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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Steven Anderson, Parks and Recreation Director <br /> <br />DATE: October 9, 2024 <br /> <br />RE: Approve Agreement with Great River Greening for Prairie and Native Planting <br />Enhancements <br /> <br /> <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />Motion to authorize staff to sign the enclosed Contract for prairie and native planting <br />enhancements for 2025 and 2026. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Work continues on the pollinator enhancements efforts along the Thunder Bay/Westwinds Park trail <br />corridor that started after the area was clear-cut by Xcel Energy in the winter of 2018 due to new federal <br />regulations regarding tree height underneath power transmission lines. <br /> <br />Staff continues to work closely with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife and the partnership with Great River <br />Greening (that was obtained through a successful grant) on a planting and maintenance plan, prairie <br />restoration, and the creation of a pollinator-friendly corridor along the Thunder Bay/Westwinds Park <br />linear trail. These partnerships are the result of community engagement efforts for how the area could be <br />transformed without planting trees under the transmission lines. <br /> <br />Phase 2 of this project includes: <br />• Enhancement of existing vegetation from Phase 1, mostly on west units. <br />• Phase 2 transition from turf to prairie on east units near Labore Road. <br />• Phase 2 transition from mixed vegetation to natural savanna <br /> <br />Phase 2 of this project would occur in 2025 and 2026. Great River Greening has received full approval of <br />their grant agreement. The project would total $53,500 and funds would be allocated as follows: <br /> GRG Contributions through ENRTF - $38,500 <br /> City of Little Canada Contributions - $15,000 <br /> <br />