Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary is located west of 1-35E between Norpac Rd and Cayuga Ave. This 40-acre site is rooted in history. This valley was once home to the Mdwakanton Dakota and was used for hunting and fishing. The marshy area was perfect for wild rice harvesting. Around 1840 the valley began to change and new settlers inhabited the site. In 1853 the site changed once again when Edmund Rice founded his first railroad.
When the railroads arrived it completely changed the landscape and use of Trout Brook. The hills in the area were flattened and filled, the valley floor lifted by up to 10 feet in places to accommodate the development of railroads and industry.1
Eventually, after a twenty-years of persuading from neighbors and civic leaders there was movement to restore the site back to its glory days. This work to restore the park is ongoing and has benefited from many great partnerships throughout the years.
Coming in 2019 we will be expanding our volunteer program by offering community drop-in events at Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary (1200 Jackson St). Due to the success of our Bruce Vento EcoStewards program we are excited to expand to another park!
Saint Paul Natural Resources will be hosting events in June so please check back on our website, Facebook or Meetup for more details.
1 Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. “History of the Trout Brook Valley.”2013. Accessed from: https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/parks-recreation/design-construction/archived-projects/trout-brook-nature-sanctuary
|
 Top photo by Great River Greening and Bottom photo by Bruce Nimmer
This past summer the Blooming Saint Paul crew created three new perennial garden spaces at Burns Ave, Swede Hollow, and Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary. These gardens were made possible with grant money from the St. Paul Garden Club and the hard work of our crew. Check them out! |
|
 |
Burns Avenue Park
The Burns Avenue Park garden features over a dozen species of shade loving and pollinator friendly flowers. Over the next few years, this space will continue to grow and expand into a beautiful, colorful area that will invite visitors into this small park. This garden is part of our ongoing initiative to help create green spaces that host a variety of species that will be beneficial to pollinators of all kinds.
Swede Hollow Park
At the Beaumont Avenue entrance to Swede Hollow Park, visitors are welcomed by a native species focused, pollinator friendly garden. This plot hosts a variety of species, some of which were already present in the landscape. Although there seems to be an organized look to the garden now, over time these plants will self-seed and spread throughout the garden growing into an intermixed prairie in the future.
Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary
Trout Brook has two small spaces that were created this past season. The four beds around the facility building are now filled with Honeysuckle, a favorite for pollinators. Planted behind the sign are grasses and hydrangeas, which will create a nice focal point for visitors coming to the park. These plant species will bring additional benefits for pollinators, offering both food and shelter for those that frequent the area.
 |
Let’s look back at some of the work Environmental Services (EVS) accomplished in 2018. Thank you to everyone - volunteers, partners, and Natural Resources staff - that helped us implement many successful projects and events this year!
New restorations:
- Converted one acre of turf to prairie at Cherokee Regional Park (RP), to improve plant diversity and habitat along the Mississippi River. This was the first stage of a three-year, 61-acre grant that will connect with other management areas in Lilydale RP.
- Enhanced 10.5 acres of degraded prairie at Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, through a grant in partnership with the Lower Phalen Creek Project.
- Restored 315 linear feet of the Como Lake shoreline (the last section of the lake to be fully restored) by removing invasive trees, replanting with native plants, and installing erosion control materials.
Other projects:
- Planted over 2,300 trees and shrubs in oak woodland and floodplain forest sites.
- Planted over 9,000 plugs in prairie and woodland sites.
- Continued to expand EVS’s native plant propagation and seed collection program, which benefits unfunded restoration sites. This spring staff propagated over 2,600 plants. In the fall volunteers collected 52 pounds of seed, used for direct seeding and propagation next year.
- CCM crew members completed 66 acres of buckthorn removal at Crosby Farm RP, part of a multi-year/multi-park effort to restore the floodplain forest.
Community engagement:
- Managed over 1,000 volunteers who dedicated 2,220 hours to restoring our parks.
- Worked with 40 Right Track youth to accomplish restoration and conservation projects.
|
We need your input!
Rusty patch bumblebees collecting nectar around Como Lake. Bald eagles nesting at Indian Mounds Park. The Highland Coyote. There’s wildlife all over Saint Paul if you look for it!
Saint Paul Natural Resources is working to start a community wildlife monitoring network to document the diversity of life in our parks and track changes over time. We would like your input to help us determine what this program could look like and how folks in the community might want to participate. Take a 10 minute survey to share your thoughts and let us know how you might want to participate.
Take survey by clicking here.
|
When deciding what household projects will take place on your property this upcoming year, it is important to consider how these activities will impact nearby trees.
Some of the most damaging affects to trees during construction is compaction of the surrounding soil and root cutting (top photo). Compaction reduces aeration in the soil, which reduces the amount of water and oxygen that can reach tree roots. Root cutting impairs the tree’s ability to collect nutrients and can cause stability issues.
Trees may take up to several years to show signs from these activities. Compaction can be caused from heavy machinery traffic, piling construction materials or soil around the tree, and excessive foot traffic. When working around trees, be careful not to damage them with equipment. Wounds left from construction damage are there for the life of the tree, and can lead to an easy pathway for decay and disease to enter the tree.
To help protect the trees you may be working near, set up Tree Protection Zones that prohibit construction activities inside the barriers. Your trees will thank you for helping to keep them safe and healthy for future generations to enjoy!
|
|
