2009 - Winter

The Greening of Maplewood

Maplewood Seasons Sustainable

Maplewood

Winter 2009/2010 Maplewood’s Natural Area Greenways

By Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resource Coordinator Have you ever taken a plane from the Twin Cities airport that flew directly over Maplewood?

On a spring or summer day, from that high up, our city looks very green and the Phalen Chain-of-Lakes glistens and sparkles. Seeing Maplewood from the air always reinforces for me the importance of considering the big picture when managing natural resources the bird’s eye view you might say.

If you look at habitat from an animal’s perspective, the boundaries of land ownership disappear. A bird flies from tree to tree through a neighborhood, oblivious to who owns it. In 2008, Maplewood took a big picture look at habitat. We mapped the largest areas of habitat that remain in the city, crossing property boundaries. These were designated Natural Area Greenways and incorporated into the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

The map of the Natural Area Greenways is a snapshot in time—these were the large natural areas remaining in Maplewood in 2008. We know the greenway map will change over time as some private parcels are developed. Our challenge is to protect and enhance lands in the greenways so 50 years from now we still have large areas of habitat.

The city is in the beginning stages of determining how to protect our Natural Area Greenways. Initial conversations are focusing on strategies and incentives for protection and stewardship, rather than on mandates.

Two groups are currently studying options for the Natural Area Greenways:

Benefits of Greenways

Robert J. Schwartz

Maplewood’s Natural Area Greenways are large contiguous areas of natural habitat.

They cross ownership boundaries, include both public and private land, and connect individual parcels of natural land into larger patches of habitat. The greenways provide habitat for diverse species of plants, birds, and wildlife. They help protect water quality, preserve scenic resources, and celebrate Maplewood’s historic landscape. The publicly-owned portions of the greenways offer recreational opportunities such as hiking, canoeing, and nature observation.

Provide larger habitat areas for wildlife

• Natural Area Greenways SubCommittee. This sub-committee was formed in early 2009 by the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission to begin exploring ideas for the greenways. The sub-committee is taking 2009 to explore the greenways and study general greenway concepts. They anticipate beginning a broader dialog with the community in 2010, after the Comprehensive Plan is approved by the City Council. “Touring the Greenways” article on page 3 provides more information on the sub-committee.

• Fish Creek Natural Area Greenway Ad-Hoc Commission. The Fish Creek Greenway is the greenway that is most vulnerable to development. Maplewood City Council established the ad-hoc commission in 2009 to address protection in this greenway.

Articles on page 2 provide more information on the Fish Creek Greenway.

It is unusual for a nearly fully developed city such as Maplewood to try to establish a system of greenways. It changes the way we think about and how we manage our city’s natural resources. To see a map and learn more about Maplewood’s greenways, visit: www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/naturalresources.

Kim Vtecht Prayfrock

Protect water quality

Provide scenic value

Provide recreational opportunities

Fish Creek Greenway- Can We Protect More Of South Maplewood?

By Ginny Yingling, Chair, Fish Creek Greenway Ad-hoc Commission For over twenty years, it has been the dream of many Maplewood residents that the beautiful lands along Fish Creek in south Maplewood would be protected for future generations to enjoy.

Happily, most of the creek itself and its adjoining bluffs are permanently protected as county public lands. However, there are many acres of woodlands, grasslands, and even some portions of the creek itself that are privately owned and still vulnerable to development.

In May 2009, the Maplewood City Council established the Fish Creek Greenway Ad-hoc Commission to evaluate opportunities to protect natural areas in the Fish Creek Greenway.

The ad-hoc commission is tasked with developing recommendations and priorities for protecting natural lands and identifying opportunities for passive recreation within the greenway. Protection may include acquiring available lands, but also involves supporting voluntary efforts by landowners to protect habitat.

Nancy McGuiness, local resident tours Fish Creek

The ad-hoc commission, consisting of representatives from Maplewood city commissions and staff, as well as county, state, and federal agencies, has met to evaluate and prioritize the opportunities that exist in south Maplewood. A public meeting was held on October 1 to solicit input from Maplewood citizens regarding their vision for the area. A public tour of Fish Creek was sponsored by the Friends of Maplewood Nature in conjunction with the ad-hoc commission on October 17. Also, a survey has been posted on the city’s website to allow all Maplewood citizens an opportunity to provide input into this special part of the city.

Please take a moment to give us your thoughts: www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/fishcreeksurvey The ad-hoc commission will meet again on December 4 and 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the City Council chambers at city hall. We welcome visitors to the meetings or comments from anyone interested in the future of this very special area. You can find more information about the ad-hoc commission at: www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/fishcreek

The Natural History of Fish Creek Greenway

Fish Creek Woodlands

By Ann Hutchinson, Lead Naturalist

Under the golden leaves of a large yellow birch, between sculpted curves of sandstone, a small stream winds its way from Carver Lake in Woodbury, through aspen and oak groves in Maplewood, along a maple forest in St. Paul, where it drops down the Fish Creek Canyon, and then flows beneath the highway to the Mississippi River. Along the north slopes of the ravine a unique habitat thrives on the cool mist from the creek and the shadows of the bank. Yellow birch, not Fish Creek flows through sculpted commonly found in this area, with curves of sandstone its signature golden bark and mint flavored twigs, shade delicate wildflowers. False rue anemone, wild ginger, and blood root bloom in the spring and ferns flourish.

Fish Creek is the focal point of Maplewood’s Fish Creek Greenway, but the greenway includes all natural lands in far south Maplewood. On private land in the greenway, the bluff of the Mississippi River valley reveals dramatic views to the western horizon. In the south part of the greenway, Snake Creek drops through its deep gorge. Forests and grasslands abut homes and give the area a rural character.

Fish species such as carp, northern, and minnows travel from Carver Lake. Birds migrate through and some stay to nest.

Species like the tiny golden crowned kinglets glean for small insects on shrub and tree branches. It’s not uncommon for residents in the area to see turkeys, hawks, opossum, raccoon, deer and woodchuck, right from their porches.

Residents can explore over 150 acres of public land in the greenway including Ramsey County’s Fish Creek Open Space and Maplewood’s Carver Neighborhood Preserve. Visit the City’s website at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/neighborhoodpreserves for more information.

Unfortunately, threats abound for the greenway. Illegal ATV use, stormwater run-off, and invasive species are a concern in this area. To control potential erosion from storm events, much of the runoff is now channeled through pipes that run under the creek.

Plants such as buckthorn and garlic mustard have spread into the forests and resulted in a loss of native shrubs and groundcover.

Overpopulation of white tail deer and earthworm invasion are a concern. Even more important is our human interaction with the land. The choices we make on our own property can help or hinder these remaining gems of our natural heritage.

Maplewood Seasons 2

Touring The Greenways

By Shann Finwall, AICP, Environmental Planner

The best way to appreciate Maplewood greenways is to experience them in all their glory. The greenway subcommittee did just that through a series of greenway tours over the summer and fall. What we experienced were four very different natural and cultural features of contiguous land and water that follow old railways, streams, shorelines, and wetlands: Phalen-Casey Chain-of-Lakes This tour involved paddling through the chain of lakes on a warm summer day in canoes.

Phalen-Casey Greenway was historically made up of waterways and wetlands spanning from Round and Phalen Lakes in St. Paul to Casey Lake in North St. Paul. The canoe tour began in Round Lake, ventured through canals and lakes with two short portages to our final destination of Kohlman Lake.

Holloway-Beaver Lake Wetlands During a clear fall day the group began the tour by hiking around Beaver Lake. The lake sparkled in the sunlight, its wetlands full of migrating waterfowl, and its forests colorful with ash, elm, cottonwood, and silver maple. Holloway-Beaver Lake Greenway consists of lowlands that extend from Beaver Lake northeast to Holloway Avenue. The hike took us through the Beaver Creek Neighborhood Preserve on to the Priory Neighborhood Preserve, where the group enjoyed crisp red apples from the preserve’s apple trees.

Battle Creek Forests Several miles of trails at Battle Creek Regional Park make it easy to explore this greenway. Hiking the greenway took us through large forests of oak, maple, and basswood. Crossing into St. Paul, we were able to follow the creek all the way to Point Douglas Road. Battle Creek Greenway begins at Battle Creek Lake in Woodbury and follows the creek through Battle Creek Regional Park continuing west through a narrow stream valley to the Mississippi River in St. Paul.

Fish Creek Forests The group broke out the walking sticks and hiked into the creek valley on a sun-filled fall day. Fish Creek Greenway begins at Carver Lake and flows through South Maplewood, beneath Interstate 494 and Highway 61 to the Mississippi River. The group was inspired by the valley with water flowing past our feet after October rains and the gold and red fall colors above us in the oak and maple tree canopy.

Maplewood Seasons 3

Partners In Service and Education Along The City’s Greenways

By Oakley Biesanz, Volunteer Coordinator

A dynamic duo is created when Century College biology students attend their “laboratories” at Maplewood’s neighborhood preserves for real-life learning with Maplewood Nature Center’s naturalists.

Wrestling buckthorn, planting trees, and collecting prairie seeds are just some of the service projects that the students participate in. This partnership provides helping hands on the city’s neighborhood preserves, most of which are located within one of the city’s four greenways.

Prairies once covered much of the Midwest landscape, but today’s urban and rural land uses have destroyed over 99% of the original prairies. Student collects prairie seed at Prairie Farm Neighborhood Preserve.

That is why the work to restore and maintain existing prairies is so critical. Harvesting prairie seeds in the neighborhood preserves helps supply native seed for use on prairie restoration projects in the city.

Friends of Maplewood Nature This non-profit group of volunteers has collaborated with the Maplewood Nature Center to give you an excellent opportunity to 2010 Friends Calendar explore Maplewood’s greenways with a nature photography contest! Winning photographs are featured in the Friends of Maplewood Nature annual calendars. The calendar is a fundraiser for the Friends group and a way to educate people about Maplewood’s neighborhood preserves.

For more information about the Friends of Maplewood Nature, how to order your own 2010 Friends calendar for $10, or rules for the photography contest with a deadline of May 15, 2010, call 651.249.2170 or visit www. ci.maplewood.mn.us/nc.

Printed on 30% post-consumer waste paper

“Silent Sports” Recreation Can Help Nature!

By Ann Hutchinson, Lead Naturalist

There is great joy in hearing the shush of your ski tips against the snow. I relish the thought of sun sparkled snow, an antidote against the long dark nights. Fresh fallen snow makes everything so quiet and peaceful. Cross country skiing is my favorite way of enjoying the quiet beauty of Minnesota winters.

While there’s been a lot of talk about how to green up our homes, it’s also important to think about how we can play green outdoors. Consider trying one of many “Silent Sports” - often defined as human powered recreation. Visit www.silentsports.net to learn more.

Getting out the snowshoes, cross country skis, or bicycle is one way to recreate while still conserving gasoline and money, plus it’s really good for our bodies. A 140-pound female can burn up to 417 calories per hour! Silent Sports are easy to learn, fairly inexpensive, and get us outside for much needed fresh air and sunshine.

You can explore our Maplewood parks, neighborhood preserves, and greenways on snowshoes or cross country skis - even though the city does not maintain groomed ski trails, you can easily make your own. Enjoy groomed ski trails at Battle Creek Regional Park in south Maplewood.

The Nature Center rents snowshoes for use on site at $3 per pair. Naturalists also lead snowshoe hikes at the Nature Center or we can arrange a snowshoe program for your group at your site. Come to the Snowshoe Open House on Saturday, January 2, 2010, from 10:00AM to 3:30PM to try out a pair! Call the Nature Center for fee and schedule information.

Before going out and buying new products, however, consider renting or buying used. The “Do It Green, Minnesota” website has a list of places to buy used sports equipment: www.doitgreen. org/article/recreation/sports. Don’t forget to check out Maplewood’s park maps and recreation events online at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/parks and www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/recreation.

While you partake in Minnesota’s silent sports this winter, take time to appreciate the natural beauty of Minnesota’s winter-hardy native plants. To learn more about the state’s woody and herbaceous plant species, join botanist Scott Milburn for a FREE Winter Botany program at the Nature Center on Saturday, December 5, 2009, from 9 a.m. to noon. Please call 651.249.2170 to preregister. Dress for playing “green” outdoors!

Can you find the hidden greenway message?

Imagine you are hiking through one of Maplewood’s greenways.

The wildlife you encounter there will help you find the hidden message...

Kohlman Lake ……... sunfi __ __ 1

Battle Creek Forest…. pileated w__ __ dpecker 2

Jim’s Prairie ………... __ onarch b __ __ __ __ __ fly 3

Fish Creek …. grey tr__ __ frog 4

“The Greenway is our ___ ___ ___ ___ !”

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Maplewood Seasons 4