ECOLOGIAL RESTORATION
ER
AT CEDAR LAKE POINT BEACH (AND BEYOND)
I was raised to not complain. "Be thankful for what you've got. There are people starving in Africa." was the common response I sternly received as a kid if I questioned anything that seemed wrong. It left me without a voice to express myself for a long time. I found myself focused on trying to define problems in an objective way. My graduate degree in Social Work specialized in research. As such, I managed plenty of "Needs Assessment" projects in those early days. But my desire to find ways to activate what was quantified was unfulfilled, so I also included planning as a specialty area in the MSW. But social work research and planning seemed to go only so far, so I added a graduate degree in City and Regional Planning, where my college's program was much heavy on economics, and my work for years were in market studies for neighborhoods, cities, regions, and states. But if I could only count the number of times that the "objective" market studies I helped author recommended one direction, only to followed up in the political interests to go another direction. So I've tuned to storytelling. So if a picture tells a thousand words, and if I can edit down what I write to let some photo do much of the heavy lifting. All of these photos were created yesterday on a short walk around part of Cedar Lake. They disparingly reflect a state of disrepair, and dangerous neglect. An un-emptied trash can full of dog waste; the public is doing their part to pick up after themselves, but the Park Board is not. A severely decayed landscaped stairway with rotten timers and exposed nails. Rotted fence posts without the original chain fencing that was put there I believe to keep cars that slide off the road downtime steep bank from going into the lake. None of these maintenance or need of repair items or issues were mentioned in the MPRB draft of the Cedar-Isles Plan. When the public raised these concerns, they were told that's not a part of planning. That's another department. Another budget. Another management silo. This morning before sunrise, I created this image. Darned iPhones add light where there barely is any. What it doesn't show are any streetlights. Everywhere else along Cedar Lake Parkway has streetlights working. There are light posts in this area, but for some reason, the lights have not been working, for several weeks now. Nothing to see here. The Cedar-Isles Plan is written to look at shiny new things before it takes care of what we've got. What have we got? We've got nature. But the voice of nature is fainter and its breadth shallower as we neglect the threat of Buckthorn and invasive species that are literally choking the life out of trees, plants, wildlife, and biodiversity. And we've got stuff that needs to be repaired, replaced, and cared for. The public repeated many times (sometimes "loudly" as the park plan states) in public feedback sessions and mechanisms that the two priorities of the plan should be "take care of the environment, and take care of what we've got." But did the planners listen? Or do they believe they know better?
In response to sending out the last blog post, I received an email from a community member who said, "I gave the natural areas and water quality as my highest priority topic, multiple times and in person one time for the Cedar-Isles Plan. Over the year when I'd get updates it seemed like the process would get hijacked by special interest (biking mainly) and new plans would be presented with things that had not been previously presented. . . . Unfortunately I got worn out and felt like even when I tried giving feedback it was not given the same weight as other if it didn't match what the planners wanted to hear." I don't want to or like trash talking. "No bitch without a pitch" was a saying I learned at some point in my life. And I genuinely believe most people are good and well intended. But it seems important to take note that the planning process that resulted in this plan possesses implicit biases:
Lacking a strategic approach or framework onto which planners could objectively hang all of the needs, wants, and desires of the public, bias carried forward design solutions that were within the frame of planners' comfort; what they have learned and performed in the past. My understanding is that the planners on staff have limited experience, knowledge and perhaps interest in the natural environment. I learned that after the project started and issues of the natural environment were repeatedly raised, that the Park Board actually needed to add a couple hundred thousand dollars to the planning process to bring in an ecologically qualified consultant. And the planning process, by design, is designed to chase project funding dollars. I have also heard feedback about the idea to establish a hierarchy of needs and priorities to not be a part of past plans. That new idea might be uncomfortable. But let's be clear. Nature is not being adequately represented in the plan, no matter how many are trying to voice this urgent need. And we're just going to end up with a plan that chases special interests and funding. Please don't pass up this last chance to make it known your wishes. Complete the MPRB's draft Cedar Isles Plan survey, and if you're up to it, contact your Park Board Commissioner. For me, I'm providing my feedback in general and specific to details, and as productively and positively as possible. No trash talk there. "You attract more flies with honey and with vinegar."
1 Comment
J. Dahlke
2/21/2023 11:51:10 am
I totally agree. I have walked or run around the Cedar Lake area for the past 30 years. It is sad how this beautiful area is not getting the upkeep it deserves. The walking paths are challenging unless you know where the cracks and bumps are by memory. The lack of simple upkeep of the trails and barrier fencing is sad and dangerous. I am also amused at the discussions of new facilities without any planning for upkeep of current and also these new facilities will require upkeep. Volunteers are managing buckthorn removal with minimal support from the park department and are excited when the piles of buckthorn are removed from the park...... sigh. What is the purpose of a new addition if you cannot take care of what you have.....
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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. |