05/30/2001 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

s° Recommendation: This is an area that could be restored to enhance wetland habitat quality and also could be used as a final polishing system for stormwater management, receiving pre - treated water from developed uplands and oak savanna remnants. The larger magnificent oak savanna remnants (3d and 3dc) located to the north of the open field and wetland are dominated by northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis), with individuals varying in size from several inches DBH to 30 -35" DBH. Many of these trees are 70- 100 years of age and are at or near pathological maturity. Some individuals are beginning to lose upper limbs and to fall over. Currently, there is substantial oak regeneration occurring • around the margins of all the larger oaks, in particular at the interface of the old field and dry prairie (3c- oaks). Most of the young - growth oak is less than 15 years of age. Included in the oak canopy are occasional patches of eastem red cedar (Juniperus virginianus), paper birch (Betula papyrifera) 3-4" DBH, and clones of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), 8 -10" DBH. Also included in this young - growth sub - canopy are boxelder, wild black cherry (Prunus serotina), smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), and red -osier dogwood (Comus stolonifera). Ground cover vegetation beneath the oak savanna canopy varies from areas of smooth brome and blue grass to areas with a similar dry prairie component as found in the old fields, including big bluestem, pinweed (Lechea intennedia), pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), and bush clover. In light gaps between oak trees are found red raspberry (Rubus idaeus strigosus), New Jersey tea, love grass (Agrostis spectabilis), motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), smooth brome grass, and young saplings of boxelder and wild black cherry. In heavily shade- suppressed areas the ground is essentially bare. Recommendation: The oak savanna community would respond quickly to brushing and tree removal to reduce the over - stocked canopy, and to prescribed burning to reduce the dense shrub layer and to stimulate oak regeneration and growth in the ground layer, particularly of native fire- adapted herbaceous species that are currently present in the soil seedbank. Planting and seeding of additional native herbaceous species might be desirable to enhance species diversity. S:98629:040999 4 Lino Lakes Town Center Natural Resource Inventory Report