HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 6 - Sunfish Stewardship Plan Proposal
May 23, 2014
Mr. Michael Bouthilet
City of Lake Elmo
3800 Laverne Avenue North - Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042
Public Works Director.
Dear Mr. Bouthilet,
Thank you for meeting with me at Sunfish Lake Park. It was enjoyable meeting with you and Mary Frick
and looking at the park and the issues your facing. It seems there are two major categories of concern.
First is the heavy storm damage which took place last year and the possible hazardous situation it
presents to park users and also the fire danger it could represent in the future. Second is the long term
forest management objectives in the park.
A Forest Stewardship/Management plan will address the following items and also tie into the immediate
need to clean up the wind damaged sites and hazardous conditions.
Project Proposal.
Forest Stewardship/Management plan work items.
A listing of long term goals.
Complete soils report.
Ecological Classification of the land and how the land fits into the MN Landscape level long term
goals.
Identification of, and mapping of all major cover types present within the park.
Description of all major forest cover types, which includes species present, density, volume
estimates, etc.
Invasive Specie identification and location of major problem areas and possible control
strategies.
Management options for the major cover types identified, based upon the City's goals. These
options could include some form of harvest, fuel reduction, hazard mitigation, actions needed to
preserve various forest types, riparian area protection, erosion control, etc.
Management timeline which looks at long term management over the years to come.
Short term recommendations, to deal with the blow down problem combined with
implementation of long term management options, to achieve an economically viable option to
clean up the park.
Completion of the above listed bullet items along with meetings with the DNR and UofM
participants.
Two municipal meetings (Park Board, Council).
Two meetings with bio-harvest contractors/loggers for site review and bid information.
Includes all mileage and travel time.
My intent is to also meet with and seek impute from several DNR divisions or areas which would include
fire management, waters, ecological services. This impute would help in the future should the City seek
cost share funding for any future projects. I would also try to involve the UofM environmental studies
area in the project also.
Project Cost.........................................$6,300.00
Once the plan is written and accepted by the city there will be a need to meet with various logging or
bio-harvest contractors to determine if they would like to bid (pay the City) to carry out the identified
clean-up areas and selected harvest sites. This would require time from the Public Works Department to
determine entry points, park closure, landing areas, etc. along with the various loggers or harvesters.
Billing rate for additional meetings is $65/hr. including travel time as needed.
Respectfully Submitted,
Steven Kunde
Society of American Foresters- Certified Forester.