figure 1). The Elk River borders the property to the south and east, and urban
land use is present to the north, south, and east beyond the river’s corridor. This means that
urban and residential runoff, agricultural nutrient loading, pollutants, and warm water from
streets, roads, parking lots, and buildings all affect these waters before they arrive at the site.
This part of Elk River lies within the Urban Services Area, meaning that city-operated
infrastructure will continue to be built to serve expansion in development within this part of the
city. Because many of the homes within the neighborhood bordering Camp Cozy are aged,
redevelopment of these properties, especially those along the Elk River, is likely. East of the
property, the Elk and Mississippi Rivers combine and turn southward, flowing southeast
through a more urban landscape and eventually reaching the Twin Cities metro area.
EXISTING LAND COVER & ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
To better understand the property’s existing land cover in 2023, FMR ecologists used the
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS),
which integrates cultural and vegetation features of the landscape into one comprehensive
land classification system.
To determine target plant communities for restoration (Table 2), we considered the following:
1) historic conditions, 2) existing conditions, 3) relative effort versus benefits, and 4) the desires
of the City of Elk River. Relative effort versus benefit simply means that if the amount of energy
and work that needs to go into restoring a particular community is too great, in terms of the
benefits received, then restoration would not be recommended. This helps to determine the
optimal and most suitable goals for restoration. Target communities are in accordance with the
Field Guide to the Native Plant Communities of Minnesota: The Eastern Broadleaf Forest
Province (DNR, 2005) and are described below.
The field guides of native plant communities describe the system developed by the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources for identifying ecological systems and native plant
community types in the state based on multiple ecological features such as major climate
zones, origin of glacial deposit, and plant composition. There are four ecological provinces in
Minnesota (prairie parkland, eastern broadleaf forest, Laurentian mixed forest, and tallgrass
aspen parkland), ten sections within the provinces, and 26 subsections. Camp Cozy is classified
as follows (Figure 15):
Ecological Province: Eastern Broadleaf Forest
Section: Minnesota and Northeast Iowa Morainal
Subsection: Anoka Sand Plain
41 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 15. Ecological subsections of southeast Minnesota
As previously noted, the historical vegetation of Camp Cozy was most likely a mix of floodplain
forest near the Elk River and oak savanna and prairie in the uplands. These plant communities
42 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
remain appropriate targets for restoration within most of the site, but there has been some
community succession. Some areas that had likely been prairie and savanna have succeeded to
overgrown forest and savanna, and the relative cost-benefit of restoring historical plant
communities should be weighed. Additionally, restoration planning must also consider that
Camp Cozy’s intended use is as a nature park, and certain areas of the site that have been
maintained as mowed turf should be carved out of restoration management units to provide
for areas of park programming and the construction of amenities. The size of the park at nearly
50 acres allows for a good balance of developed space that serves the community,
opportunities for unique interactions with the river, prairies, and forests, and the preservation
of imperiled habitat.
PLANT COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
Land Cover
The MLCCS consists of five hierarchical levels that are reflected in a five-digit classification code.
At the most general level, land cover is divided into either Natural/Semi-Natural cover types or
cultural cover types. The cultural classification system is designed to identify developed areas
impervious to water and vegetation patterns.
Level 1 - General growth patterns (e.g. forest, woodland, shrubland, etc.)
Level 2 - Plant types (e.g. deciduous, coniferous, grasslands, forbs, etc.)
Level 3 - Soil hydrology (e.g. upland, seasonally flooded, saturated, etc.)
Levels 4 & 5 - Plant species composition, (e.g. floodplain forest, fen sedge, jack pine barrens,
etc.)
The current MLCCS land cover of Camp Cozy Park is a mix of predominantly upland land covers:
“Dry oak savanna barrens” in the north, “Dry prairie barrens in the areas of the two remnant
prairies, “Oak forest” within the oak forests, and “Lowland hardwood forest” in the terrace and
floodplain areas (Figure 17). Additionally, two acres of mesic prairie is shown in the area of the
southern mesic prairie remnants, though these remnants are considerably smaller due to
woody encroachment. With some nuance, these land cover classifications are accurate.
Each unit description includes a recommended plant community which can be used to guide
restoration, based on the Minnesota DNR Native Plant Communities. Full descriptions of each
native plant community recommended for the property can be found in Appendix B.
43 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 17: Existing MLCCS landcover
44 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Site Description & Recommended Plant Communities
A natural resources inventory and assessment was conducted by FMR ecologists during the
summer of 2023 to ground-truth the MLCCS data and document existing plant and wildlife
communities, identify opportunities for restoration and develop guidance for long-term public
use. Based on this assessment, ecologists identified five primary vegetation cover types:
remnant dry prairie, oak forest, mixed deciduous forest, terrace forest, and floodplain forest.
These cover types occur in eight distinct units across the park, and vegetation for each unit is
documented in Appendix A.
Camp Cozy Park can be described as a dry prairie and oak savanna complex surrounded by oak
forest and bordered by floodplain forest and terrace forest near the Elk River.
In the oak forest areas, the tree canopy is dominated by white and red oak, but native species
common in secondary growth forests including box elder, green ash, black walnut, silver maple,
and northern pin oak are also common. Emerald ash borer infects a number of ash trees in the
forested and woodland areas, and this will cause a significant shift in the forest’s canopy over
the next several years. Additionally, the lack of a soil organic layer signifies that the forests are
affected by non-native earthworms. Invasive earthworms, through rapid consumption of
organic material in the soil profile, are contributing to both soil loss and the absence of
conditions that would otherwise support a more abundant and diverse herbaceous plant
community. Many native species are present in the herbaceous layer of the oak forest, but
there is a lack of abundance, cover and species diversity. The shrub layer in a few distinct areas
is dominated by nonnative and invasive common buckthorn, but native shrubs including red
elderberry, red-osier and gray dogwood are present.
Three distinct mesic prairie remnants have persisted in the oak forest. Each is only 0.1 - 0.2 acre
and surrounded by dense forest, but species such as leadplant, common harebell, culver’s root
and prairie dropseed are in abundance.
A high degree of species diversity is found in the remnant dry prairies, the central cores of the
park. Here, the plant composition is dominated by native graminoid species typical of dry,
sandy prairies such as little bluestem, needle and thread grass, and Indian grass. Forb species
such as prairie spiderwort, common lupine and hoary vervain are all common. The last
prescribed burn of the prairies occurred in 2003. As a result, the prairies have woody
encroachment by native species such as smooth sumac, eastern red cedar, and quaking aspen.
Despite the woody cover, native prairie species persist under the shrub layer. Both prairies are
encircled by wide mowed paths, and the north prairie has several internal mowed paths with
trail connections to the forested areas.
The terrace forest and floodplain forest are only separated by 1-2 feet of elevation, and flood
flows from the Elk River reach both units and affect the plant communities similarly. The
terrace forest is dominated by moisture-tolerant, nutrient- and shade-loving species such as
blueflag iris, fowl manna grass, rice-cut grass, sensitive fern and smartweeds. A variety of
45 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
sedges are also present such as hop, retrorse, and awl-fruited sedges. The groundlayer also
includes a carpet of tree seedlings from green ash and hackberry germinating in moist, nutrient-
rich soils. The shrub layer contains a few native species, but common buckthorn is the
dominant species in this guild. The tree canopy is approximately 75% closed with some gaps
resulting from fallen willow, cottonwood and silver maple, and it is within these gaps where
herbaceous vegetation is most dense.
The floodplain forest exhibits a similar species composition to the terrace forest with slightly
less diversity. Many species typical of Minnesota floodplains are present: broad-leaf arrowhead,
sensitive fern, scouring rush, wild geranium and riverbank grape. Because this area experiences
frequent flooding, a considerable amount of trash is present within the unit. Many green ash
within the terrace forest and floodplain forest have been infected with emerald ash borer,
which will rapidly change the canopy composition and cover as green ash is a dominant species
within this unit. Hackberry, silver maple, box elder and cottonwood are also common.
46 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Unit 1
North Prairie
Photo 1. Butterfly-weed (Asclepias tuberosa), an important pollinator resource, in the Unit 1 dry prairie, June 2023.
Acres: 8.7 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 61211 Dry prairie barrens subtype.
General Description: Unit 1 is a remnant dry prairie that still retains a high diversity of native
prairie species. No canopy is present. A shrub layer is present across much of the unit and
consists primarily of smooth sumac and red cedar encroachment; common buckthorn, Siberian
elm and prickly ash are also present. Big bluestem is abundant in the ground layer, and many
other native grasses are also present, including little bluestem, prairie dropseed, needle and
thread grass, Indiangrass, and Scribner’s panic grass. Native plant diversity in this unit is high,
with over 100 species recorded during vegetation surveys (Appendix A), including prairie
smoke, pussytoes, lupine, pasqueflower, and large-flowered beardtongue. The invasive cool
season grasses smooth brome and Kentucky bluegrass are also abundant. Poison ivy is
abundant in some pockets within the prairie, and care will need to be taken to manage these
areas safely. This area is specifically marked on the management unit map (Figure 19). Woody
47 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
encroachment is a primary concern in this unit. The abundance of walking trails through this
unit provides fire breaks internal to the unit which would allow for refugia during prescribed
burning, but the numerous trails can also increase the likelihood that invasive species will be
brought to the site.
Recommended Plant Community: UPs13b Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern) (Appendix B)
Unit 2
South Prairie
Photo 2. Unit 2 dry prairie in September 2023.
Acres: 6.6 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 61211 Dry prairie barrens subtype.
General Description: Unit 2 is a remnant dry prairie with a plant community similar to that of
Unit 1 (Appendix A). Primary differences include less woody encroachment from sumac and
other woody species due in part to previous management efforts and fewer invasive cool
season grasses possibly due in part to fewer walking trails and the subsequent introduction of
48 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
non-native species. Where Unit 1 has a perimeter trail and several internal trails that divide the
prairie, Unit 2 has only a perimeter trail. Some poison ivy is present in this unit, but it is less
abundant than in Unit 1. Woody encroachment remains a primary concern in this unit.
Recommended Plant Community: UPs13b Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern) (Appendix B)
Unit 3
Mesic Prairie Remnant (North)
Photo 3. Native prairie plants and woody encroachment in Unit 3, June 2023.
Acres: 0.2 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 61110 Mesic prairie.
General Description: Unit 3 is a remnant mesic prairie that is surrounded by the oak forest of
Unit 5. Historically, this area was most likely much larger, grading into surrounding oak savanna.
No canopy cover is present, but woody encroachment in the shrub layer is prevalent, and
sumac, buckthorn and prickly ash are common. Common native species in the ground layer
include porcupine grass, big bluestem, Canada goldenrod, black-eyed Susan, clammy ground
49 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
cherry and ivory sedge. The invasive hoary alyssum is common, and some mullein is present.
Recorded vegetation data is documented in Appendix A. Woody encroachment is a primary
concern, and, given its small size, management of this unit will need to be creative.
Recommended Plant Communities: UPs23 Southern Mesic Prairie (Appendix B).
Unit 4
Mesic Prairie Remnants (South)
Photo 4. A narrow path through mesic prairie and woody encroachment in Unit 4, June 2023.
Acres: 0.1 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 61110 Mesic prairie.
General Description: The remnant mesic prairies of Unit 4 are similar to Unit 3, although the
plant composition indicates somewhat moister soils (Appendix A). These areas were likely
connected and part of a much larger mesic prairie, subsumed by oak forest (Unit 6) over time,
and MLCCS data also indicates a much larger extent of mesic prairie in this area. The remnants
of Unit 4 have less woody shrub encroachment than Unit 3. Species composition is similar,
50 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
although species such as great St. John’s wort, culver’s root, switchgrass and figwort take the
place of clammy ground cherry and ivory sedge. Unit 4 displays less disturbance with fewer
invasive species present, but a deer stand near the unit indicates that this area of the park is
traversed. Woody encroachment is a primary concern, and, given its small size, management of
this unit will need to be creative.
Recommended Plant Community: UPs23 Southern Mesic Prairie (Appendix B).
Unit 5
North Oak Forest
Photo 5. Giant cottonwood near the northeast corner of Unit 5 oak forest, June 2023.
Acres: 5.9 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 62122 Dry oak savanna barrens subtype; 32113 Oak forest dry
subtype.
General Description: Unit 5 is a degraded oak forest on the northernmost boundary of the park
with bur oak representing the most significant element of the canopy. Basswood, pin and red
51 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
oak, cedar, willow, cottonwood and hackberry are also present. Buckthorn is present in the
shrub and sub-canopy layer, along with honeysuckle, prickly ash and black cherry. Buckthorn is
also common in the groundcover, along with native gooseberry, Pennsylvania sedge, and
hackberry seedlings. Columbine, sweet cicely and starry false Solomon’s seal are also present in
the groundcover, among other native herbaceous species. Recorded vegetation data is
documented in Appendix A. Although much of this unit was likely an oak savanna prior to
European colonization, restoring this unit to savanna would be logistically challenging and
costly, requiring the removal of many large canopy trees and a major transition of the
understory plant community. A trail connecting the north prairie (Unit 1) to the road, at the
northeast corner of the property, is present and appears to get some use from wildlife and
human visitors.
Recommended Plant Community: MHs38b Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest (Appendix
B).
Unit 6
South Oak Forest
Photo 6. Sprawling bur oak canopy in Unit 6 oak forest, September 2023.
52 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Acres: 12.0 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 32113 Oak forest dry subtype; 32220 Lowland hardwood forest;
61110 Mesic prairie.
General Description: Unit 6 is similar in composition to Unit 5 (Appendix A); a degraded oak
forest with bur and red oak, green ash, silver maple, hackberry, and basswood in the canopy.
Buckthorn is especially dense in the shrub and understory layers between the north and south
dry prairies (Units 1 & 2). Other understory plants include honeysuckle, prickly ash, gray
dogwood, and dames rocket. In addition to invasive buckthorn, the groundcover includes native
species such as jack-in-the-pulpit, northern bedstraw, bloodroot, and horsetail. Emerald ash
borer (EAB) damage is present in the unit. Two walking trails traverse Unit 6 on the northern
end of the unit, and one winding walking trail moves through the unit from the eastern edge of
the south prairie (Unit 2) to the eastern boundary of the park.
Recommended Plant Community: MHs38b Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest (Appendix
B).
53 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Unit 7
Terrace Forest
Photo 7. Flue through the central terrace forest in Unit 7, September 2023.
Acres: 11.3 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 32113 Oak forest dry subtype; 32220 Lowland hardwood forest.
General Description: Unit 7 is a terrace forest extending from the southernmost point of the
property, along the Ek River to the west, and in between the two dry prairies (Units 1 & 2). The
canopy consists of red and white oak, silver maple, green ash, hackberry, boxelder and
cottonwood. The shrub layer is dominated by buckthorn, with some red osier dogwood
present. Ground layer vegetation includes wood nettle, stinging nettle, sensitive fern and jack-
in-the-pulpit. Invasive garlic mustard is also present. Recorded vegetation data is documented
in Appendix A. Evidence of EAB (emerald ash borer) is present along with some dead standing
green ash. A narrow foot path extends from the south dry prairie (Unit 2) westward to the bank
of the Elk River. There is evidence of the canals or flues built during Camp Cozy’s resort days in
the 1920’s.
54 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Recommended Plant Community: FFs59a Silver Maple - Green Ash - Cottonwood Terrace Forest
(Appendix B).
Unit 8
Floodplain Forest
Photo 8. Vegetation growth following spring flooding of the floodplain forest in Unit 8, July 2023.
Acres: 3.4 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 32220 Lowland hardwood forest; 32113 Oak forest dry subtype.
General Description: Unit 8 is a floodplain forest east of the south dry prairie (Unit 2) and north
of the south oak forest (Unit 6), in an oxbow of the Elk River. The canopy consists of red and
white oak, silver maple, green ash, hackberry, boxelder, and cottonwood. The shrub layer
consists primarily of buckthorn and red osier dogwood. Ground layer vegetation includes wood
nettle, stinging nettle, sensitive fern, rice cutgrass, blueflag iris, and horsetail. Invasive garlic
mustard is present. Recorded vegetation data is documented in Appendix A. Evidence of EAB
(emerald ash borer) is present along with some dead green ash. There is evidence of regular
flooding throughout the unit. Along the north and east boundaries of the unit, significant debris
55 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
has accumulated along the ground, including tarps and pieces of wood structures, likely deer
stands.
Recommended Plant Community: FFs68 Southern Floodplain Forest (Appendix B).
Unit 9
Mowed Area
Photo 9. Unit 9 is a large, mowed area to the northeast of the southern dry prairie in Unit 2, July 2023.
Acres: 0.1 acres
MLCCS Land Cover types: 61211 Dry prairie barrens subtype; 32113 Oak forest dry subtype.
General Description: Unit 9 is a large, mowed area in the northeast corner of the south prairie.
The south perimeter trail runs through it, and it is also connected to several mowed areas
providing access to neighboring private properties. Reducing the mowed area so that it is wide
enough to accommodate walkers and desired city access but no wider would provide an
opportunity to reclaim some of the area for the south prairie (Unit 2), which has shrunk by
several acres over the past 20 years.
56 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Alternatively, this area could be maintained as a mowed space for future park programming.
The unit’s proximity to the river (440 feet), access to the roadway (380 feet), level terrain and
openness lend itself to a picnic area or park shelter. If park master planning in 2025 identifies
development of this space as a priority, this area should not be included in restoration of the
nearby dry prairie in Unit 2.
Recommended Plant Community: None; UPs13b Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern).
RESTORATION
This section describes the proposed restoration process for Camp Cozy Park and includes
information on target plant communities and habitat goals to be achieved through restoration
(Figure 18). A description of the restoration process and the goals for the restoration, both
broad and specific, are also provided.
Elk River Parks and Recreation staff note the desire to invest state grant restoration funding
only in areas of the park not intended for future programming or building site improvements
(picnic shelter, canoe launch, paved trails). Potential improvements will be specified in an Elk
River Parks master plan in 2025, and areas best suited for site programming are noted in the
management unit descriptions below.
57 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Target Plant Communities
Figure 18. Recommended/target plant communities
58 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Table 2. Restoration Target Plant Communities for Existing Landcover MLCCS Unit Acres Dominant Soil Types Target Community
Dry oak
savanna
barrens 4.2
Hubbard (D67B), Elkriver
(771), Elkriver-Mosford (1257)
MHs38b Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green
Ash) Forest
Dry prairie
barrens-
north 8.8 Elkriver (1255), Elkriver (771)
UPs13b Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie
(Southern)
Oak forest
dry 20.6 Elkriver (1255)
MHs38b Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green
Ash) Forest.
Dry prairie
barrens-
south 7.0 Elkriver (771), Elkriver (1255)
UPs13b Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie
(Southern)
Lowland
hardwood
forest-east 3.4 Elkriver (771), Elkriver (1255) FFs68 Southern Floodplain Forest.
Lowland
hardwood
forest-
south 0.8 Elkriver (771), Elkriver (1255) FFs68 Southern Floodplain Forest.
Mesic
prairie-
north and
south 1.3 Udorthents, Pits/gravel (1028) UPs23 Southern Mesic Prairie.
TOTAL
46.1
acres*
*The entire Camp Cozy property encompasses 48 acres. The MLCCS land cover acreage shown here does
not account for 2 acres of open water on the Elk River, which is considered part of the property
boundary.
Restoration Process
Restoration is a process which takes time. Returning ecosystems to functionality and diversity is
complicated and costly, and ideal outcomes are not always attainable. Sometimes original plant
communities can only be approximated, but habitat integrity can be restored with dedicated
efforts. Many steps are typically involved in a successful restoration; even deciding when a
restoration is complete or successful can be very difficult. Restoration should be viewed as a
process, not a state of being. The primary goal is to achieve and maintain a diverse natural
community at the site, though this does not always proceed in a linear fashion. Using the
59 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
concept of adaptive management will be key to continual progress at the site. Adaptive
management is a strategy commonly used by land managers and integrates thought and action
into the restoration process. It can be described as a strategy that uses evaluation, reflection
and communication, and incorporates learning into planning and management. It is set up like a
feedback loop and looks like this:
Thus, moving forward with restoration, each round of adaptive management refines and hones
the process to better fit the conditions of the site. Emphasis of this strategy will be important to
the longevity of this site.
Given Camp Cozy’s proximity to other propagule (seed) sources with common buckthorn in
abundance at its boundaries and the Elk River delivering weed seed in flood flows, some effort
will be required to restore and maintain this site. Once initial restoration efforts are complete,
some degree of site maintenance will be needed to protect the plant communities and the
restoration investment. The amount and type of “edge” (rivers, adjacent lands, etc.) allows for
a continual supply of propagules, many non-native and invasive. While managing propagules
arriving from the river is impossible, engaging neighbors in the importance of restoration on
their lands will not only help the restoration on the property be more successful - as it will
reduce the potential seed source of non-native, invasive plants - but will also increase the size
of natural communities being protected and managed in the area.
The restoration of the plant communities at Camp Cozy will be broken into phases. Each phase
will address the restoration of each given target plant community prioritizing most imperiled
habitats and then invasive species populations. However, restoration will ultimately be
conducted based on available funds and resources and may not occur sequentially.
Reduction or elimination of woody cover within the remnant prairie units is the highest priority.
Without this critical first step, sumac and other woody species will create even more dense
Design
Implement
Monitor
Evaluate
Adjust
Assess
problem
60 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
shade, and sun-loving dry prairie plants will be diminished and degrade the habitat further.
Woody invasive species removal is the second priority which will improve habitat quality and
decrease soil loss in the forested areas that are adjacent to the floodplain and river.
Reestablishing an herbaceous layer and native shrub layer where woody invasive species have
been removed is a third priority.
Restoration Goals
Natural resources restoration goals for Camp Cozy are centered on the native plant habitats
within the site and the strong community value of preservation and protection of these
habitats. From an ecological perspective, returning fire to the remnant dry prairies, reducing
woody encroachment in the prairies, and managing woody invasive species are the key
elements of habitat restoration. This approach aligns well with community values expressed at
a public input meeting held in November 2023. Community members and Elk River Parks
Commission members conveyed the unique experiences that they had at Camp Cozy because of
its diverse habitats and special location and emphasized the need to protect and restore the
rare plant communities.
Healthy ecosystems will support a variety of wildlife, reduce urban heating, increase water
infiltration, build healthy soils that are less prone to erosion and create enhanced recreational
opportunities like bird watching, fishing, hunting and nature observation. Toward achieving the
goal of a healthier ecosystem, restoration will aim to improve the diversity, composition and
structure of the plant communities throughout the property, which will also better reflect the
historical plant community. This includes the restoration of prairie habitat that has been
drastically lost throughout the state and improvement of Camp Cozy’s woodlands and forests.
Restoration does not, however, intend to convert current natural communities to what may
have been present in the past. Restoration of degraded areas will improve the ecological
functions that both historic native plant communities and current healthy communities provide,
including:
• habitat for a diversity of wildlife species,
• nutrient and water cycling,
• carbon storage,
• moderation of water-table levels,
• erosion control,
• filtration of nutrients, sediments and pollutants,
• development and enrichment of soils,
• local temperature moderation.
Though somewhat degraded by fire suppression and unmanaged invasive species, the existing
plant cover retains a good variety of native species and could be readily improved. A healthy
and diverse plant community can provide much greater wildlife value than a degraded one, and
tends to be much more stable, and less susceptible to disease, invasive species and other
disturbances.
61 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Management recommendations were developed for each manangement unit with the overall
objectives for the property focused on protecting and restoring high quality habitat by restoring
prairie, removing invasive plant species, and providing pollinator and wildlife habitat. Specific
goals include the following, and are feasible by the fifth year of the restoration process:
1) Eliminate woody cover in the remnant dry prairies
2) Eliminate non-native herbaceous species in the dry prairies
3) Return fire to the remnant dry prairies
4) Reduce or eliminate invasive woody species within the forests and woodlands
5) Reintroduce native herbaceous plants and shrubs in the forests and woodlands
6) Engage the community and local volunteers through restoration events, including
plantings, invasive species removals and trash clean-ups.
WORKPLAN
The following tasks and budget are based on current costs and project needs at the time the
NRMP was created. All parties will collaborate to determine additional future tasks. Work units
are shown in Figure 19. Methods for controlling non-native and invasive plant species and a list
of ecological contractors can be found in Appendices C and D.
62 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Figure 19: Restoration work units
63 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Management Priorities
PRIORITY 1: Woody removal within Unit 1 North Prairie and Unit 2 South Prairie
The remnant dry prairies in Units 1 and 2 have drastically decreased in extent due to woody
encroachment by smooth sumac, eastern red cedar and quaking aspen. While native prairie
species are persisting in the shade of these woody species, some cool season grasses have
become established, and this condition will only worsen with time.
The smooth sumac (2.2 acres in Unit 1 and 1.1 acre in Unit 2) should be cut in July or after
flowering and triclopyr applied to every cut stem by dauber or wick application when
temperatures are below 85 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent herbicide volatilization. Sumac is
clonal, so care must be taken to treat all stems to prevent resprouting. Fire stimulates
resprouting in sumac, so judicious spot foliar herbicide application may be needed after burning
if the sumac is persisting. Cut sumac can be piled in the large, mowed areas of each prairie and
burned in the winter when snow cover is present.
Extreme care should be taken with the use of herbicides and gas-powered equipment on this
site given the proximity to the river, high potential for groundwater contamination and rare
plant communities. Glyphosate binds to soil particles and is generally not mobile, so may be a
better choice than other herbicides that are more mobile, especially near the water. However,
triclopyr-based herbicides like Garlon 3A and 4 are generally more effective at preventing
resprouts on cut shrubs and trees.
The quaking aspen encroaching the north prairie (0.5 acre) should be cut periodically to reduce
its cover and slow the clone’s further progression in the prairie. Cut stump herbicide application
would affect the entire stand of aspen, which is not a desired goal. Conversely, fire will
stimulate the growth of the aspen, so prescribed burns should generally avoid the northern tip
of the north prairie.
The large eastern red cedar (approximately 50 trees) should be cut prior to prescribed burning.
Cut material should be dragged into the peripheral forest areas to serve as winter cover for
wildlife. Cut stump herbicide treatment is not necessary because cedar does not resprout.
Smaller cedar can be left standing and consumed with prescribed fire; this species is very
susceptible to burning.
64 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Photo 9. Section of Unit 1 near park entrance has experienced significant woody encroachment, July 2023.
PRIORITY 2: Prescribed fire and minor weed management within Unit 1 North Prairie and Unit
2 South Prairie
The woody encroachment present in the remnant prairies is a result of fire suppression over
the last 70-80 years and a lack of management. Fire has myriad benefits including:
• increased plant vigor and abundance when fire stimulates the growth of aboveground
vegetation and induces more seeds to germinate,
• the recycling of important nutrients when organic matter is broken down releasing
nutrients for plant growth,
• reduced woody competition and shading as woody species intolerant of fire are
suppressed, and
• increased soil microbial activity in blackened, and hence, warmer soil.
Historically, dry prairies maintained their open character, species composition and habitat
quality with fire on a return interval of less than 10 years. For management of these remnants
with greater pressure from encroaching forests and a species composition with higher grass
abundance, a prescribed burn interval of 4-6 years is recommended. While the two prairies are
separated by only 300 feet, that gap is a dense forest. As such, the two prairies will not provide
65 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
refugia for each other. The prairies should not be burned in the same year, and each prairie
should not be burned in its entirety. The internal trails of Unit 1 provide suitable firebreaks that
can be made more robust with mowing just prior to a burn and thoroughly wetting the break
itself. Unit 2, however, lacks internal trails. Burning in this prairie would require creating a
temporary or permanent north-south fire break of at least 8 feet in width and burning the
eastern half of the prairie first. To avoid stimulating growth of aspen and sumac, the northern
two-thirds of the north prairie should be burned in the fall. Early fall burning will also suppress
the cool season grasses (smooth brome and Kentucky bluegrass) that are present under the
sumac and cedars.
Allowing fire to run into adjacent different vegetation types can soften the boundaries between
habitat and benefit the vegetation outside of the intended burn unit. For example, the new
firebreak in Unit 2 South Prairie should be routed to run a short distance into the nearby oak
forest, where feasible. This makes for a more natural-looking and functioning landscape and
helps to prevent the forest from encroaching into the prairie.
Smoke management is somewhat of a concern for burning at Camp Cozy with US Highway 10
just to the south of the site across the river and the risk of reduced visibility from smoke on the
road. Burn prescriptions should specify a west or southwest wind that will move smoke to
undeveloped areas along the river where it will not affect roadways or be a nuisance for
neighbors.
In addition to smoke as a visibility concern, the density of poison ivy in Unit 1 will require
extreme care during management, and especially during prescribed burning. An option would
be to ignite flanking fire on the north and south edges of the unit, having the two ignition lines
meet on the west edge of the unit, and allowing the head fire to burn through the poison ivy on
the east side of the unit where burn personnel can be positioned behind the running fire and
smoke is pushed to the east. If fire cannot be ignited in a pattern that allows the burn crew to
stay out of smoke from burning poison ivy, the area should not be burned.
With disturbance from both woody removal and fire, weedy species that favor disturbance may
briefly increase in abundance. To prevent their spread, occasional, judicious spot herbicide
application is also recommended. Known weedy species are primarily limited to cool season
grasses, and to prevent off-target damage, a grass-selective herbicide, such as sethoxydim, may
be used.
66 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Photo 10. Care will need to be taken when burning sections of prairie in Units 1 and 2 where significant poison ivy is present.
PRIORITY 3: Enhancing species diversity within Unit 1 North Prairie and Unit 2 South Prairie
Despite the gap in burning and resulting woody encroachment, both Unit 1 and 2 maintain a
diverse, if graminoid-dominant, herbaceous layer. To enhance the species diversity of the
prairies and boost the forb to grass ratio, supplemental seeding in the woody removal areas is
recommended. Enhancing the plant community in remnant systems should be done carefully.
Collection of seed from on-site or nearby remnant communities, such as the rail corridor on
County Road 35 NW to the north of Camp Cozy. This approach will preserve the genetic
diversity of the remnant with plants that are already adapted to local conditions. On-site or
nearby seed collection is an excellent opportunity to involve the community in the restoration
of Camp Cozy.
Another option is to source commercially harvested seed that has origins within a small radius
(e.g., 50 miles) from Camp Cozy. Local ecotype seed should be obtained following the
Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) seed collection criteria, moving from
ecological subsection to ecological section to a maximum distance of 175 miles. To increase
species diversity across many guilds, a combination of seed sources will likely be needed.
67 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
A goal of the restoration is to have at least 25 pollinator-supporting plants (including common
and whorled milkweed) present in the prairies. These plants will provide important habitat and
resources for pollinator populations in decline across the state and country. Milkweed plants
are especially important habitat and food sources for monarch butterflies, as well as a host of
other insect species.
PRIORITY 4: Invasive woody removal within Unit 5 North Oak Forest, Unit 6 South Oak Forest
and Unit 7 Terrace Forest
Pockets of woody invasive species (primarily common buckthorn, and to a lesser extent,
Tatarian honeysuckle) exist in Units 5, 6 and 7. The most dense and aged buckthorn is present
in the southern edge of Unit 5 and the northeastern corner of Unit 7. The most economical
method of managing these dense patches of woody invasive species is to forestry mow (using a
Fecon mower with an ASV attachment or similar equipment). Hand cutting may be required in
areas of Unit 7 due to the channels in this area. Where forestry mowing is possible, work will be
limited to the winter months when the ground is frozen. This will limit damage to the native
ground layer plant community and minimize soil disturbance.
Small pockets of buckthorn are also present in the eastern leg of Unit 6. Because of distribution
of the buckthorn within the matrix of native trees and shrubs, hand cutting is recommended in
this area. Hand cutting can be done at various times of the year, though the fall is
recommended, as native plants will have senesced and buckthorn and other invaders, which
have a slightly longer growing season, will be easier to identify. For hand-cutting, brush pile
locations will need to be selected at the time of removal to ensure burn piles are safely located.
Because Camp Cozy is located in a Rusty-patched bumblebee (RPBB) High Potential Zone
(Figure 8), burn piles must be located at least 100 feet from woodland edges to prevent harm
to overwintering bees, which burrow in the soil of wooded edges. Mowed areas in both Unit 1
and Unit 2 are located more than 100 feet from woodland edges and are suitable locations for
burn piles.
Generally, all management tasks must be conducted to avoid and minimize potential impacts to
RPBB as per Section 7 guidance of the USFWS. This includes disturbance to bees:
• overwintering in surface soil and leaf litter of forest edges and forest interior from
October 11 to April 9,
• nesting in the ground on the forest edge from April 10 to October 10,
• nesting in the ground of the grassland from April 10 to October 10,
• foraging in the forest interior from April 9 until flowers stop blooming,
• foraging in the grassland and forest edge from April 10 to October 10
If initial buckthorn removal is done well, stump-sprouting should only occur in small numbers (if
at all), though these sprouts will need to be treated by mowing, cut and paint herbicide
application, or foliar herbicide treatment. Follow-up treatments to manage new germinants will
68 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
be necessary for 3-4 years while the seedbank of buckthorn is exhausted. Periodic future
follow-up may also be necessary because of new seed brought into the park from surrounding
properties with heavy buckthorn cover. Treating germinating seedlings will be a difficult and
repetitive process but can be accomplished through foliar herbicide application. Prescribed fire
is a seedling management option in drier areas where herbaceous cover exists or can be
established through seeding. Fire will not be a suitable option in many of the wetter terrace and
floodplain areas. Prescribed burns should occur after mid-April as to protect pollinator habitat.
This is also when buckthorn is actively growing, and its carbohydrate stores are low. In the
more open areas of the property, seeding will be necessary after buckthorn removal. Cover of
native plants will help to fill unoccupied niches and compete with and suppress germinating
buckthorn seedlings.
PRIORITY 5: Rubbish removal within Unit 7 Terrace Forest and Unit 8 Floodplain Forest
Units 7 and 8 have considerable interaction with the Elk River with a wide, connected floodplain
and terrace forest grading into upland areas of the park. Because the units receive frequent
flood flows from the river, a considerable amount of garbage that has been deposited within
these units. An annual park clean-up after the flood season would be a worthwhile volunteer or
steward activity. No established trails traverse these units, and this would be an opportunity for
the community to explore this part of the park, reach the river and potentially identify a future
trail alignment that would connect existing trails to the river.
69 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Photo 11. Tarps, siding, and other rubbish deposited on the ground in Unit 8 following flooding, July 2023.
Long-Term Monitoring and Maintenance
Monitoring is essential to restoration success. Regular site visits to evaluate and assess
restoration outcomes should be done at least annually by an ecologist or a restoration
professional. More frequent monitoring will be needed in the initial phases of restoration to
evaluate the success of the methodology and to inform future strategies. Adapting to issues or
factors observed during monitoring and assessment is vital to the restoration process.
Once the primary restoration tasks are completed, the restoration process will convert to a
monitoring and adaptive management phase. Long-term maintenance for the forest areas will
consist of managing for invasive species and monitoring every year for potential issues such as
erosion of the side channels that receive flows during high water. For the prairies, burning
should occur every 4 to 6 years to prevent woody encroachment and maintain the health of the
habitat.
Restored areas must be regularly monitored to identify ecological issues, such as erosion and
sedimentation, invasive species and disease. Monitoring is also important for detecting human-
related issues such as illegal activities (ATV use, dumping, illegal hunting). Early detection of
70 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
concerns enables a quick response to address small issues before they become significant
problems.
Monitoring wildlife and plant communities is also helpful for evaluating results of the
restoration. A comparison of bird populations before and after restoration, for example, would
be a valuable tool for quantifying positive impacts on the landscape. Trail cameras can also
provide information about wildlife using the property. This is another opportunity for
community involvement, and tie-ins with programs like Monitoring Avian Productivity and
Survivorship (MAPS), eBird and eMammal would provide great community science
opportunities.
5-Year Work Plan
A general time frame is shown in Table 3. Specific timelines for each task may shift dependent
upon the timing of restoration, but this sequence should be maintained. Note also that that the
costs shown are estimates, based on similar work at other sites in 2023, but actual costs may be
higher or lower depending on the bidding climate and other logisitics.
Table 3. Restoration Schedule and Cost Estimates
The task tables below are general schedules and approximate costs for restoration and management
tasks for Camp Cozy. Costs are likely to increase as the project progresses, and tasks may change as
management requires adaptation to outcomes of restoration activities. Tasks are phased, with Phase 1
being the highest priority. Work units correspond with those shown in Figure 18.
Year Season Unit(s) Activity
Acres/
Count
Cost/
Ac Cost Est.
PHASE 1. REMNANT PRAIRIE MANAGEMENT
0/1 June Units 1, 2, 5, 7
Conduct breeding bird survey in representative
habitat types prior to restoration. 32 - $1,000
0/1 August Units 1, 2
Conduct rusty patched bumble bee survey in prairie
foraging habitat prior to burning 15.3 - $1,000
1 June Units 1, 2
Spot spray smooth brome with sethoxydim or
another grass-specific herbicide. 1 $950 $950
1 June Units 1, 2 Spot spray non-native thistles. 0.5 $950 $475
1
June,
August Units 1, 2
Cut and stump treat smooth sumac with triclopyr in
dauber or apply by wicking or re-cut in August after
resprouting. Haul sumac brush to mowed areas
within center of Unit 1 or mowed area northeast of
Unit 2, and pile for winter burning.
4 $2,500 $10,000
1 July Unit 1
Cut encroaching quaking aspen. Haul cut aspen to
mowed areas within center of Unit 1 and pile for
winter burning.
1 $2,500 $2,500
1 July Units 1, 2
Cut eastern red cedar over 4’ tall. Haul cut cedar to
designated areas of woodlands. 2 $2,500 $5,000
71 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Year Season Unit(s) Activity
Acres/
Count
Cost/
Ac Cost Est.
1
After
October
10 Unit 1
Conduct prescribed burn of northern 2/3 of prairie
allowing fire to run into north woodlands where
feasible. Avoid ignition of 0.5-acre poison ivy patch
or burn with head fire and avoid area until fire is
extinguished.
7 $1,210 $8,470
1 Fall Unit 1
Supplementally seed areas of woody removal.
Includes seed cost and broadcast seeding.
5 $1,250 $6,250
1 Winter Units 1, 2
Burn material cut during summer when snow cover
is present. 2 $750 $1,500
Subtotal $37,145
PHASE 2. REMNANT PRAIRIE MANAGEMENT
2 June Units 1, 2, 5, 7 Conduct breeding bird survey. 32 - $1,000
2 August Units 1, 2
Conduct rusty patched bumble bee survey in prairie
foraging habitat post burning 15.3 - $1,000
2
Before
April 10 Unit 2
Establish mowed north to south firebreak dividing
unit in half. Conduct prescribed burn of western
half of prairie allowing fire to run into peripheral
woodlands where feasible.
3.3 $1,210 $3,993
2 April Unit 2
Supplementally seed areas of woody removal.
Includes seed cost and broadcast seeding. 2 $1,250 $2,500
2 May Units 1, 2
Spot spray smooth brome with sethoxydim or
another grass-specific herbicide. 1 $950 $950
2 June Units 1, 2 Spot spray non-native thistles. 0.5 $950 $425
Subtotal $9,868
PHASE 3. WOODY INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT IN FORESTS AND WOODLANDS; PRAIRIE MAINTENANCE
3 June Units 1, 2, 5, 7 Conduct breeding bird survey.
32 - $1,000
3
After
October
10 Unit 1
Conduct prescribed burn of southern 1/3 of prairie
unburnt in year 1, allowing fire to run into north
woodlands where feasible.
3 $1,210 $3,630
3
Fall-
Winter Units 5, 6, 7
Hand cut and stump treat light density buckthorn
and other non-native invasive shrubs. Pile cut
material in woodland openings for winter burning.
Create no more than 3 piles per unit.
17 $2,500 $42,500
3
Fall-
Winter Units 5, 6, 7 Burn cut material when snow cover is present.
9 $750 $6,750
3
Fall-
Winter Units 5, 6, 7
Forestry mow areas of dense buckthorn and other
non-native invasive shrubs.
12 $1,750 $21,000
3
Fall-
Winter Units 5, 6, 7
Broadcast buckthorn replacement graminoid seed
in areas of woody removal. Acreage assumes half of
units have bare ground. Includes seed cost.
14 $750 $10,500
72 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Year Season Unit(s) Activity
Acres/
Count
Cost/
Ac Cost Est.
4
Before
April 10 Unit 2
Conduct prescribed burn of eastern half of prairie
allowing fire to run into peripheral woodlands
where feasible.
3.5 $1,210 $4,235
4 Early fall Units 5, 6, 7
Conduct foliar herbicide application of resprouted
and newly germinated woody invasive shrubs using
Garlon 3A at 20% concentration.
29 $600 $17,400
5 May Units 1, 2
Spot spray smooth brome with sethoxydim or
another grass-specific herbicide.
1 $950 $950
5 June Units 1, 2 Spot spray non-native thistles.
1 $950 $950
5 July Unit 1
Cut encroaching quaking aspen. Haul cut aspen to
mowed areas within center of Unit 1 and pile for
winter burning.
1 $2,500 $2,500
5 Early fall Units 5, 6, 7
Conduct foliar herbicide application of resprouted
and newly germinated woody invasive shrubs using
Garlon 3A at 20% concentration.
29 $500 $14,500
Subtotal $125,915
TOTAL $172,928
73 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Long Term Management
Once initial phases of restoration are complete, long-term management ensues. The table
below includes tasks that are required to be done periodically to maintain a stable native plant
community. Table 4 lists these tasks with associated cost estimates.
Table 4. Long-Term Management Schedule and Cost Estimates
Season Units Activity Acres
Cost/
Ac Cost Est.
Spring or fall Units 1, 2
Burn the prairie units every 4-6 years. Rotate burn units
within management units and between management units.
To provide refugia, do not burn adjacent units in consecutive
years. Do not burn more than 2/3 of the prairie in one year.
Rotate burns from spring to fall.
15.3
(Units 1
and 2)
- $3,600
(per unit)
Fall Units 1, 2
Monitor and manage for invasive herbaceous species and
encroachment of native woody species. 4 $2,500 $10,000
July-Aug and
Winter
Units 5, 6,
7, 8
Monitor ash for Emerald Ash Borer, bur oaks for Oak Wilt
disease (July-Aug) and for Bur Oak Blight (July-Aug for leaf
necrosis and winter for marcescent leaves (those that do not
drop).
All - $1,000
Fall, summer,
spring All Evaluation and assessment by ecologist All - $1,200
June
Units 1, 2,
5, 7
Yearly breeding bird surveys after restoration tasks are
complete. Establish citizen science programs (MAPS,
eMammal, eBird)
- - $1,000
Spring and
Fall All
Yearly community engagement or volunteer event. Possible
events include invasive species removal, prairie seed
collection, trash clean-ups.
All - $2,000
TOTAL
$ 18,800 (at intervals)
74 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
SITE PROGRAMMING
The purpose of the Natural Resources Management Plan is to provide recommendations for the
restoration and maintenance of natural resources at the park, and as such, it does not attempt
to prescribe future park programming. The City of Elk River will develop a park master plan in
2025, including potential future programming options. Future site programming at the Camp
Cozy property should be considered in concert with the restoration and management actions
recommended by this plan and expressed as priorities by the community of Elk River.
Through conversations with the City of Elk River and a public meeting held on November 8,
2023, FMR ecologists solicited feedback on the natural resources management plan and
received feedback about potential future site programming. Presented here some of the ideas
and alternatives that were proposed.
CHARACTER
There is strong interest from community members in preserving the passive recreational use
and natural character of the Camp Cozy property. Community members expressed an emphasis
on restoring native plant communities, improving habitat and incorporating interpretive and
orientation signage.
NAME
There is interest from some community members in re-naming Camp Cozy. Others feel that
preserving the current name is an important nod to the property’s resort history. It was
mentioned at the public meeting that the name “Camp Cozy” creates confusion for the
community and city staff when visitors expect camping amenities to be available. A new name
that acknowledges the original indigenous stewards of the land was proposed.
TRAILS
The current trail network at the Camp Cozy property (Figure 20) predominantly provides access
to the north and south dry prairies and the oak forest. As of 2023, trails are mowed by a former
neighbor of the Camp Cozy property who volunteers their time. Narrowing and reducing
redundant trails, especially in the north prairie Unit 1, is an option that would help retain
important remnant prairie and reduce erosion and the spread of invasive species, but some
internal trails should be maintained as fire breaks.
There are currently no maintained trails granting access to the Elk River. The community
expressed interest in adding trails that access the Elk River to increase the recreational value of
the park and offer an opportunity to launch canoes and kayaks from Camp Cozy. A proposed
potential trail route of 2000 feet (0.4 mile) is also shown in Figure 20 as a dashed line. This
route takes advantage of the property’s frontage on the Elk River and uses a portion of an
existing path in the oak forest leading from a large, mowed area which could serve as a future
75 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
programmed park space. If establishing a trail in this area is pursued, an alignment area for the
construction of the trail should be removed from future restoration acres.
Figure 20: Existing trails and potential future trail alignment
76 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
The City of Elk River is considering the possibility of paving some trails to increase park
accessibility in the future. If this is done, it is recommended that existing trails are paved rather
than creating newly established paved trails that would further fragment habitat.
Photo 12. Existing trail through the prairie in Unit 1, June 2023.
BOAT LAUNCH
There is interest in adding a canoe and kayak launch along the Elk River that can be accessed by
new a river trail. There is a stretch of rapids just upstream of the Camp Cozy property, and
paddlers could use the launch to paddle upstream or as a take-out location before the Orono
Dam further downstream.
SIGNAGE
Signage is needed at the Camp Cozy property to increase accessibility and add recreational
value. The community expressed this need, and park users would benefit from both trail and
interpretive signage to guide them through the park and provide background information and
orientation to the habitats at Camp Cozy.
77 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Hunting
To manage the population of white-tailed deer, the City of Elk River organizes a controlled
archery hunt in Camp Cozy during the archery season (mid-September to the end of
December). Two hunters are permitted to hunt within Camp Cozy from elevated deer stands.
Since the property will be open to hunting during that period, several measures will need to be
taken to ensure that the property is restored safely.
First, restoration crews will need to be notified that hunting is occurring on the property, and
crews should wear brightly colored clothing to denote their presence. While this is standard for
most contractors, care should be taken to remind them of this during the first and subsequent
site visits. Temporary signage is typically erected at the southern parking area to alert visitors
that hunting is occurring on the property.
Tree Disease (Dutch elm disease, Emerald ash borer, Oak wilt, Bur oak blight)
Dutch Elm Disease and Emerald Ash Borer
There are many elms and large green and black ash trees growing within the oak, terrace and
floodplain forests along the Elk River at the site. These trees are not only ecologically valuable
but are also at high risk to attack from non-native tree pests. Elms are susceptible to Dutch Elm
Disease and Ash are susceptible to Emerald Ash Borer. These tree pests have caused
widespread mortality of elms and ash throughout the eastern United States and in Minnesota.
Dutch Elm disease is a fungal infection caused by the fungus Ceratocystis ulmi, which is native
to Asia and is spread by both native and non-native bark beetles (family: Curculionidae). Once
the fungus is introduced onto a tree, the tree reacts by sealing its own xylem tissues (conduits
of water and nutrients) to prevent further spread. This effectively prevents water and nutrients
from reaching the upper branches, causing gradual die-off as more and more of the xylem is
sealed. Symptoms include a yellowing and browning of leaves that spreads from the outer
crown toward the trunk. Dutch elm disease was first recorded in Minnesota near Monticello in
1961 and has since spread throughout the state. Minnesota relied heavily on American elms
(Ulmus americana) as shade trees on streets, with about 140 million in the state at the time of
the outbreak. The disease is now present in all Minnesota counties, though elms remain an
important component of many Minnesota forests.
Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a non-native wood-boring beetle from Asia that was first identified
in the United States in the summer of 2002. Likely transported from Asia to Michigan in ash
wood used for pallets and other shipping materials, the beetle has now been confirmed in 36
states, including Minnesota. The beetle works by depositing larvae under the bark of the tree;
these larvae then feed on the wood, eventually disrupting enough of the phloem to prevent the
transport of nutrients throughout the tree. While Minnesota’s cold weather can stymie the
spread of the beetle, it continues to spread and is present in Sherburne County and at Camp
Cozy.
78 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
The elms and ash at Camp Cozy are at risk of dying in the near future, and many dead crowns of
green ash can be seen when viewing the canopy of the forested areas. When such large trees
die, it will have a pronounced effect on the understory vegetation and the water in the river.
These trees act to shade the water and provide habitat and improve water quality for fish and
other species. When large trees die, they open the canopy and create gaps, which releases the
understory that was formerly suppressed by the shade from such trees. If desirable species like
native forbs, grasses, sedges, and shrubs exist in the understory, then this can have a positive
effect since the result will probably be a net increase in bank stability and diversity. In the case
of this property, these canopy gaps will likely be filled by buckthorn and Tatarian honeysuckle,
which are poised to take advantage of such a situation. To avoid this undesirable scenario,
active management is recommended. Removal of undesirable shrub species and replacement
with desirable native shrubs and herbaceous plant species is a recommended management
strategy.
For green ash in particular, the situation is particularly important, as this species makes up over
50% of the canopy in many areas of the floodplain forest. The principle of risk is highly
applicable here; risk is often defined as the probability of a negative event weighted by its
consequences. In the case of EAB, the consequences will be large and quite negative, as a loss
of half the canopy on the property could have cascading consequences for invasive species,
water quality, and wildlife. The probability that EAB arrives is high, though it is unclear when
this will occur. While we plan to remove invasive species prior to this occurring, which will
reduce some of the negative consequences, another potential strategy is to proactively remove
the ash from the property. This would be a large undertaking, as the ash would have to be
removed and replaced by other floodplain species. Removal could be contracted to logging
firms, which could potentially fund the work, though the market for ash in the county is
relatively sparse and this technique unlikely to create any profit for the city. Ultimately, removal
should occur once invasive species are removed, and could occur in stages (10-20% per year) to
minimize disturbance to the community. However, removal will realistically have a large
negative impact on the property, especially in floodplain areas and to neighboring trees. The
removal would also have to be timed to minimize impacts on the prairie restoration process.
Advice from the city or county should be solicited when making these decisions.
Oak Wilt and Bur Oak Blight
Oak wilt is an increasingly common tree disease caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum.
While the disease is present in many eastern US states, it is most prevalent in the Midwestern
US. Within Minnesota, it is an issue of serious concern in and around the seven-county metro
area, including in Sherburne County. Oak wilt affects all of Minnesota’s most common oak
species (red oak [Quercus rubra], pin oak [Q. ellipsoidalis], bur oak [Q. macrocarpa], and white
oak [Q. alba]), though it does not affect these species equally. Red and pin oak are the most
susceptible species, with infected individuals wilting in six weeks or less. Bur and white oaks
may take years to wilt completely and may only do so one branch at a time. The fungus can be
transported from tree to tree by sap beetles, but most commonly spreads through root grafts.
The beetles are attracted to the fungal mats created when mature oaks die from oak wilt, and
also to wounds on uninfected oaks, providing a convenient pathway of spread for the fungus.
79 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Oaks commonly form root grafts between individuals, allowing direct transfer of the fungus
from infected to healthy individuals.
The Camp Cozy property has many red and pin oaks, and this increased the likelihood of Oak
wilt infection, as these species are most susceptible. Careful monitoring of individuals will be
necessary to identify and manage infected trees. If infected individuals are found, root barriers
may be installed around those trees using a vibratory plow. Other options include soil
sterilization and inoculation of high value individual trees. Care should also be taken to avoid
injuring trees during the early growing season (April to July), when trees are most susceptible to
the fungal spread. If a tree is injured during this time, covering the wounds is recommended. If
pruning or other activities must be done, waiting for the winter is the safest option.
Bur oak blight (BOB) may be a more serious threat to the oaks on the property. BOB affects only
bur oaks and is most injurious to upland individuals in savanna remnants like at Camp Cozy.
Caused by a species of fungus in the Tubaki genus, BOB causes lesions and discoloration of the
veins on the underside of the leaves, eventually causing large portions of the leaf to die. In
many cases, severe infections will cause tree death, though individual susceptibility to the
disease varies. The fungus can overwinter on leaf petioles that remain attached to trees and is
primarily spread by rain droplets moving spores throughout the tree. Early results suggest that
inoculation of trees with fungicide may help slow or stop the spread of the disease within
individual trees. At Camp Cozy, monitoring existing oaks for symptoms will be an important first
step; moreover, if oaks are planted in the future, it may be beneficial to avoid planting the
variety Q. macrocarpa var. oliviformis, which has shown the most severe susceptibility to BOB.
80 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
INFORMATION SOURCES
Dutch elm disease: https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/dutch-elm-disease
Emerald ash borer: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (2001) Minnesota Land Cover Classification
System. MNDNR. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mlccs/index.html
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (2005) Field Guide to the Native Plant
Communities of Minnesota: The Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province. Ecological Land
Classification Program, Minnesota County Biological Survey, and Natural Heritage and Nongame
Research Program. MNDNR.
Minnesota Geospatial Commons: https://gisdata.mn.gov/
Minnesota Wildflowers, a field guide to the flora of Minnesota:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/page/whats-blooming/april-native-plants
Oak wilt: https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/oak-wilt-minnesota
81 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A. Plant Species Recorded at Camp Cozy
The following plant species were identified at the Camp Cozy property by Friends of the
Mississippi River during four vegetation surveys on May 23, June 26, July 20, and September 14,
2023. N = Native, NN = Non-Native, I = Invasive. Species marked with an “x” are present in that
unit.
PRAIRIE
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4
Groundcover
Tilia americana
American
basswood N x
Celastrus scandens
American
bittersweet N x
Ulmus americana American elm N x
Anemone patens
American
pasqueflower N x
Acer ginnala Amur maple I x
Agastache
foeniculum Anise hyssop N x x
Comandra umbellata Bastard toadflax N x
Carex bebbii Bebb's Sedge N x
Monarda fistulosa Bee balm N x x x x
Andropogon gerardii Big bluestem N x x x x
Lotus corniculatus Birds-foot trefoil I x
Rubus occidentalis Black raspberry N x x
Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed susan N x x
Silene vulgaris Bladder campion NN x
Liatris aspera Rough blazing star N x
Bouteloua gracilis Blue grama N x x
Acer negundo Boxelder N x
Quercus macrocarpa Bur oak N x x x
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed N x x
Solidago canadensis Canada goldenrod N x x
Carex bicknelli Carex bicknellii N x
Delphinium
carolinianum Carolina larkspur N x
82 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4
Physalis heterophylla
Clammy ground
cherry N x x x
Lycopodium Clubmoss sp. N x
Eupatorium
perfoliatum Common boneset N
Rhamnus cathartica
Common
buckthorn I x
Potentilla simplex
Common
cinquefoil N x
Asclepias syriaca
Common
milkweed N x x x x
Verbascum thapsus Common mullein N x x x
Ambrosia
artemisiifolia Common ragweed N x
Achillea millefolium Common yarrow N x x x
Veronicastrum
virginicum Culver's root N x x
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion NN x
Onosmodium
bejariense False gromwell N x
Artemisia campestris Field sagewort N x
Cirsium discolor Field thistle N x
Carex vulpinoidea Fox sedge N x
Tragopogon sp. Goat's beard NN x
Ratibida pinnata
Gray-headed
coneflower N x x
Hypericum ascyron
Great St.
Johnswort N x x
Fraxinus
pennsylvanica Green ash N x
Smilax sp. Greenbrier N x
Hieracium
longipilum Hairy hawkweed N x
Vicia villosa Hairy vetch NN x x
Campanula
rotundifolia Harebell N
Symphyotrichum
ericoides Heath aster N x x
Berteroa incana Hoary alyssum N x x x x
83 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4
Verbena stricta Hoary vervain N x x x
Equisetum sp. Horsetail N x x x x
Sorghastrum nutans Indian grass N x x
Carex eburnea Ivory sedge N x
Koeleria macrantha Junegrass N x
Bromus kalmii Kalm's brome N x x
Poa pratensis
Kentucky
bluegrass I x
Scrophularia
lanceolata Lance-leaf figwort N x
Penstemon
grandiflorus
Large-flowered
beardtongue N x x
Amorpha canescens Leadplant N x
Schizachyrium
scoparium Little bluestem N x x x x
Cerastium fontanum
Mouse-ear
chickweed N x
Hesperostipa
comata
Needle-and-
thread grass N x x x
Oenothera parviflora
Northern evening
primrose N x
Asclepias ovalifolia
Oval-leaved
milkweed N x
Anaphalis
margaritacea Pearly everlasting N x
Toxicodendron
rydbergii Poison ivy N x x
Asclepias exaltata Poke milkweed N x
Hesperostipa
spartea Porcupine grass N x x
Sisyrinchium
campestre
Prairie blue-eyed
grass N x
Sporobolus
heterolepis Prairie dropseed N x
Erigeron strigosus Prairie fleabane N x x x
Artemisia frigida Prairie sagewort N x x
Geum triflorum Prairie smoke N x
Tradescantia
occidentalis Prairie spiderwort N x x
84 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4
Zanthoxylum
americanum Prickly ash N x x
Dalea purpurea
Purple prairie
clover N x x
Vicia americana Purple vetch N x
Antennaria sp. Pussytoes N x x
Populus tremuloides Quaking aspen N x x
Quercus rubra Red oak N x
Phalaris arundinacea Reed canary grass I x
Vitis riparia Riverbank grape N x
Streptopus
lanceolatus Rose twisted-stalk N x
Lespedeza capitata
Round-headed
bush clover N x x x
Dichanthelium
scribnerianum
Scribner's panic
grass N x x x x
Prunella vulgaris Self-heal N x x
Carex brevior Short-beak Sedge N x
Desmodium
canadense Showy tick-trefoil N x
Ulmus pumila Siberian elm N x
Bouteloua
curtipendula Side-oats grama NN x
Cyperus lupulinus Slender nutsedge N x
Symphyotrichum
laeve Smooth blue aster x
Heliopsis
helianthoides Smooth oxeye N x
Rhus glabra Smooth sumac N x x
Hypericum sp St. Johnswort N x
Solidago rigida Stiff goldenrod N x x
Helianthus
pauciflorus Stiff sunflower N x
Potentilla recta Sulphur cinquefoil NN x
Panicum virgatum Switchgrass N x x
Thalictrum
dasycarpum Tall meadow rue N x
Anemone virginiana Tall thimbleweed N x
85 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4
Lonicera tatarica
Tatarian
honeysuckle I x
Anemone cylindrica Thimbleweed N x x
Cirsium sp. Unknown thistle x x
Viola sp. Violet N x
Clematis virginiana Virgin's bower N x
Parthenocissus
quinquefolia Virginia creeper N x
Ambrosia
psilostachya Western ragweed N x
Silene latifolia White campion NN x
Quercus alba White oak N x
Dalea candida
White prairie
clover N x x
Geranium
maculatum Wild geranium N x
Lupinus perennis Wild lupine N x
Rosa arkansana Wild rose N x
Fragaria virginiana Wild strawberry N x
Oxalis stricta
Yellow wood
sorrel N x
Understory/shrub
layer
Populus tremuloides Quaking aspen N x
Rhamnus cathartica
Common
buckthorn I x x
Prunus pensylvanica Pin cherry N x
Zanthoxylum
americanum Prickly ash N x x
Juniperus virginiana Eastern red cedar N x
Quercus rubra Northern red oak N x
Pinus resinosa Red pine N x
Ulmus pumila Siberian elm I x x
Spiraea sp. Spiraea N x
Rhus glabra Smooth sumac N x x x
Lonicera tatarica
Tatarian
Honeysuckle I x
Quercus alba White oak N x
86 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4
Salix sp. Willow N x
Canopy, subcanopy
Acer negundo Boxelder N x
Quercus macrocarpa Bur oak N x
Juniperus virginiana Eastern red cedar N x
Fraxinus
pennsylvanica Green ash N x
Thuja occidentalis White cedar N x
Quercus rubra Northern red oak N x x
Ulmus pumila Siberian elm I x
Quercus alba White oak N x
OAK FOREST
Scientific name Common name Status
Unit
5
Unit
6
Groundcover Rubus occidentalis Black raspberry N x x
Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot N x x
Solidago canadensis Canada goldenrod N x x
Maianthemum canadense Canada mayflower N x x
Maianthemum canadense Canada mayflower N x x
Aquilegia canadensis Columbine N x
Rhamnus cathartica Common buckthorn I x x
Hemerocallis fulva Day Lily NN x
Maianthemum racemosum False-solomon's seal N x x
Scrophularia sp. Figwort N x x
Chamaenerion angustifolium Fireweed N x
Smilax sp. Greenbrier N x x
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry N x
Equisetum sp. Horsetail N x x
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-pulpit N x x
Athyrium filix-femina Lady fern N x x
Syringa sp. Lilac NN x
Carex pedunculata Long-stalked sedge N x x
Viburnum opulus American highbush cranberry N x x
Ribes missouriense Missouri gooseberry N x x
87 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status
Unit
5
Unit
6
Galium boreale Northern bedstraw N x x
Carex pensylvanica Pennsylvania sedge N x x
Desmodium glutinosum Pointed-leaf tick trefoil N x
Toxicodendron rydbergii Poison ivy N x x
Phalaris arundinacea Reed canary grass I x
Vitis riparia Riverbank grape N x x
Streptopus lanceolatus Rose twisted-stalk N x x
Bromus inermis Smooth brome I x x
Polygonatum biflorum Smooth Solomon's seal N x
Maianthemum stellatum Starry false Solomon's seal N x
Carex rosea Starry sedge N x x
Osmorhiza claytonii Sweet Cicely N x
Drymocallis arguta Tall cinquefoil N x x
Thalictrum dasycarpum Tall meadow rue N x x
Anemone cylindrica Thimbleweed N x x
Clematis virginiana Virgin's Bower N x x
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper N x x
Hackelia virginiana Virginia stickseed N x x
Hydrophyllum virginianum Virginia waterleaf N x x
Elymus virginicus Virginia wild rye N x
Geum canadense White avens N x
Actaea pachypoda White baneberry N x x
Lysimachia quadrifolia Whorled loosestrife N x
Aquilegia canadensis Wild columbine N x x
Geranium maculatum Wild geranium N x x
Fragaria virginiana Wild strawberry N x
Laportea canadensis Wood nettle N x x
Solidago flexicaulis Zigzag goldenrod N x x
Understory/shrub layer Acer ginnala Amur maple I x
Prunus serotina Black cherry N x
Acer negundo Boxelder N x
Rhamnus cathartica Common buckthorn I x x
Hesperis matronalis Dames rocket I x x
Cornus racemosa Gray dogwood N x x
Zanthoxylum americanum Prickly ash N x x
Populus tremuloides Quaking aspen N x x
Cornus sericea Red-osier dogwood N x
Quercus bicolor Swamp white oak N x x
88 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status
Unit
5
Unit
6
Lonicera tatarica Tatarian Honeysuckle I x x
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper N x
Rosa arkansana Wild rose N x
Menispermum canadense Canada moonseed N x
Canopy, subcanopy Tilia americana American basswood N x x
Quercus macrocarpa Bur oak N x x
Juniperus virginiana Eastern red cedar N x
Populus deltoides Cottonwood N x
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry N x x
Quercus ellipsoidalis Pin oak N x
Populus tremuloides Quaking aspen N x x
Quercus rubra Northern red oak N x x
Acer saccharinum Silver maple N x x
Salix sp. Willow N x
TERRACE FOREST
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 7
Groundcover
Carex stipata Awl-fruited sedge N x
Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot N x
Iris versicolor Blueflag iris N x
Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas fern* N x
Plantago major Common plantain NN x
Glechoma hederacea Creeping charlie I x
Glyceria striata Fowl manna grass N x
Alliaria petiolata Garlic mustard I x
Solidago sp. Goldenrod sp. N x
Carex lupulina Hop sedge N x
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-pulpit N x
Carex retorsa Retrose sedge N x
Leersia oryzoides Rice cutgrass N x
Vitis riparia Riverbank grape N x
Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive fern N x
Persicaria sp. Smartweed N x
Urtica dioica Stinging nettle N x
89 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status
Unit
5
Unit
6
Laportea canadensis Wood nettle N x
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper N x
Hackelia virginiana Virginia stickseed N x
Hydrophyllum virginianum Virginia waterleaf N x
Understory/shrub layer
Rhamnus cathartica Common buckthorn I x
Ribes missouriense Missouri gooseberry N x
Cornus sericea Red osier dogwood N x
Canopy, subcanopy
Acer negundo Boxelder N x
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry N x
Quercus rubra Northern red oak N x
Acer saccharinum Silver maple N x
Quercus alba White oak N x
FLOODPLAIN FOREST
Scientific name Common name Status Unit 8
Groundcover Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot N x
Iris versicolor Blueflag iris N x
Sagittaria latifolia Broad-leaf arrowhead N x
Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas fern* N x
Glechoma hederacea Creeping charlie I x
Alliaria petiolata Garlic mustard I x
Smilax sp. Greenbrier N x
Solidago sp. Goldenrod sp. N x
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-pulpit N x
Zanthoxylum americanum Prickly ash N x
Leersia oryzoides Rice cutgrass N x
Vitis riparia Riverbank grape N x
Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive fern N x
Equisetum laevigatum Smooth scouring rush N x
Urtica dioica Stinging nettle N x
Parthenocissus quiquefolia Virginia creeper N x
Geranium maculatum Wild geranium N x
90 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Scientific name Common name Status
Unit
5
Unit
6
Laportea canadensis Wood nettle N x
Understory/shrub layer Rhamnus cathartica Common buckthorn I x
Cornus sericea Red osier dogwood N x
Canopy, subcanopy Acer negundo Boxelder N x
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry N x
Quercus rubra Northern red oak N x
Acer saccharinum Silver maple N x
Quercus alba White oak N x
*State Endangered
91 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
APPENDIX B. MN DNR Native Plant Communities and Recommended Plant Species
The following plant, shrub and tree species are included in the Field Guide to the Native Plant
Communities of Minnesota: The Eastern Broadleaf Forest (DNR 2005). They are representative
of each native plant community. Not all species are readily available from the nursery industry.
Some species are not suited for restoration in areas with human use (i.e., poison ivy)
UNITS 1 and 2: Southern Dry Prairie (UPs13)
UPs13b Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern) does not include its own species list
UPs13 description: Grass-dominated herbaceous communities on level to steeply sloping sites with
droughty soils. Moderate growing-season moisture deficits occur most years, and severe moisture deficits
are frequent, especially during periodic regional droughts. Historically, fires probably occurred every few
years.
UPs13b Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern) description: Graminoid-dominated, forb-rich herbaceous
communities on coarse-textured, usually gravelly soils on gentle or occasionally steep slopes on outwash and
ice-contact deposits. Soils are characterized by mollic epipedons. UPs13b shares many species with UPs13c
and 13d that are rare in UPs13a; species with this pattern that are most common in UPs13b are side-oats
grama, plains muhly, and prairie dropseed. Less common species include needle-and-thread grass (Stipa
comata), silky aster, bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata), tall cinquefoil (Potentilla arguta), stiff
goldenrod, and aromatic aster (Aster oblongifolius). Species shared with UPs13a but rare in UPs13c and
UPs13d are sand reedgrass, sand dropseed, western ragwort, and large-flowered beard tongue (Penstemon
grandiflorus). Sage wormwood is most common in UPs13b but is sometimes also present in UPs13a. Field
chickweed (Cerastium arvense) and thread-leaved sedge (Carex filifolia) are occasionally present in UPs13b
and rare in the other types in this class. Terricolous lichens are sometimes common and are distinctive of
UPs13b. UPs13b has been documented at numerous locations in the PPL, MIM, and CGP and at two locations
in the southern part of the RRV just outside of the MIM. Description is based on summary of vegetation data
from 86 plots.
Forbs
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Anemone cylindrica Long-headed thimbleweed Liatris punctata Dotted blazing star
Antennaria spp. Pussytoes Liatris cylindracea Cylindric blazing star
Aquilegia canadensis Columbine Linum sulcatum Grooved yellow flax
Asclepias verticillata Whorled milkweed Lobelia spicata Rough-spiked Lobelia
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly-weed Lysimachia ciliate Fringed loosestrife
Asclepias viridiflora Green milkweed Mirabilis hirsute Hairy four-o'clock
Asclepias syriaca Common milkweed Monad fistulas Wild bergamot
Aster sericeus Silky aster Another biennia Common evening-primrose
Aster Oolentan-giensis Sky-blue aster Oenothera clelandii Cleland's evening-primrose
92 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
Aster ericoides Heath aster Oxalis violacea Violet wood-sorrel
Aster laevis Smooth aster Pediomelum esculentum Prairie-turnip
Astragalus Crassi-carpus Buffalo-bean Pediomelum argophyllum Silvery scurf-pea
Calylophus serrulata Toothed evening primrose Penstemon grandiflorus Large-flowered beard-
tongue
Campanula rotundifolia Harebell Physalis virginiana Ground-cherry
Coreopsis palmata Stiff tickseed Potentilla arguta Tall cinquefoil
Dalea purpurea Purple prairie-clover Pycnanthemum virginianum Virginia mountain-mint
Dalea candida White prairie-clover Scutellaria leonardi Leonard's skullcap
Delphinium carolini-anum Prairie larkspur Senecio plattensis Prairie ragwort
Desmodium illinoense Illinois tick-trefoil Silene antirrhina Sleepy catchfly
Euphorbia corollata Flowering spurge Sisyrinchium campestre Field blue-eyed grass
Gnaphalium Obtuse-folium Sweet everlasting Solidago nemoralis Gray goldenrod
Helianthemum bicknellii Hoary frostweed Solidago rigida Stiff goldenrod
Helianthus pauciflorus Stiff sunflower Solidago speciosa Showy goldenrod
Heuchera richardsonii Alum-root Tradescantia occidentalis Western spiderwort
Hypericum perforatum Common St. John's-wort Viola pedatifida Prairie bird-foot violet
Kuhnia eupato-roides False boneset Viola pedata Bird-foot violet
Lespedeza capitata Round-headed bush-clover Zizia aptera Heart-leaved alexanders
Liatris aspera Rough blazing star Liatris cylindracea Cylindric blazing star
Grasses and Sedges
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Andropogon gerardii Big bluestem Panicum oligosanthes Few-flowered panic grass
Bouteloua curtipendula Side-oats grama Panicum wilcoxianum Wilcox's panic grass
Bouteloua hirsuta Hairy grama Panicum perlongum Long-leaved panic grass
Calamovilfa longifolia Sand reed-grass Panicum linearifolium Linnear-leaved panic grass
Carex pensylvanica Sunshine sedge Panicum leibergii Leiberg's panic grass
Cyperus schweinitzii Schweinitz' cyperus Schizachyrium scoparium Little bluestem
Cyperus lupulinus Hop-like cyperus Sorghastrum nutans Indian grass
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Elymus wiegandii Canada wild rye Sporobolus heterolepis Prairie dropseed
Eragrostis spectabilis Purple lovegrass Sporobolus asper Rough dropseed
Muhlenbergia cuspidata Plains muhly Stipa spartea Porcupine-grass
Shrubs
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Rosa cmx Smooth wild rose Amorpha canescens Lead-plant
UNITS 3 and 4: Southern Mesic Prairie (UPs23)
Ups23 description: Grass-dominated but forb-rich herbaceous communities on somewhat poorly drained to
well-drained loam soils mainly formed in unsorted glacial till, sometimes in a thin loess layer over till, and
locally in lacustrine sediments and outwash deposits. Communities in this class occur primarily on level to
gently rolling sites. Drought stress is irregular in occurrence and usually not severe.
Forbs
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Allium stellatum Prairie wild onion Allium canadense Wild Garlic
Anemone cylindrica Long-headed thimbleweed Anemone virginiana Virginia Thimbleweed
Anemone candensis Canada anemone Antennaria spp. Pussytoes
Apocynum
androsaemifolium Spreading dogbane Artemisia frigida Prairie Sagewort
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed Asclepias syriaca Common milkweed
Aster oolentangiensis Skyblue aster Aster ericoides Heath aster
Aster lanceolatum Panicled Aster Aster novae-angliae New England Aster
Aster laevis Smooth blue aster Astragalus canadensis Canada Milkvetch
Campanula rotundifolia Harebell Chryysopsis villosa Prairie golden Aster
Comandra umbellata var.
umbellata Bastard toadflax Coreopsis palmata Stiff Tickseed
Dalea purpurea var.
purpurea Purple prairie clover Dalea candida White prairie clover
Desmodium canadense Canada tick trefoil Euphorbia corollata Flowering Spurge
Euthamia graminfolia Grass-leaved goldenrod Fragaria virginiana Common strawberry
Galium boreale Northern bedstraw Gantiana balingtoni Closed Gentian
Geum triflorum Prairie Smoke Helenium autumnale Autumn Sneezeweed
Helianthus maximiliani Maximilian's sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus Stiff sunflower
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Heliopsis helianthoides var.
scabra Ox-eye Heuchera richardsonii Alumroot
Lathyrus venosus Veiny Pea Lespedeza capitata Round-headed Bush-clover
Liatris aspera Rough blazing star Liatris ligulistylis Northern plains blazing star
Liatris pycnostachya Gay Feather Lilium philadelphicum var.
andinum Wood lily
Lobelia spicata Rough Spiked Lobelia Mirabilis hirsuta Hairy four o’clock
Monarda fistulosa Wild bergamot Oenothera biennis Common evening-primrose
Pedicularis canadensis Wood betony Phlox pilosa var. fulgida Prairie phlox
Physalis heterophylia Clammy Ground-cherry Polygala polygala Racemed milkwort
Potentilla arguta Tall cinquefoil Pycnanthemum
virginianum Virginia mountain mint
Ratibida pinnata Gray-headed coneflower Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan
Sisyrinchium compestre Field blue-eyed grass Smilacina stellata Starry False Solomon Seal
Smilacina racemosum False Solomon’s Seal Solidago nemoralis Gray goldenrod
Solidago missouriensis Missouri goldenrod Solidago ptarmicoides Upland White Aster
Solidago speciosa Showy goldenrod Thalictrum dasycarpum Tall meadow-rue
Tradescantia bracteata Bracted Spiderwort Veronicastrum virginicum Culver’s Root
Vicia americana American vetch Viola pedata Prairie Bird-foot Violet
Zizia aptera Heart-leaved alexanders Artemisia campestris Tall wormwood
Grasses, Rushes, and Sedges
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Andropogon gerardii Big bluestem Bromus kalmii Kalm’s Brome
Carex bicknellii Bicknell’s Sedge Carex muehlenbergii Muhlenberg’s Sedge
Carex meadii Mead’s Sedge Carex tenera Remote Sedge
Elymus canadensis Canada Wild Rye Elymus trachycaulus Slender wheatgrass
Eragrostis spectabilis Purple Lovegrass Muhlenbergia mexicana Mexican satin-grass
Panicum oligosanthes Few-flowered Panic grass Panicum virgatum Switchgrass
Panicum perlongum Long-leaved panic grass Schizachyrium scoparium
var. scoparium Little bluestem
Sorghastrum nutans Indian grass Sporobolus heterolepis Prairie dropseed
Stipa spartea Porcupine grass
Semi-Shrubs (Generally common)
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Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Amorpha canescens Leadplant (generally
common) Rosa arkansana Prairie rose
Shrubs (Occasional)
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Symphoricarpos
occidentalis Wolfberry
Shrubs (Rare)
Cornus racemosa Grey Dogwood Corylus americana American Hazelnut
UNITS 5 and 6: Southern-Mesic Oak-Basswood Forest (MHs38)
MHs38b Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest does not include its own species list
MHs38 description: Mesic hardwood or, occasionally, hardwood-conifer forests. Present on wind-
deposited silt on bedrock bluffs, on calcareous till on rolling till plains, and, rarely, in association
with natural fire breaks in prairie landscapes or on weakly calcareous till on stagnation moraines.
MHs38b Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest description: Mesic hardwood forests on
hummocky topography or near lakes on till plains and stagnation moraines; slopes are generally
not steep. Canopy most often is dominated by basswood, bur oak, or green ash, with northern red
oak abundant in a few stands. Subcanopy and shrub layer have abundant ironwood with occasional
basswood. In general, MHs38b can often be distinguished from the other types in this class by the
presence of abundant green ash in the canopy and abundant Virginia waterleaf in the ground layer.
It is further distinguished from MHs38c by lower frequency of northern red oak and almost
complete lack of sugar maple in the canopy. Additional species that can help to distinguish MHs38b
include snowberry or wolfberry (Symphoricarpos albus or S. occidentalis), starry false Solomon’s
seal (Smilacina stellata), and nodding trillium (Trillium cernuum). MHs38b has been documented in
the MIM, CGP, and RRV. Description is based on summary of vegetation data from 43 plots.
Forbs
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Actaea rubra Red Baneberry Allium tricoccum Wild leek
Amphicarpaea bracteata Hog-peanut Anemone quinquefolia Wood anemone
Anemone acutilobe Sharp-lobed hepatica Anemone americana Round-leaved hepatica
Aplectrum hyemale Putty-root Apocynum
androsaemfolium Spreading dogbane
Aquilegia canadensis Columbine Aralia nudicaulis Wild sarsaparilla
Aralia racemosa American spikenard Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in the-pulpit
Asarum canadense Wild Ginger Asclepias exaltata Poke Milkweed
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Aster cordifolius Heart-leaved Aster Aster macrophylius Large-leaved aster
Aster lateriflorus Side-flowering Aster Aster sagittifolus Tall-leaved aster
Campanula americana Tall bellflower Campanula rotundifolia Harebel
Cardamine concatenata Cut-leaved toothwort Caulophyllum thalictroides Blue Cohosh
Cryptotaenia canadensis Honewort Desmodium glutinosum pointed-leaved tick-trefoil
Dicentra cucullania Dutchman’s Breeches Dioscorea vilosa Wild Yam
Eupatorium rugosum Common Snakeroot Fragaria virginiari Common Strawberry
Galium boreale Northern bedstraw Geranium maculatum Wild Geranium
Helianthus pauciflorus Stiff sunflower Lilium michiganense Michigan lily
Maianthemum canadense Canada mayflower Orchis spectabilis Showy orchis
Osmorhiza claytonii Clayton’s sweet cicely Pedicularis canadnesis Wood betony
Phlox divancata Blue Phlox Phryma leptostachya lopseed
Polygonatum biflorum Giant Solomon’s Seal Pyrola elliptica Common pyrola
Rudbeckia lacinata Goldenglow Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot
Smilacina racemosa False Solomon’s seal Solidago flexicaulis Zig-zag goldenrod
Strophostyles helvola Wild bean Thalictrum dioicum Early Meadow-rue
Thalictrum thalictroides Rue-anemone Trillium cernuum Nodding trillium
Trillium grandiflorum Large-flowered trillium Uvularia grandifloria Yelloe belwort
Uvularia sessilifolia Pale belwort Uvularia virginicum Culver’s root
Grasses and Sedges
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Carex pedunculata Long-stalked sedge Carex pensylvanica Pennsylvania sedge
Carex blanda Charming Sedge Carex gracilima Graceful sedge
Carex deweyana Dewey’s Sedge Carex sprengelli Sprengel’s Sedge
Carex radiata Stellate Sedge Carex rosea Rolled-up sedge
Elymus hystrix Bottlebrush grass Elymus virginicus Virginia Wild Rye
Festuca subverticullata Nodding fescue Leersia virginica White grass
Cryzopsis racemosa Black-fruited rice-grass Cryzopsis asperfolia Mountain rice-grass
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Schizachne purpurascens False Melic grass
Ferns
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Athyrium filix-femina Lady fern Adiantum pedatum Maidenhair fern
Cismunda claytonia Interrupted Fern
Vines
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Celastrus scadens Climbing bittersweet Lonicera prolifera Grape honeysckle
Shrubs
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Amelanchier cmx. Juneberry Cornus alternifolia Pagoda dogwood
Cornus racemosa Gray dogwood Corylus cornuta Beaked Hazelnut
Corylus americana American Hazelnut Diervilla lonicera Bush honeysuckle
Lonicera dioica Wild honeysuckle Prunus virginiana Chokecherry
Sambucus canadensis Common Elder Sambucus racemosa Red-berried elder
Staphylea trifolia Bladdernut Symphoricarpos cmx Snowberry
Vibernum rafinesquianum Downy arrow-wood Vibernum lentago Nannyberry
Vibernum opolus High-bush cranberry Zanthoxylum americanum Prickly Ash
Trees
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Acer saccharum Sugar Maple Betula papyrifera Paper birch
Carpimus caroiniaria Blue Beech Carya cordiformes Bitternut hickory
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry Ostrya virginiana Ironwood
Populus tremuloides Quaking Aspen Populus grandidentata Big-tooth Aspen
Prunus serotina Black cherry Quercus rubra Northern red oak
Quercus alba White oak Quercus macrocarpa Bur oak
Tillia Americana American Basswood
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UNITS 7: Southern Terrace Forest (FFs59)
FFs59a Silver Maple - Green Ash - Cottonwood Terrace Forest does not include its own species list
FFs59 description: Wet-mesic deciduous forests on silty or sandy alluvium on level, occasionally
flooded sites along small streams to large rivers in the southern half of Minnesota.
FFs59a Silver Maple - Green Ash - Cottonwood Terrace Forest description: Present on terraces of
medium to large rivers. The most common canopy trees are American elm, silver maple, box elder,
and green ash, with occasional cottonwood and hackberry. Most of these species are also
important in the understory. Important shrubs include wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus), red-
berried elder (Sambucus racemosa), hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), and prickly gooseberry (Ribes
cynosbati). Important ground-layer species include Ontario aster (Aster ontarionis), jack-in-the-
pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), Maryland black snakeroot (Sanicula marilandica), Clayton’s sweet
cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii), early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum), and virgin’s bower (Clematis
virginiana). Documented in the Blufflands Subsection in the PPL and in the Anoka Sand Plain and
Oak Savanna Subsections in the MIM. Description is based on summary of vegetation data from 13
plots.
Forbs, Ferns and Fern Allies
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Laportea canadensis Wood nettle Hydrophyllum virginianum Virginia waterleaf
Impatiens spp. Touch-me-not Rudbeckia laciniata Tall coneflower
Urtica dioica Stinging nettle Galium aparine Cleavers
Cryptotaenia canadensis Honewort Geum canadense White avens
Osmorhiza longistylis Aniseroot Phlox divaricata Blue phlox
Polygonum virginianum Virginia knotweed Viola sororia
and similar Viola spp. Stemless blue violets
Smilax ecirrata, S.
herbacea, or S. illinoensis
Erect, Smooth, or Illinois
carrion-flower Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-pulpit
Viola canadensis or V.
pubescens Rugulose or Yellow violet Enemion biternatum False rue anemone
Pilea spp. Clearweed Ranunculus hispidus Hispid buttercup
Circaea lutetiana Common enchanter’s
nightshade Aster ontarionis Ontario aster
Sanicula gregaria Gregarious black snakeroot Sanicula marilandica Maryland black snakeroot
Heracleum lanatum Cow parsnip Galium triflorum Sweet-scented bedstraw
Osmorhiza claytonii Clayton’s sweet cicely Amphicarpaea bracteata Hog peanut
Blephilia hirsuta Woodmint Thalictrum dioicum Early meadow-rue
Smilacina stellata Starry false Solomon’s seal Mertensia virginica Virginia bluebells
Matteuccia struthiopteris Ostrich fern Geranium maculatum Wild geranium
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Grasses and Sedges
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Elymus virginicus Virginia wild rye Carex amphibola Ambiguous sedge
Carex blanda Bland sedge Festuca subverticillata Nodding fescue
Leersia virginica White grass Carex rosea Starry sedge
Carex grayi Gray’s sedge
Woody Vines
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Parthenocissus spp. Virginia creeper Vitis riparia Wild grape
Smilax tamnoides Greenbrier Menispermum canadense Canada moonseed
Shrubs
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Ribes missouriense Missouri gooseberry Zanthoxylum americanum Prickly ash
Sambucus canadensis Common elder Prunus virginiana Chokecherry
Toxicodendron rydbergii Poison ivy Viburnum lentago Nannyberry
Ribes cynosbati Prickly gooseberry Crataegus spp. Hawthorn
Trees
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Ulmus americana American elm Acer negundo Box elder
Acer saccharinum Silver maple Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green ash
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry Tilia americana Basswood
Populus deltoides Cottonwood Fraxinus nigra Black ash
Ulmus rubra Red elm Quercus bicolor Swamp white oak
Carya cordiformis Bitternut hickory Juglans nigra Black walnut
UNITS 7: Southern Floodplain Forest (FFs68)
FFs68 description: Deciduous riparian forests on sandy or silty alluvium on low, level, annually
flooded sites along medium and large rivers in the southern half of Minnesota. Community is
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characterized by evidence of recent flooding such as rows and piles of debris, ice scars on trees,
high-water channels, and freshly deposited silt and sand.
Forbs, Ferns and Fern Allies
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Laportea canadensis Wood nettle Cryptotaenia canadensis Honewort
Aster ontarionis Ontario aster Scutellaria lateriflora Mad dog skullcap
Bidens spp. Bur marigold and
Beggarticks Ranunculus abortivus Kidney-leaved buttercup
Impatiens spp. Touch-me-not Rudbeckia laciniata Tall coneflower
Stachys tenuifolia Narrow-leaved hedge
nettle Boehmeria cylindrica False nettle
Echinocystis lobata Wild cucumber Hackelia deflexa or
H. virginiana
Nodding or Virginia
stickseed
Lycopus uniflorus Northern bugleweed Aster lateriflorus Side-flowering aster
Cuscuta spp. Dodder Campanula americana Tall bellflower
Teucrium canadense Germander Sicyos angulatus Bur cucumber
Stachys palustris Woundwort Lycopus americanus Cut-leaved bugleweed
Aster lanceolatus Eastern panicled aster Arisaema dracontium Green dragon
Eupatorium rugosum White snakeroot Viola sororia and similar
Viola spp. Stemless blue violets
Mentha arvensis Common mint Acalypha rhomboidea Three-seeded mercury
Urtica dioica Stinging nettle Iris virginica Southern blue flag
Polygonum virginianum Virginia knotweed Smilax ecirrata, S.
herbacea, or S. illinoensis
Erect, Smooth, or Illinois
carrion-flower
Pilea spp. Clearweed
Grasses and Sedges
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Elymus virginicus Virginia wild rye Carex amphibola Ambiguous sedge
Leersia oryzoides Rice cut grass Carex lupulina Hop umbrella sedge
Leersia virginica White grass Carex typhina Cattail sedge
Carex grayi Gray’s sedge Carex intumescens Bladder sedge
Cinna arundinacea Stout woodreed
Climbing Plants
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Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Parthenocissus spp. Virginia creeper Vitis riparia Wild grape
Smilax tamnoides Greenbrier Menispermum canadense Canada moonseed
Toxicodendron rydbergii Climbing poison ivy
Shrubs
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Toxicodendron rydbergii Climbing poison ivy Salix nigra Black willow
Trees
Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name
Ulmus americana American elm Acer negundo Box elder
Acer saccharinum Silver maple Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green ash
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry Quercus bicolor Swamp white oak
Populus deltoides Cottonwood Ulmus rubra Red elm
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APPENDIX C. Methods for controlling non-native and invasive plant species
TREES and SHRUBS
Common buckthorn (Rhamus cathartica), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), Siberian elm
(Ulmus pumila), and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) are some of the most common woody
species likely to invade native woodlands or prairies in Minnesota. All are prolific seeders, lack
natural disease and predators, and can out-compete native species. Invasions result in dense,
impenetrable thickets or nearly monotypic stands that reduces native species diversity.
Biological Control
Currently, there are no biological control agents for non-native woody plants in Minnesota. An
11-year study conducted by the DNR and the University of MN resulted in the conclusion that
there were no viable biological control agents for common or glossy buckthorn, based in part
on the lack of damage to the host plants and a lack of host specificity
(http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/buckthorn/biocontrol.html).
Chemical Control
The most efficient way to remove woody plants that are 1/2 inch or more in diameter is to cut
the stems close to the ground and treat the cut stumps with herbicide immediately after they
are cut, when the stumps are fresh, and the chemicals are most readily absorbed. Failure to
treat the stumps will result in resprouting, creating much greater removal difficulty. Herbicide
should be applied to cut stumps with a dauber or sponge-type applicator, to minimize effects to
non-target species.
In non-freezing temperatures, a triclopyr (e.g., Garlon 3a) or glyphosate (e.g Roundup)
herbicide is typically used. Adding a marker dye can help to make treated stumps more visible.
In winter months, Garlon 4 is typically used, and it must be mixed with a penetrating oil, such as
diluent blue. Do not use diesel fuel, as it is much more toxic in the environment and for
humans. For plants in the pea family, such as black locust, an herbicide with the active
ingredient clopyralid is used. Common brand names for are Transline, Stinger, and Reclaim.
Brush removal work can be done at any time of year except during spring sapflow, but late fall
is often ideal because buckthorn retains its leaves longer than other species and is more readily
distinguished from other species. Cutting can be accomplished with brush cutters and
chainsaws, used only by properly trained professionals.
Basal bark herbicide treatment is another effective control method for invasive woody plants,
especially moderately large stems. A triclopyr herbicide such as 10% Garlon 4, mixed with a
penetrating oil, is applied all around the base of the tree or shrub, taking care so that it does
not run off. If the herbicide runs off it can kill other plants nearby. More herbicide is needed for
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effective treatment of plants that are four inches or more in diameter. Herbicide should be
applied with daubers to avoid non-target impacts.
Mechanical Control
The most common method of mechanical control of woody plants is forestry mowing. Forestry
mowing should be done on frozen ground. It is best done with little or no snow cover. The
critical factor is that the mower must get down to the soil surface as much as possible, even
scuffing the soil slightly, so that the mower is chewing up the root collar of the invasive woody
plants. It requires going back and forth over an area, leaving no punji sticks, and cut debris
should be well mulched.
Hand removal of plants by hand-pulling small plants or using weed wrenches may be suitable
for very small, targeted areas or a home setting, but is generally not suitable for a large-scale
project.
Undesirable trees and shrubs can also be destroyed by girdling. This method is most suitable for
small numbers of large trees. Bark is removed in a band around the tree, just to the cambium. If
girdled too deeply, the tree will respond by resprouting from the roots. Girdled trees die slowly
over the course of one to two years. Girdling should be done in late spring to mid-summer
when sap is flowing and the bark easily peels away from the sapwood. Herbicide can also be
used in combination with girdling for a more effective treatment.
Repeated cutting of woody plants (by hand or with a brush cutter) at critical stages in its growth
cycle is another method to reduce smaller stems. Stems are cut in mid-spring (late May) to
intercepts the flow of nutrients from the roots to the leaves and cut again in fall (about late-
September) to intercepts the flow of nutrients from the leaves to the roots. If repeated for two
years or more, this method will reduce small stems, especially if they are in deep shade. But it
will also take out some other native woody and herbaceous plants and it ends up being quite
costly, so it is generally not used on large sites.
Goats can also be used for mechanical control by browsing. The optimal timing late summer
and/or late spring. As with cutting, it can help reduce buckthorn with repeated use over many
years and is most successful where there is a dense tree canopy. It is best used in combination
with other methods.
Stems, Seedlings and Resprouts
In the year following initial cutting, there will be a flush of new seedlings as well as resprouting
from some of the cut plants. A good first step to deal with seedlings is fire. It also restores an
important natural process to fire-dependant natural communities (e.g., oak forests). Burning
can only be accomplished if adequate fuel (leaf litter) is present and can be done in late fall or
early spring, depending on site conditions and in compliance with Section 7 guidance of the
USFWS to avoid and minimize potential impacts to rusty patched bumble bee. Disadvantages to
burning are that fire coverage is inconsistent over the site and there will be areas that are
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missed. Fires are typically “cool” in order to be conducted safely, so that even very small stems
sometimes survive and resprout.
When burning is not feasible or not totally effective, herbicide can be applied to the foliage of
the plants. Early to mid-fall is the best time to do this, when desirable native plants are mostly
dormant and when the target plant is pulling resources from the leaves down into the roots.
Garlon (triclopyr) is the most commonly used herbicides for foliar application. As with any
herbicide, caution should be used with Garlon, because the surfactants added that allow it to
penetrate bark also seep into the soil and may affect other plants within a radius of the treated
plant. Herbicides are also known to be detrimental to soil microorganisms, which are vital for
plant growth. For this reason, a wick application may be a better method than broadcast
spraying, depending on what the groundcover composition is. Krenite (active ingredient –
fosamine ammonium) is another herbicide that prevents bud formation, so the plants do not
grow in the spring. This herbicide can be effective, but results are highly variable.
Disposal
If removing stems using some form of cut-and-paint removal, the easiest and most cost-
effective method to handle large amounts of brush is usually to stack and burn it in winter. In
areas where brush is not dense, it can be cut up into smaller pieces and left on the ground
where it will decompose in one to three years. This method is especially useful on slopes to
reduce erosion potential. Small brush piles can also be left in the woods as wildlife habitat piles.
Where there is an abundance of larger trees, cut trees may be hauled and chipped and used for
mulch or as a biofuel. Alternatively, the wood can be cut and used for firewood, if a recipient
can be found.
FORBS
Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Birdsfoot trefoil forms dense mats that choke out most other vegetation. It is especially
problematic in prairies and disturbed open areas. Prescribed burns increase seed germination
making it difficult to manage in native prairies. It can best be controlled with a combination of
mowing or burning and chemical application. An effective broadleaf herbicide for legumes is
aminopyralid (e.g., Milestone). Note that aminopyralid herbicides also affects species in the
sunflower family.
Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa)
Spotted knapweed is a very aggressive invasive species that is difficult to control. It is a biennial
or short-lived perennial plant with very prolific seed production and allelopathic compounds in
the roots that prevent other species from growing nearby. Hand-pulling individuals or small
groups of individuals can be effective for small infestations and is often a good volunteer group
task. However, knapweed has a fairly large tap root and can be difficult to pull. Pulling is
typically most feasible in sandy soil or in heavier soil after a rain. All flowering plants must be
pulled every year for about five years until the seedbank is exhausted.
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If knapweed populations are large, a biocontrol is recommended. A combination of knapweed
root weevils (Cyphocleonus achates) and seedhead weevils (Larinus minutus/obtusus) is best.
Results from biological control typically take 4-6 years to see. The knapweed will not be
eradicated, but will be reduced so that native species diversity is not impeded. Weevils can be
purchased online and are released during the summer. Knapweed populations should be
monitored each year to keep a record of the effectiveness of the biocontrol.
For immediate control of small populations, spot treatment with a systemic herbicide such as
glyphosate, milestone or transline may be needed. Picloram herbicides are also effective, but
they have a long soil residual, and we recommend avoiding them. A 2-5% glyphosate solution
applied to basal rosettes is very effective. The optimal season is late fall when plants are
moving resources to the roots and most natives are dormant. The fall spray can be preceded by
a late June mowing, to reduce flowering and seeding of second-year plants. Herbicide can also
be used on basal rosettes after a spring burn. However, solid stands of knapweed do not carry a
fire very well and the dead vegetation may not get burned off. Knapweed itself cannot be
controlled with burning—like sweet clover it actually increases with fire.
Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)
While native thistles are not problematic, invasives such as Canada thistle are clone-forming
perennials that can greatly reduce species diversity in old fields and restoration areas. A
combination of chemical and mechanical control methods may be needed. The two-step
process is to cut or mow the stems when they are flowering in June/July, then apply herbicide
to the basal rosettes in fall. Chemical control is most effective when the plants are in the
rosette stage and least effective when the plants are flowering. A clopyralid herbicide such as
Transline is very effective. An aminopyralid (e.g., Milestone) can be applied at bud stage.
Aminopyralid has longer residual activity than some other chemicals, so should avoid using in
areas of higher diversity.
Mechanical control, involving several cuttings per year for three or four years, can reduce an
infestation if timed correctly. The best time to cut is when the plants are just beginning to bud
because their food reserves are at their lowest. If plants are cut after flowers have opened, the
cut plants should be removed because viable seed may form. Plants should be cut at least three
times throughout the season. Late spring burns can also discourage this species, but early
spring burns can encourage it. Burning may be more effective in an established prairie, where
competition from other species is strong, rather than in an old field, where competition is likely
to be weaker.
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Garlic mustard is a nonnative biennial forb of woodlands and woodland edges that is very
invasive. It tends to invade disturbed soils most readily, especially following earthworm
invasions that leave the ground devoid of vegetation. It is recommended to monitor and
remove it as soon as it is detected (early detection and rapid response). Garlic mustard also
produces a flavonoid (root exudate) that suppresses myccorhizal inoculation. Thus, species that
106 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP
are myccorhizae dependent, like oaks, will become stunted and easily outcompeted by garlic
mustard. The flavinoid persists in the soil years after garlic mustard plants are removed.
Hand-pulling should occur before siliques (seed pods) form. Once flowers form, removed plants
should be bagged and transported from the site, since the plant may have enough energy in the
stem and root to make viable seeds. When pulling the plants, the entire root must be removed
or they may re-sprout. This can be difficult since roots are “S-shaped” and tend to break off at
ground level.
Chemical control can be effective for expansive infestations where hand-pulling is not feasible.
Glyphosate is non-specific and very effective but will also kill non-target plants. The key thing is
to apply treatment very late in the fall or very early in the spring. Garlic mustard stays green
through the winter so when there is no snow cover it can be virtually the only green plant.
Another option is to use a water-soluble broadleaf herbicide, like triclopyr (Garlon), which will
not kill grasses or sedges.
Garlic mustard can also be controlled by goats. Goats would be brought in at the specific time
when the plants are flowering but not producing mature seed. Goats would be removed as
soon as grazing is complete and would be used in subsequent years as needed. Seeding after
garlic mustard removal will help to suppress it.
Recently completed research at the University of Minnesota shows good potential for bio-
control of garlic mustard via two European weevils in the genus Ceutorhynchus
(https://mitppc.umn.edu/research/research-projects/garlic-mustard-biocontrol-ecological-
host-range-biocontrol-agents ). Ceutorhynchus scrobicollis and Ceutorhynchus constrictus are
known to feed on garlic mustard’s leafy crown and seeds, respectively. Regulatory approval to
release these weevils is not complete in the US. If approved, this method could revolutionize
garlic mustard control. However, whether it will be effective or not on a landscape scale is yet
to be determined.
GRASSES
Smooth brome (Bromus inermis), Kentucky bluegrass, and creeping fescue
Smooth brome, Kentucky bluegrass, and creeping fescue are some of the most common non-
native, invasive grasses. All are cool season species - active early in the growing season (April-
June) and semi-dormant July-September. Many of them reproduce by means of underground
stems (stolons and rhizomes) called “tillers”. The most effective treatments are timed to occur
at the same time as “tillering” - mid to late May. A late spring burn can set back the non-native
grasses, while warming the ground and giving native grasses a boost just when they are ready
to emerge from the ground. Within a few weeks, summer conditions will be most favorable for
the native warm-season grasses, and further detrimental to cool season grasses. Burning two
years in a row followed by seeding has been shown to be effective in controlling smooth
brome. Consider that this timing may be a week or two earlier on steep south-facing slopes or
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in very sandy or sand-gravel soils. Late spring burns, however, are hard on native forbs so that
should be a careful consideration. After burning, seeding with native local ecotype seed is
important for restoring native. Evaluation can occur each year, and especially after two years.
Another option, especially if there are a lot of desirable native forbs, is a cool-season overspray
with a broad-spectrum herbicide (e.g., glyphosate) or a grass-specific herbicide either in the
spring (April) or in the fall (October).
All herbicides should be applied by licensed applicators and should not be applied on windy
days.
Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)
Reed canary grass is extremely difficult to eradicate and requires repeated treatment over a
period of one to three years. A combination of burning, chemical treatment and mowing can be
used, in accessible areas, or chemical treatment alone in inaccessible areas. The combination
method starts by burning in late spring to remove dead vegetation and to stimulate new
growth. When new sprouts have reached a height of 4 to 6 inches, the site can be sprayed with
a 5% solution of a glyphosate herbicide appropriate for wetland habitat (e.g., Rodeo). The site is
then mowed in late summer, followed by chemical application after re-growth. This treatment
will stimulate new growth and germination to deplete the seed bank. The sequence of chemical
treatment and mowing are repeated for at least a second season, and possibly a third until the
grass is completely eradicated. Then native grass and forb seed can be broadcast or drilled.
Reed canary areas should continue to be monitored mapped and treated.
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APPENDIX D. Ecological Contractors
Following is a list of contractors to consider for implementing the management plans. While
this is not an exhaustive list, it does include firms with ecologists who are very knowledgeable
with natural resource management. Unless otherwise noted, all firms do prescribed burning.
Many other brush removal companies are listed in the yellow pages (under tree care), but most
do not have knowledge or understanding of native plant communities. We recommend hiring
firms that can provide ecological expertise.
Friends of the Mississippi River has extensive experience working with landowners to
implement natural resource management plans. FMR can assist landowners with obtaining
funding for restoration and management projects and providing project management, including
contractor negotiations, coordinating restoration and management work, and site monitoring
and evaluation.
Conservation Corps Minnesota
60 Plato Blvd E Ste 210
Saint Paul, MN 55107
(651) 209-9900
www.conservationcorps.org
Great River Greening
251 Starkey St #2200
St Paul, MN 55107
(651) 665-9500
www.greatrivergreening.org
Minnesota Native Landscapes (MNL)
8740 77th St NE
Otsego, MN 55362
(763) 295-0010
www.mnlcorp.com
Prairie Restorations, Inc.
31646 128th St.,
Princeton, MN 55371
(763) 389-4342
www.prairieresto.com
Stantec
733 Marquette Avenue, Suite 1000
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 712-2000
www.stantec.com
Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC
20276 Delaware Avenue
Jordan, MN 55352
(217) 979-2415
www.res.us
Native Resource Preservation
260 Wentworth Ave E Suite 155
West St Paul, MN 55118
(320) 413-0015
www.nativeresourcepreservation.com
Landbridge Ecological, Inc.
670 Vandalia St.
St Paul, MN 55114
(612) 503-4420
www.landbridge.eco