The Greening of Maplewood
Maplewood Seasons
Where The Wild Things Are
By Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner Wild animals are everywhere. These animals all have a special place, or habitat, that they call home. Many animals claim your back yard or even your house as their habitat. Over the years, I have shared my house with mice, bats, even a bull snake I found in my closet (no doubt looking for the mice).
All animals need four things in their habitat: food, water, cover, and space. Urban growth and development have created the perfect habitat for some animals. They find shelter under our decks or in our wood piles. They find an abundance of food when we leave out pet food or garbage cans. Squirrels, raccoons, opossums, skunks, birds, deer, and turkeys are just a few of the wild animals that live with us in Maplewood. Some of the rarer species include mink, eagle, or weasels. Some wild animals overpopulate our urban
Summer 2010
environment and can damage plants or structures, becoming a real nuisance. There are also animals that are adapting to urban environments, expanding their habitat, or just happen to wander into ours. Over the years human interactions with coyotes, bears, and cougars seem to be increasing and causing quite a wild rumpus! A black bear in a back yard tree can make quite a news story. But it can also pose a real danger to humans and the wild animal.
Sustainable
Maplewood
Maplewood city code has ordinances in place to help prevent or deal with conflicts. First and foremost, don’t leave your garbage in bags outside overnight. Residents must store their garbage in rodent-proof containers and have their garbage removed by a licensed hauler at least once a week. City code prohibits feeding of deer (see Deer article on page 2).
If an animal is making mischief of one kind or another you can deal with this through live trapping of unprotected animals only steel spring traps or discharging of a firearm (including bee bee guns) is prohibited in Maplewood.The problem with live trapping is you need a place to release the animal. It is illegal to release animals at most parks and preserves, so you’ll need to get permission from a landowner. Also make sure the release won’t have a negative impact on our native ecosystems (see Minnesota Wild article on page 4). For other advice on dealing with nuisance wild animals, visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s website at www.dnr.state.mn.us/livingwith_wildlife. Living with wildlife brings joy and beauty. By learning more about the basic needs of wildlife species, our efforts to influence wildlife will be more effective. We have to manage our own behavior and property in ways where we can enjoy wild things, without them becoming a nuisance. And now, let the wild rumpus begin!
Turkey
Cottontail Rabbit
Photo by Jim Williams
Photo by Karen Wachal
“Wild Things” Found In Maplewood
Bald Eagle
Coyote
Managing Deer In Maplewood
Preserve is the
By Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resources Coordinator only city-owned
One misty summer morning, I happened upon a not-very timid deer munching daylilies. Depending on your perspective, deer in the backyard can be a great thrill or a great source of frustration. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends a maximum of 15-20 deer per square mile of habitat in urban areas. Overabundance of deer can lead to excessive damage to vegetation, high number of deer-car collisions, and decreased health of the herd.
In 1999, Maplewood initiated a deer management program to address overpopulation of deer in parts of the city. As John Moriarty, Natural Resources Manager for Ramsey County Parks, explains “Deer go where there is habitat; city boundaries are meaningless. So deer management requires partnerships and cooperation from adjacent communities.” Maplewood works closely with partners on deer management. Our program includes several strategies. • Ramsey County conducts an aerial survey of deer each winter. Moriarty flies the region in a helicopter and counts the deer that are visible. In 2010, he counted 842 deer in Ramsey County, including 180 in Maplewood. For a detailed map, see the county website at www.co.ramsey.mn.us (click on parks, and then click on natural resources). • Maplewood, along with Ramsey County and other cities, partners with Metro Bowhunters Resource Base to conduct archery deer hunts to manage the deer population. The Priory Neighborhood
site selected for archery hunts. • In Maplewood, archery hunting alone will not reduce the deer population to our goal of 15-20 deer per square mile of habitat. In 2005-2006, the county and its partners hired sharp shooters, who removed 180 deer in the county. As deer populations expand, Maplewood will need to consider this again in the future. • City Code prohibits feeding deer, including putting grain, fodder, salt licks, or food (including bird feed) on the ground, or within 4’ of ground, if deer can access it. Gardening in areas with high deer population can be challenging. People try many methods of control from hanging bars of soap to fencing and repellents. Stop by Spoon Lake Neighborhood Preserve this summer to see several methods the city is testing to protect new plantings at the preserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wildlife By Ann Hutchinson, Lead Naturalist
What do I do with a baby bird that fell out of its nest? If the baby bird does not have feathers, pick it up and put it back in the nest. If it is obviously injured – take it to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center located in Roseville (www. wrcmn.org). Birds have a lousy sense of smell, and WILL return and feed their young, even if touched by humans. If the bird is actively hopping and flapping its wings with well-developed feathers, it is a young fledgling trying out its wings. The parents are probably nearby watching it, calling to it, and feeding it. Just leave it alone, keep your pets indoors, and watch the little one learn to fly! I found a baby bunny all by itself in the lawn… It is best to leave it alone. Rabbits are weaned at only three to four weeks of age. If the rabbit is fully furred, can hop, and has its eyes open it is simply hopping about exploring its world. It may go back to its nest at night. Only 15 percent of young rabbits grow to adulthood in the wild, as they are important food for fox, owls, weasels, and other predators.
While mowing the lawn I found a rabbit nest, but haven’t seen the mother rabbit for hours… Female cottontail rabbits don’t sit on the nest like birds. They visit the nest for a few minutes feeding once or twice during a 24-hour period, mostly at night or early morning. Simply cover the nest with dried grass, leaves, or branches and leave it alone. I’ve caught this squirrel/woodchuck etc. in a live trap and want to release it at the Nature Center…. We already have a population of these animals at the Nature Center and do not allow releases of wild animals except by licensed wildlife rehabilitators. Animals from other places may introduce disease, and may be pushed out by the existing population. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends that squirrels and woodchucks be released at least five miles from home to prevent their return. It is also important to get the permission of the existing landowner before releasing a wild animal.
Duckling
Baby Bunny
Red Squirrel
Maplewood Seasons 2
By Bill Bartodziej, Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
In spring 2009, RamseyWashington Metro Watershed District (RWMWD) began a partnership with Dr. Peter Sorensen at the University of Minnesota to study common carp in the Phalen Chain of Lakes Watershed. Why Jeff, a commercial fisherman, holds a common carp – one of is RWMWD concerned 3,500 carp that were netted from Lake Gervais. about the common carp? Past research has suggested that this invasive, non-native fish species can substantially influence water quality, especially in shallow lakes. Being a bottom feeder, carp root around in the lake soils searching for food – pulling up beneficial aquatic plants, suspending sediment and releasing phosphorus. Carp also act as phosphorus pumps, excreting nutrients into the water as by-products of digestion. RWMWD staff and residents living around Lakes Kohlman and Gervais have observed a multitude of carp over the years. A large population of these fish could have a negative effect on the water quality in the Chain of Lakes. Although carp are abundant in many lakes in Minnesota, not much is known about their ecology or control. The Sorensen team and RWMWD staff are addressing several questions: 1) What is the carp population in the Phalen Chain of Lakes? 2) Where do they travel and what are their schooling patterns? 3) Where do they spawn? and 4) Where do they successfully reproduce? The data gathered will be used to develop a strategy to control this invasive fish species in the Phalen Chain. This is the first large-scale project of its kind ever attempted in the United States. Not only will this research benefit our watershed, it will have wide ranging implications on how carp is managed nationwide. On a balmy day this past January, a big crew of fisherman, researchers, and watershed staff dropped a 2,500 foot net under the ice on Lake Gervais. As the net was pulled through the ice, over 3,500 carp were captured. Over 1,000 of these fish were measured, tagged and released back into Lake Gervais. Another 100 were taken back to a University of Minnesota lab for age analyses. Next year, around the same time, the crew will do it all over again. This time, a large quantity of carp will be removed from the lake. The number of tagged carp to untagged carp will be critical data in determining the overall population in the Chain of Lakes. This information will shape future control efforts. The University researchers were busy this spring setting up additional experiments to learn about carp reproduction and egg survival—including an experiment in Markham Pond at Hazelwood Park. For additional information on the carp studies, visit the RWMWD website at www.rwmwd.org.
Volunteers Monitor Maplewood’s Frogs and Bluebirds By Carole Gernes, Naturalist Maplewood Nature Center and Neighborhood Preserve volunteers participate in two wildlife monitoring programs in the city—frogs and bluebirds. The programs are part of larger state or national conservation programs and the data collected by volunteers is submitted to these programs.
Jim Williams
Common Carp Research Lands in the Phalen Chain of Lakes
Frog and toad monitors learn the calls of 14 species and listen for them along four “frog routes”. In 2009, frogs were heard at 26 of 30 sites. The species reported, from most common to least common, were the boreal chorus frog, gray treefrog, wood frog, Cope’s gray treefrog, American toad, spring peeper, and pickerel frog. Populations of spring peepers and gray treefrogs have been declining in Minnesota since 1998. Other problems include the release of captive bullfrogs into the Twin Cities area. Bullfrogs are only native to the southwest corner of Minnesota. They are aggressive and prey on native frogs. Bullfrogs have not yet been reported in Maplewood. Our bluebird monitors increase bluebird nestling survival by checking bluebird boxes located in Maplewood parks and open spaces. Monitors protect the young birds from wasps, parasitic flies, and house sparrows. In 2009, monitors checked a total of 40 houses on a weekly basis, from March through August. Seventeen boxes attracted bluebirds and 52 nestlings survived. Bluebird house design, placement and mounting all affect nestling success. Our goal for 2010 is to increase our success rate. The Maplewood Nature Center invites you to participate in two summer monitoring activities. Families and children can help tag monarch butterflies on August 28 and volunteers are needed to assist with a summer breeding bird survey. Call 651.249.2170 for more information.
Maplewood Seasons 3
Knowing Minnesota Wild
By Ann Hutchinson, Lead Naturalist On a hike at the Nature Center, I pointed out a mink loping along the boardwalk to my group of 5-year-olds. The children quieted as they caught sight of the furry creature. How wonderful that the kids were able to see some real Minnesota wildlife! We often see mink and their tracks along the shore, and even in our shed area. I once surprised a family of four that popped out of a hole in the moist soil. It is important to know the types of wild animals that live in our area. Once, while working as a naturalist at a nature center in St. Louis Park, I came upon an animal control officer about to release this “wild animal” back to nature. The animal was a European ferret, often sold in the pet trade. He was convinced ferrets were native Minnesota animals, and was surprised when I informed him of his error. We took the critter to the visitor center, and the ferret became a favorite pet at the nature center (eventually another home was found for it). Unfortunately, there are many well intentioned people that unwittingly release wild or domestic animals from other countries – from snails to snakes to mammals. These releases can upset the balance of our native ecosystems, and make it difficult for our native species to thrive. For example, when I first started working at the Maplewood Nature Center in 1987, we often found a variety of snails during our pond study including pouch snails, orb snails and fingernail clams to name a few. Sometime in the early 90’s we started noticing a very large snail – up to two inches across. We hadn’t noticed them before. After several years, the snails became very prolific and now, we find mostly this species of snail, and fewer species of native snails when sampling the pond. A specialist at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources identified the snail as the “Chinese Mystery Snail.” It is an aquarium snail that was first brought into San Francisco as part of the food and aquarium trade. When people tired of them – they were released, and they have somehow found their way here. What will you do when the excitement of that exotic pet you purchased a few years ago has worn thin? Can you sell or give the pet to another? As hard as it may sound, if no alternative can be found, it is best for the environment to humanely euthanize the animal rather than to release it. That way, our children, and their children, will have an opportunity to experience true Minnesota Wild Things.
Chinese Mystery Snail
European Ferret
Mink
Printed on 30% post-consumer waste paper
Wacky Words for Wildlife Across: 1. A _______ of fish 4. A _______ of geese 7. A _______ of mice 10. A _______ of turtles 11. A _______ of frogs 13. A _______ of bluejays
Down: 2. A _______ of ants 3. A _______ of foxes 5. A _______ of owls 6. A _______ of deer 7. A _______ of crows 8. A _______ of ducks 9. A _______ of turkeys 13. A _______ of coyotes 14. A _______ of otters
Breanna Knutson
There are some zany words that describe groups of animals:
By Oakley Biesanz, Naturalist
word bank: leash, parliament, murder, school, gaggle, mischief, herd, flock, pack, bale, knot, rafter, romp, colony, party Maplewood Seasons 4