Restore Saint Paul: Conservation Corps Update: December 3rd-6th

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Conservation Corps Update: December 3rd-6th

Post contributed by Conservation Corps Youth Outdoors Crew 2:

Piling brush to be burned

Planting seeds at Crosby

Our last full week working with Saint Paul Parks! It started out warm but this seemed to be the week that winter really settled in for good. We started the week on Monday by hauling brush into piles throughout Crosby Farm Regional Park, which will be burned this winter. This method causes less site disturbance than trying to remove the brush from the park by truck. We started Tuesday by removing a few larger buckthorn from the bluff above the native ephemeral zone in Crosby, and then finished up the hauling project. On Wednesday morning, we seeded the area that we had cleared with oak, basswood and hackberry seeds. It will be interesting to see this area change! In the afternoon we headed to Lake Phalen, where we began a project doing a restoration on an oak savannah that is between Lake Phalen and Round Lake. There are some beautiful Bur Oak trees in the area that we tried to free from encroaching Siberian Elm, Box Elder, and Green Ash. In the spring, the area will be seeded and/or burned, depending on what kind of plants are already present. This is part of an ongoing Lake Phalen restoration that has been incredibly successful. Go check it out!

If you want more information on any of the species here, check out the DNR's list of Minnesota native trees & shrubs.

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.