Restore Saint Paul: Conservation Corps Update: October 31st to November 3rd

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Conservation Corps Update: October 31st to November 3rd

Post contributed by Conservation Corps of Minnesota Youth Outdoors Crew 2:

This last week the Youth Outdoor Crew 2 worked at a couple different locations, the Mississippi River Boulevard and Como Lakeshore.

Wednesday, the crew spent the day sweeping the bluff area along Mississippi River Boulevard for buckthorn and honeysuckle to remove. This effort is a continuation of the initial sweep that occurred last year to restore the area to a native upland forest and open up the understory so that the river can be spotted from the Boulevard.

Thursday, the youth crews worked at Bruce Vento Regional Trail close to Lake Phalen hauling out invasive trees and shrubs that the crew had cut in the last few weeks. By the end of the evening the crew had removed all the down brush which makes a considerable difference in the understory.

Friday and Saturday, we worked at Como Lakeshore installing biologs in four different areas around the lake to help stabilize the bank. After installing the biologs, we backfilled in areas then put down some erosion control netting and compost to seed native species. After seeding we covered it with fabric to keep the seeds in place in hopes for them to germinate next spring. In addition to seeding in some areas we have been planting native plugs to give the area a jump start next spring. In a few short months you’ll be able to see a noticeable difference!

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.