06/27/2001 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • 7. provide landowner education through outreach and land registry, facilitate site protection through conservation easements and other financial incentives for landowners, provide habitat management assistance to interested landowners with a focus on rare grassland birds and wetland resources, follow DNR guidelines for residential development in areas of Blanding's turtle habitat (A copy of the Contractors' version and of Homeowners' version of the guidelines are provided as attachments A and B). conduct wildlife surveys in area to document use by wildlife species and develop habitat management plans in order to enhance public safety, as needed, facilitate safe movement of wildlife across roadways such as Elmcrest Ave. and Highway 35E. B. Rondeau Lake, duck pass, bald eagle breeding territory and Rice Creek Corridor: Rondeau Lake (594 acres), located in T 31,32 Range 22, Sec, 2,3,10 34 and 35 , is situated predominately in Lino Lakes. The lake water drains through a ditch midway on its east side into Rice Creek. The shoreline is undeveloped and the lakeshore is owned by the Rondeau Lake Gun Club. Vegetation along the lake perimeter includes a significant stand of tamarack and maple basswood forest on the island. Wild rice (introduced by the club) production in the lake is intermittent and can be excellent in some years. The lake is connected to and contiguous with Rice Creek to the east. Rice Creek flows south under Highway 35 to empty into Peltier Lake. An extensive, high quality shrub swamp and emergent marsh complex exists along the Rice Creek corridor upstream of Rondeau Lake between Rondeau Lake and Lamprey Pass Wildlife Management Area three miles to the north in Columbus Township. It receives water from a ditch that joins it to Tamarack Lake from the north and another ditch which enters from the northwest and along which Blanding's turtles (a state listed Threatened species ) have been found. Waterfowl use, especially during migration, is noteworthy at Rondeau Lake with large numbers of birds flying regularly between Rondeau and Tamarack Lake to the north. This traditional flight corridor, referred to as a "duck pass ", has been utilized for decades with more then 2000 waterfowl counted during evening flights across the pass. The duck pass and its adjoining lakes are a significant natural feature now rare or absent from the metro area. Loons have nested on the lake. In recent years remarkable concentrations of migrating bald eagles (100 +) have been observed in spring foraging on winter kill fish and roosting on the island and along the shoreline. A bald eagle ( federally listed Threatened species) breeding territory encompassing Rondeau Lake has been active for a number of years. Management actions recommended to sustain habitat values and functions: • offer private landowners conservation easements for habitat protection around the Lake, • designation of a greenway corridor of public and privately managed and protected habitat connecting Rondeau Lake to Lamprey Pass and the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Areas. • develop a long range plan for permanent protection of the corridor