Restore Saint Paul: Conservation Corps Update: October 2nd-6th

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Conservation Corps Update: October 2nd-6th

Post contributed by Youth Outdoors Crew 2:

Planting native grasses at Como Lakeshore

This week was filled with a variety of projects. On Wednesday we visited the rain gardens in the Como area for one more check and winter preparation. We then went along the Bruce Vento trail along Lake Phalen and removed some invasive trees including buckthorn and mulberry. Thursday, we worked with our youth and added mulch around the newly restored Historic Como Lilyponds in Como Park. The design mimics the historic lilyponds that were originally constructed in Como Regional Park in 1895. The mulch that we spread will help to suppress weed growth next spring and provide a nice planting bed for us to put in native species. The funding for this restoration was secured through Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Funds. Friday, we spent the whole day along Como Lakeshore planting native grasses in mulched areas. To conclude the week , we finished a trash sweep around Lake Phalen and collected little bluestem seeds, which we will soon spread at another project site.

Contributing Authors

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation--Natural Resources Division:

It would be impossible for us to maintain and improve Saint Paul's natural areas to the high standards that we are used to without the coordinated efforts of our many partner organizations and volunteers. In addition to Saint Paul's Natural Resources employees, the following groups will be contributing to the content of this blog as they work hard to keep Saint Paul "the most livable city in America."

Conservation Corps of Minnesota:

The Conservation Corps provides meaningful work for young people in conserving energy, managing natural resources, responding to disasters and leading volunteers. Not only do they provide training in resource management, safety, job-readiness and technical skills, they help young people develop personal responsibility, a strong work ethic and greater awareness of environmental stewardship. CCM has been a valuable partner in maintaining Saint Paul Parks natural areas for years.

Eco Ranger Acadamy:

The Environmental Services EcoRanger Academy is an educational summer job program for youth interested in plants, wildlife and the natural environment. Youth work throughout the City in forests, lakes and prairies on restoration projects. They perform tasks such as invasive species removal, planting and mulching. The program covers plant anatomy and identification, trees, entomology, water, soils and ecology. Youth that successfully complete the summer program graduate with a certificate and references from their crew leaders.