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1380 W FRONTAGE RD <br />V,,.... v .A S H I N G T O [ NSTILLWATER, MN 55082 <br />i !ON S E RVA.T 10 ' 7 651-275-1136[PHONE] <br />I S T R I C T 651.WW275-12 <br />2.MN5-54 [ FAX 1 <br />WCD.ORG <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Shayla Syverson, Parks Planner; City of Hugo <br />FROM: Jyneen Thatcher, Natural Resource Specialist <br />DATE: June 28, 2010 <br />RE: Hanson parcel park site visit <br />It was a real pleasure meeting with you and Roger Clarke, to walk the former Hanson pit site and discuss <br />natural resource concerns related to the potential development of this parkland. This memo is intended as <br />a summary of our discussion, and documentation for future reference. <br />As I understand, design is still in the concept stage, but preliminary discussions have included ball fields <br />on a portion of the site, and trails for hikers, horses, and mountain bikes around the perimeter of the park <br />and as connectors across the park. Efforts are being made to preserve and utilize the existing topography. <br />My review of the site confirmed the MLCCS mapping on file for this parcel. No significant areas of <br />undisturbed native plant communities were observed. The majority of the site is covered with non-native <br />grasses with scattered trees, predominantly pasture grasses such as smooth brome and Kentucky <br />bluegrass, with weedy forbs such as daisy fleabane, common mullein and red clovers. Within the <br />grassland were patches of true weeds — large areas of nodding thistle, Canada thistle, and spotted <br />knapweed. Those weeds should be controlled by mowing, herbicide treatment, or a combination of <br />methods. One area, north of the largest wetland, had some native remnant prairie plants — Monarda, <br />yarrow, and round -headed bushclover. These are resilient species that have tolerated past disturbances <br />such as grazing or mowing, but appear to be limited to locations that had not been actively mined. <br />On the south and west sides, evergreens have spread into the parcel from the adjacent properties. While <br />these provide some habitat value, it is mostly as cover sites or as host to insects, which in turn feed birds. <br />At the old house site, the dominant tree is silver maple, with an understory of common buckthorn. Many <br />of the trees are split or with apparent dead branches. If this area is considered for future activity, the trees <br />should be evaluated for their health in regards to human safety around them. On the old spoil berms <br />around the perimeter of the mining operations, the dominant tree species is boxelder. These are pioneer <br />species, which quickly colonize disturbed ground. While they provide good wildlife habitat, I would not <br />object to removing some of them. Willows, cottonwood and green ash are also present on the berms and <br />low areas. These are all pioneer species that likely came in on the wind when the site was newly <br />disturbed. They appear to have found suitable microhabitats. <br />We looked at two significant wetlands. The first appears to be a natural wetland, likely a Type 4 deep <br />marsh, currently in a drawdown condition related to the prolonged dry cycle. Vegetation was dominated <br />by reed canarygrass and narrow -leaf cattails, with scattered clumps of more desirable vegetation such as <br />river bulrush and water plantain. This wetland straddles the south property line of the eastern 40 -acre <br />piece. The existing clump of cottonwood trees likely represent the maximum upland boundary, but the <br />wetland may extend farther north in a drier form of wetland (type 2, wet meadow). Keeping the trail on <br />the higher ground, overlooking the wetland, is a good idea, but if you consider placing a trail across the <br />Supervisors: Louise Smallidge ^ Gary Baumann - Tom Meyer - Rosemary Wallace , Sarah Hietpas <br />