ECOLOGIAL RESTORATION
ER
AT CEDAR LAKE POINT BEACH (AND BEYOND)
Wait, that's a silly title. Of course trees are talking, with each other and to us. Let's try this: If we could listenAs work to clear Buckthorn from this site has progressed, we're starting to be able to see the trees from the forest of Buckthorn and other scrub that's dominated the landscape. Clearing the forest floor to ready for late fall seedings has involved pulling out a lot of stuff that just won't contribute to a restored habitat. Awful overgrown grapevines were strangling a lot of trees in the interior. What comes out and what remains in the forest is a selective process. I'm listening to the treasured trees that over the past week's heavy winds have swayed with a sense of freedom from being so entangles with their annoying intruders.
Beyond Buckthorn, the past couple weeks have included cutting down some Mulberries, as previously described. It's also included removing a lot of Buckthorn that was previously cut over the past almost three years now. There's so much of it, I am assured by MPRB Natural Resources staff and fellow nature restoration advocates that removing it and other brush will improve conditions. And sometimes the bees' nests are very convincing reminders of where I should keep my distance. I've learned that bees don't care much about your messing with areas they are seeking food. But disturb their nest, and they will make it clear. Buzz off! I'm starting to see the treasured trees in our forest. Cottonwoods. Black Willows. Lindens. Hackberries. And this is leading me to a process to label these trees with some tagging. I contacted the MPRB Forestry Department this week to ask if there was a way that I might be able to geo-identify tree species that might add to their database. I', assuming they have a system, but is it something that is user-friendly enough to accept the data I might offer to add to their database? This is an unmanaged area. So if they use a system that is user-friendly, maybe I should use the same? If not, I still want to identify the treasured trees so we can protect them, and for around them. I'm happy to focus efforts to clear Mulberries that might be choking a Linden or Cottonwood, for example. It would be exciting to inventory the size of the trees today and see if our restoration efforts might be helping these treasured trees over time. I call these treasured trees because the term Keystone Trees is an actual designation to some species, such as Oaks, that are very significant to establishing a whole ecosystem of wildlife that supports a healthy habitat. So I'd like to include the Keystone trees, but also others that are treasured, but may not qualify as Keystone. It will be helpful when deciding how to manage beyond Buckthorn, what kinds of trees should be cleared to create the healthy ecosystem we desire. So if you're walking through the area, you might start seeing some tags on trees, identifying their species, with the QR code that when scanned will direct to this blog and the Friends of Cedar Lake Point Beach Facebook Group.
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March 2024
AuthorI'm Steve Kotvis, volunteer Park Steward for the Minneapolis Cedar Lake Point Beach peninsula who has a newfound love of restoring this natural area and more. I'm learning as I go, and enjoy sharing that with those who have an interest. I'm also a photographer, so the photos in this blog are mine unless otherwise labeled. |