06/27/2001 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • S. C. Rice Creek Chain -of -Lakes Park Reserve: The Rice Creek - Chain -of -Lakes Park Reserve occupies 2552 acres within the Lino Lakes city limits. The park includes all or a part of the six largest lakes in the city and remnant examples of some of the presettlement native plant communities. It features Wargo Nature Center, one of the largest such facilities in the Twin Cities area. A review of the DNR's colonial waterbird data base for past occurrences of nesting colonial waterbirds revealed historic records on Peltier, Rice, Marshan, and Baldwin Lakes within the Park . Recent surveys for wildlife use have not been conducted at these lakes, and the only know and currently active waterbird colony in Lino Lakes is the Peltier Island heronry located in the Park Reserve. It is the second largest heron/egret rookery (nest site) in the Twin Cities metro area and a natural resource of regional significance. The colony contains approximately 600 nests of four species - great blue heron, great egret, double- crested cormorant, and black - crowned night heron. In spring 2001, an active bald eagle breeding territory was established in the Park Reserve. The Blandings' turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a State listed Threatened species. Historically, the many shallow wetlands and grasslands of the Anoka Sandplain region have provided some of the best habitat in the state for this species. This turtle was once abundant on the extensive sandy outwash areas of Lino Lakes and adjacent communities in northern Ramsey County and in Anoka and central Washington Counties. The Blanding's turtles declining abundance is attributable to habitat alteration due to conversion of it's preferred nesting sites (sandy, south facing grasslands) to residential developments with associated degradation of shallow wetlands through drainage and storm water runoff. These turtles will travel considerable distances from wetlands to reach traditional nesting sites. This behavior makes them different from most freshwater turtles which usually nest close to their wetlands. It also puts them at risk when they are forced to cross roads and other human barriers on their seasonal travels between wetlands and nesting sites. A number of areas have been identified in the northern tier of metro counties where sufficient habitat to sustain viable populations of Blanding's turtles may yet be protected. One of these important Blandings' turtle habitat areas extends from the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills north along Rice Creek to encompasses the Rice Creek - Chain -of -Lakes Park Reserve corridor in Lino Lakes. Blanding's turtles have been reported to occur in the wetlands along Peltier Lake Drive just outside the boundary of the Park Reserve. Recently, recreational development has occurred along the northwest shore of Centerville Lake where Anoka County Parks has remodeled the lake front, picnic and camping area and connected roads and parking lots. New impoundments have been created and much of the woody cover, once used by woodcock, has been removed. This part of the park is permanently changed to benefit increasing numbers of people to the detriment of some wildlife.