#16 - Highpointe Crossing Preliminary Plat and OP PUD

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4 The Site falls within the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Ecological Classification System’s Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province, Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal Section, and St. Paul- Baldwin Plains Subsection. The landscape of this area is rolling terrain with predominately urban development. Historically, vegetation in this area was likely forest and woodlands with periodic fire and some area of open prairie where wildfires carried across the landscape. The existing vegetation at the Site is predominately agricultural cultivated cropland. Typically, corn and soybeans are grown in the area. Historically, the vegetation of this area was primarily oak openings and barrens, with scattered big woods, wet prairies, and bogs and swamps. Most of the soils on the Site likely developed under historic deciduous forest cover and are well-drained silt loam and sandy loam textures. Portions of the Site have moderate to poorly drained soils with silt loam textures and are considered hydric. Planned grading activities on the Site will result in a rolling topography, with elevations ranging from 976 to 1040 feet above mean sea level. Low points within the Site are associated with stormwater basins or wetlands. A mapped shallow marsh wetland is located in the southwest corner of the Site. Depending on the history of drainage, hydrology may have been affected by drain tiling or ditching. 4.0 Management Units The restoration portions of the Site will be divided into three management unit types (Figure 1). These units are as follows: o Upland Prairie: This management unit will be comprised of short-statured native grasses and diverse forbs that provide wildlife habitat and nectar sources throughout the growing season. This unit encompasses upland areas, including septic mounds. o Wildflower Drifts: These upland prairie areas will be overseeded with additional native wildflowers that are favored by butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, including the rusty patched bumblebee. o Basin/Wetland: These areas will be seeded with a diverse native seed mix within stormwater catchments. This seed mix may also include some areas of existing wetland that need to be seeded. This will include species adapted to saturated soils and periods of shallow inundation. 5.0 Management Objectives 5.1 Establishment Period (0-5 Years) •Minimize soil disturbance and ensure appropriate seedbeds with minimal compaction and subsoil mixing. •Comply with the SWPPP and Construction Stormwater General Permit by installing appropriate BMPs and carefully monitoring construction activities. •Establish perennial native vegetation including a diversity of native grasses and forbs to provide high quality wildlife habitat and pollinator nectar sources. Specifically, these mixes in combination will include a minimum of: o 25% wildflower seed by number of seeds o 25 native species