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Woolan's Park Wetland Bank Part B: Appendix 2 Critical Connections Ecological Services, Inc. January, 17th 2012 Page 1 of 8 Appendix 2: Vegetation Establishment & Management Plan Requirements On behalf of the City of Lino Lakes (applicant /landowner), Critical Connections Ecological Services, Inc. has prepared the following Vegetation Establishment and Management Plan for the proposed Woolen's Park Wetland Banking project. The vegetation establishment and management methods provided hereafter have been developed and successfully implemented on similar wetland restoration sites in adjacent municipalities within the Anoka Sand Plain of Minnesota. Woolan's Park Wetland Bank, Vegetation Establishment and Management Plan: Restoration Approach: Vegetation restoration, establishment, and management within Woolen's Park wetland banking site will rely on viable native seed banks, wherever possible,:to serve as the primary .propagule source for re- establishing native vegetation- and - plant communities -In addition to the - existing seed banksource, the importing of local native seed will also be used when needeck to provide adequate vegetative coverage. Re- introduction of natural disturbance (i.e prescribed fire) will serve as the main mechanism that fosters the re- establishment of native communities, 'controls woody vegetation and associated plant competition, and controls invasive and /ornon- native plant species populations. The initial phase of the vegetation establishment and management plan (i.e. site preparation) includes removal of native and non - native tree and shrub species that have established as a result of fire suppression and ditching. Herbaceous thatch of :native and non- native /herbaceousspecies(such as lake sedge, Canada blue joint, reed canarygrass, narrow leaf and hybrid cattail) has also accumulated over decades of fire suppression. In addition, accumulated' saturated herbaceous thatch will be removed mechanically during winter months to help promote germination of the native seed bank and reduce hazards of initial prescribed burns associated with accumulated fine fuel. Following initial site preparation (as described above); re- emerging invasive and non native species will be treated with appropriate wetland approved herbicide (such as Rodeo and /or AquaNeat, both ' glyphosate -based herbicides). Native seed bank viability will be closely monitored in the growing season following initial site preparation and herbicide treatments. Prescribed burning will be implemented as a management tool to promote fire - adaptive native species establishment and reduce competition from invasive /non- native species. The vegetation establishment and management plan will be based on an adaptive management approach. At the end of th'first complete growing season following site preparation and herbicide treatments of invasive species, the entire wetland banking site will be assessed for areas requiring augmentation with imported local- ecotype native seed mixes due to poor vegetation re- establishment from native seed banks. In the final three to four years of management, prescribed burning and herbicide treatments of undesirable invasive /non- native plant species will be coupled with interseeding of native propagules (where necessary) to re- establish viable and appropriate native wetland plant communities to this wetland complex. • •