11/28/2001 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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there are numerous herbs replacing the shrubs. Table 2-8 shows some of the plant and animal species which may occur in this community. Wetland- aquatic communities are interspersed throughout the other three communities, and are predominantly in the northern portion of the District. Vegetation types range from aquatic plants to trees that emerge along wetland boundaries. Table 2-9 lists potential plant and animal species found in the wetland aquatic communities. A more detailed description of wetland communities and their locations can be found in Section 3. Important Plant and Animal Communities The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has completed county biological surveys of Anoka, Ramsey, and Washington Counties. The surveys document the biological diversity present and provide information for use in implementing improvement projects and planning for development impacts. Detailed information is available from the DNR Section of Wildlife. An additional reference worth noting is the recently published St. Croix River Valley and Anoka Sandplain: A Guide to Native Habitats, which is published by the University of Minnesota Press. Colonial water birds rank among the District's more visible wildlife. Two large heron colonies are located within its boundary. The Howard Lake Colony in the Lamprey Pass Wildlife Management Area is among the larger and more diverse colonies in Minnesota. A 1982 inventory listed nearly 1,100 active nests occupied by one of four different species: great blue herons, great egrets, black - crowned night herons, and double- crested cormorants. The Howard Lake site was only recently (1979) discovered. The District's other colony has been known since the 1940s. This colony recently moved from Rice Lake to Peltier Lake. Though much smaller in size, the Peltier Lake colony remains one of the larger sites in the Twin Cities area. The colony supports primarily great blue herons, but great egrets, black - crowned night herons, and cormorants also nest there. The sandy outwash plain that characterizes the Rice Creek watershed also provides ideal habitat for the Blanding's Turtle. This species of turtle is limited in distribution and vulnerable to overcollecting. Preserving wetland areas in the watershed is important to the species' survival. 2 -18 10/97