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1-35E Corridor AUAR Update MCE-2025-00105 Page 4 of 6 o Wildlife Friendly Erosion Control (state.mn.us) o Helping Turtles Across the Road I Minnesota DNR (state.mn.us) o Best Practices Manual I Minnesota DNR ■ Chapter 1: Species Protection • Water-willow (Decodon verticillatus), a state-listed plant species of special concern, has been documented within the project area. In Minnesota water-willow appears to be restricted to boggy or marshy margins of lakes and slow-moving streams. It is typically found in a narrow fringe of shoreline vegetation with cattails or bulrushes.These vegetation zones may be on floating root mats or "grounded" in peat, muck,or sand.The DNR recommends avoiding known occurrences of water- willow and avoiding impacts to suitable habitat. • Forster's tern (Sterna forsteri) and trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator), state-listed bird species of special concern, have been documented nesting in the vicinity of the proposed project.These rare birds are found in wetlands with a mixture of emergent vegetation and open water. Potential concerns include construction disturbance during the breeding season, loss or degradation of habitat, and collisions overhead transmission lines. Actions to minimize impacts to these rare birds may include, but are not limited to,the following recommendations: o Avoid construction activities during the nesting season,from late April through August, near suitable nesting habitat. o Retain a buffer between proposed activities and suitable habitat to avoid negative impacts such as human disturbance, water level fluctuation, chemical contamination. o Install bird diverters on overhead lines, if any, near lakes and rivers, or other areas that may attract large concentrations of waterfowl. • Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii), a state-listed bird species of special concern, has been documented in the vicinity of the project. In Minnesota, Bell's vireo prefers shrub thickets within or bordering open habitats such as grasslands or wetlands.This bird suspends its nests from forks of low branches of small trees or shrubs. If feasible, avoid tree and shrub removal from May 15 through August 15 to avoid disturbance of nesting birds. • The Natural Heritage Information System (NHIS)tracks bat roost trees and hibernacula plus some acoustic data, but this information is not exhaustive. Even if there are no bat records listed nearby, all of Minnesota's bats, including the federally endangered northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), can be found throughout Minnesota. During the active season (approximately April-November) bats roost underneath bark, in cavities, or in crevices of both live and dead trees.Tree removal can negatively impact bats by destroying roosting habitat, especially during the pup rearing season when females are forming maternity roosting colonies and the pups cannot yet fly.To minimize these impacts,the DNR recommends that tree removal be avoided from June 1 through August 15. • Please visit the DNR Rare Species Guide for more information on the habitat use of these species and recommended measures to avoid or minimize impacts. • Please report incidental sightings of state-listed species via the DNR Plant and Animal Observation Form. Page 147 of 240