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5/29/2019 7 Natural Resource Inventories & Assessments The natural resources and the natural environment of Lino Lakes represent valuable amenities within the city. In response to mounting development pressure, significant efforts have been made to inventory and assess the extent and quality of the city’s remaining natural resources and to evaluate opportunities for natural resources conservation, restoration, and stewardship. Several important studies, models, plans, and city documents have emerged and are summarized here. These products have been based on analyses of existing extent and quality of natural resources within the city, compliance with local, State, and Federal environmental regulatory requirements, and the City’s desire to incorporate natural resources enhancement and stewardship into future development plans to achieve a sustainable and contiguous parks, trails, and open space network throughout the city. Many of the recent plans and documents build upon past studies, with the intent that the current conditions of the natural resources within the city are identified and can be used to implement land use regulations appropriately. Minnesota County Biological Survey In 1988, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ County Biological Survey (MCBS) conducted a broad-scale assessment and biological inventory of Anoka County’s most significant remaining natural communities and rare plant and animal populations. Potential high-quality areas were remotely identified and prioritized for further field assessment on a county-wide scale. Within Lino Lakes, the County Biological Survey identified 23 natural community remnants, 12 rare animal populations or rare animal nesting sites, and one rare plant population. Although the MCBS was not able to comprehensively survey all areas within Lino Lakes, the County Biological Survey was the best available and highest quality natural resources information for Lino Lakes and surrounding communities for more than a decade after its completion. Assessment of Existing Ecological Conditions and Restoration and Management Opportunities In 1998, the city conducted a city-wide assessment of existing ecological conditions and restoration and management opportunities within Lino Lakes. Data collection and interpretation was based primarily on remote-sensing of available low-altitude aerial photography with only limited field checking. This inventory, assessment, and analysis process resulted in the identification of numerous contiguous natural and semi-natural potential habitat corridors within the city. The results of the inventory were published in 1999 and served as the foundation for the city’s Handbook for Environmental Planning and Conservation Development. Lino Lakes Handbook for Environmental Planning and Conservation Development In 1998 and 1999, the city developed the Lino Lakes Handbook for Environmental Planning and Conservation Development (Handbook).The final Handbook (published in December 1999) provided detailed guidance to enable the city to establish a viable conservation development program, and included: a natural resources based planning model and framework, an overview of Lino Lakes existing ecological resources, priority areas for ecological protection within the city, action steps for protection of ecological systems, potential open space and greenway corridors, a framework for ecological restoration and management, and principles of and guidelines for conservation development.