04/07/2004 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • Peltier Island Heron Rookery Summary Report Spring /Summer 2003 In summary: • During 2003, the Task Force met four times to plan activities and update members as the season progressed • Eagle Brook Church, with the assistance of the Rice Creek Watershed District is considering the establishment of a conservation easement for 167 acres of the property on the east shore of Peltier Lake. The easement area would include the "stick field " where the herons collect nesting material. • We conclude from all observations that at least some of the 300 + pairs of Great Blue Herons and a few of the 12 Great Egret pairs successfully nested at the Peltier Island colony this year. • Preliminary information from the 2003 season indicates noticeable improvements in water quality and nest success with the no -wake zone in place. Task Force Activities During 2003, the Task Force met four times to plan activities and update members as the season progressed. In August, Barbara Bauman joined the Task Force as a representative from Eagle Brook Church. Eagle Brook Church, with the assistance of the Rice Creek Watershed District is considering the establishment of a conservation easement for 16.7 acres of the property on the east shore of Peltier Lake. The easement area would include the "stick field " where the herons collect nesting material. The church will also work with the Task Force to develop a natural resource management for the easement area. The city of Lino Lakes hosted a meeting on March 29th for citizen volunteers who were advised how to monitor heron activity and where to report violations of the no -wake zone or disturbance to the heronry. In addition, the city sponsored a student intern from the University of Minnesota under the Community Assistance Program. Keely Dinse assisted us through the summer in the field with monitoring and spent considerable time compiling a compendium of information on the history of the colony, management actions, Task Force minutes, and related scientific literature. This compendium is available for review at Lino Lakes city hall — contact Marty Asleson. Recently, personnel from the DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program submitted a research grant proposal to the DNR in partnership with Anoka County Parks and the City of Lino Lakes. The proposal, entitled " Monitoring, Research and Management to Assess the Status of an Urban Population of Select Colonial Waterbirds and to Restore l e a Multi-