Southwood Nature PreserveCity of North St. Paul

Long Range Management Plan

Leah Andersen, Austin Christensen, Erin Denny, Shaun Hansen, Brandon Liddiard, Adam Maxwell

EnEd 4315 - Operations and ManagementUniversity of Minnesota Duluth

December 9, 2013

Table of Content

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Agency Overview....................................................................................................................... 3The Management Planning Team..................................................................................................3Mission Statement for Southwood Nature Preserve....................................................................3Vision Statement for the City of North Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department......4Significance Statement....................................................................................................................... 4Objectives for Southwood Nature Preserve...................................................................................5

Natural Feature.......................................................................................................................... 8Geographical Features....................................................................................................................... 8Geology.................................................................................................................................................. 8Hydrology.............................................................................................................................................. 9Biomes and Habitats......................................................................................................................... 13Flora and Fauna................................................................................................................................ 14

Social Features and Resources............................................................................................. 17History of Southwood Nature Preserve........................................................................................18Social Aspects Effect on Character...............................................................................................19Recreational Facilities...................................................................................................................... 24Recreational Resources.................................................................................................................... 25

Recommendations.................................................................................................................................. 26Mission and Vision............................................................................................................................ 26

Recommendation: Revise Mission Statement.......................................................................................26Natural Features............................................................................................................................... 27

Recommendation: Use Holloway Marsh in Conjunction with Southwood Nature Preserve27Recommendation: Invasive Species Eradication..................................................................................29

Social Features................................................................................................................................... 30Recommendation: Build a Parking lot as a clear access point.........................................................30Recommendation: Improve Interpretive Signage.................................................................................32Recommendation: Increase Winter Recreation.....................................................................................33Recommendation: Monitor Usage.............................................................................................................34Recommendation: Build a Shelter.............................................................................................................35

Staffing................................................................................................................................................ 37Recommendation: Staffing..........................................................................................................................37

Concluding Remarks........................................................................................................................38

References................................................................................................................................. 39

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Table of Figures

Figure 1 North St. Paul Location within Minnesota Metro Area……………………. 6

Figure 2: SNP location within North St. Paul………………………………………… 7

Figure 3: Kohlman Lake Watershed.............................................................................11

Figure 4: Kohlman Creek Subwatershed......................................................................12

Figure 5: Location of Homestead Site………………………………………………... 23

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Agency Overview

The Management Planning Team

The management team responsible for the Southwood Nature Preserve is a part of

the University of Minnesota Duluth Operations and Management class. This team is in

charge of designating the functions of the Southwood Nature Preserve. The Southwood

Nature Preserve is a 28-acre parcel in the city of North St. Paul and is managed by the

North St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department.

The Southwood Nature Preserve is used by the residents of North St. Paul, yet it

does not offer many opportunities for education and exploration. Signs are placed around

the trails but are unclear and go unnoticed. The North St. Paul Parks and Recreation

Department has asked the University of Minnesota Duluth student management team of

the Operations and Management course, Environmental and Outdoor Education Program,

to design a long range plan to increase community use of the Southwood Nature

Preserve.

This long range plan will include the mission, vision, significance and objectives

set forth by the city of North St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department. The end goal is

to create interpretive opportunities within the Southwood Nature Preserve and increase

the use of this area by the local residents. The management team wishes to use this area

as a place of learning to connect people to the outdoors within the comfort of their

neighborhood.

Mission Statement for Southwood Nature Preserve

The mission statement of an agency leads the course of its actions, it guides the

reason it exists. Therefore the mission statement comes first in a management plan,

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because everything we will be talking about throughout the plan is tied to the mission. If

there is ever a question on an action within the plan, the mission statement is looked at

alongside the action to see if it fits what the site stands for and what the city is trying to

accomplish. The following is the North St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department’s

mission statement:

To help make Saint Paul the most livable city in America, Saint Paul Parks and

Recreation will facilitate the creation of active lifestyles, vibrant places, and a

vital environment. (North St. Paul, homepage 2013)

Vision Statement for the City of North Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation will make Saint Paul the most livable city in

America by:

● Responding creatively to change

● Innovating with every decision

● Connecting the entire city

Significance Statement

The Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) is situated in an urban area with several

schools nearby and a large wetland on the south side of Holloway Avenue. The pond near

Holloway Avenue filters the runoff from the surrounding houses and the creek that flows

through the park in the springtime. The SNP is a natural learning area for schools in the

area. The schools use it for their science classes, in part because it is a short walk from

the schools to the preserve. The area has historical significance as a homestead farm was

the original development on the site. The foundation of several structures can still be

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seen in the deciduous forest of the SNP. The SNP must be preserved and looked after for

its resources, both learning, ecologically, and for the historical significance to the area.

SNP is an important place to the community and ecosystem of the North St. Paul area.

Objectives for Southwood Nature Preserve

These objectives have been written by the management team with input from North St. Paul employees and citizens.

Renovate maps and signage within Southwood Nature Preserve

Remove all trash and debris from the park.

Increase and monitor use of Southwood Nature Preserve.

Build a structure to allow educational programs protection from the elements.

Manage native species and remove invasive species.

Manage the preserve in a sustainable manner so that all citizens, current and

future, can enjoy and learn from the site.

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Figure 1 North St. Paul Location within Minnesota Metro Area

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Figure 2: SNP location within North St. Paul

Southwood Nature Preserve

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Natural Features

Geographical Features

North St. Paul is a suburb of the Twin Cities metro area, that is home to 11, 460

residents. In North St. Paul there are numerous parks, one of these parks is the

Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP). SNP is a 28 acre park with a pond located in the

middle of the park and a look-out deck on the south end of the pond. There is a cement

foundation in the southeastern portion of the park from an old homestead. Due to the

location of SNP it is home to a diverse population of wildlife and has particularly high

numbers of turtles and waterfowl.

Geology

The Southwood Nature Preserve is located within the St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and

Moraines Subsection of the Minnesota Ecological Classification System (MN DNR,

n.d.). Most of Minnesota’s geological history is based on the effects of glaciation. The

last glacier retreated from Minnesota around 10,000 years ago. Its effects are still seen

today by the deposition of small uniform sized rocks. This subsection is mostly a lobe

end moraine complex, with a series of outwash plains. The glacier deposited unsorted

gravel, and sorted sands and silts, which now reside under the vegetation. The outwash

plains are areas of deposited glacial sediment from the glacial melt water. The

topography surrounding SNP is rolling mounds on the moraine and more level on the

outwash. SNP is located on one of these outwashes (MN DNR, n.d.).

The soil within the area is made of glacial drift generally less than 100 feet thick.

There are two main soil types prevalent in this subsection, including Alfisoils and

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Mollisoils. Within the Southwood Nature Preserve, it is mostly Alfisoils which are soils

formed under forested vegetation (MN DNR, n.d.).

Hydrology

In the center of the Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) there is a pond, which is

part of the Kohlman Creek subwatershed. Kohlman Creek flows out of SNP near its

northwest corner and flows into Kohlman Lake before eventually emptying into the

Mississippi River – Twin Cities Watershed. Urban pollutants, such as road salt and lawn

fertilizers, are transported by rainfall flowing over the landscape and collect in the pond

from the area roads and neighborhoods (see figure 2).

Kohlman Creek is an intermittent stream, meaning it is normal for it to completely

dry up during certain times of the year. During these dry times the pond within SNP

collects large amounts of runoff from the local roads and homes. This causes the pond to

become filled with large amounts of algae and other vegetation. This is in part due to

excessive nutrients such as phosphorous which enter the water source. Much of these

nutrients affect the many bogs that are part of Kohlman Creek subwatershed (RWMWD).

In addition to the city of North St. Paul, the Ramsey-Washington Metro

Watershed District (RWMWD) is responsible for work on the Kohlman Creek

subwatershed. According to the RWMWD, their goal is to restore Kohlman Lake to a

healthy ecosystem dominated by native plants and fish species. They also state that

shallow bodies of water like Kohlman Lake generally exist in two states. These two states

are clear-water dominated by an abundance of submerged aquatic plants and a murky

state dominated by algae. Due to high levels of nutrients such as phosphorus, Kohlman

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Lake currently exists in the undesired murky state (Ramsey-Washington Metro

Watershed District, 2012).

Recent projects have aimed at completing the RWMWD’s goal by focusing

directly on the removal of nutrients and non-native species within Kohlman Lake. This

includes removing sediment from the bottom of the lake where these excess nutrients are

stored. In 1998 and 1999 the RWMWD completed a project to stabilize the banks along

several spots of Kohlman Creek. This project served to decrease the level of nutrients that

would enter the watershed, thus decreasing the algae growth in lakes downstream of

restoration sites. (Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, 2011)

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Figure 3: Kohlman Lake Watershed

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Figure 4: Kohlman Creek Subwatershed

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Biomes and Habitats

Minnesota is home to the convergence of three major biomes: the prairie

grassland, deciduous forest, and coniferous forest. The Southwood Nature Preserve

(SNP) resides within the deciduous forest biome. This biome stretches diagonally from

the northwest corner to the southeast corner of the state, and is characterized by broad

leafed trees that lose their leaves in the fall and winter to grow new ones in spring.

Maples, cottonwoods, aspens, and oaks dominate here. Maples and cottonwoods grow

near rivers and lakes, while near the edge of the prairie biome, oaks and aspens grow

along with the tall grasses. The forests in this biome today are the remnants of what was

left behind from when the Europeans settled the area and Minnesota became a state. Most

areas were logged for farmland development. The pioneers left forest stands to collect sap

from sugar maple trees and for firewood supply. These stands have become the basis for

the forests still present in this biome today (MN DNR, n.d.).

The habitat of the SNP is a mix of forest and wetlands with clearings in the

forested areas that hold tall grasses. In the middle of the southern part there is a pond, the

pond is part of a creek system that runs through the preserve. Water flows though the

creek in the spring and dries up in the late summer. The western and northern portions of

the preserve are oak and maple forests. The southwest corner is an old growth oak

savannah, which consist primarly of Red Oak. The eastern half is a maple forest with

some aspen, and a stand of large basswood trees near the old homestead foundation. This

type of ecosystem is diverse, it has two different water sources and a mix of different tree

species along with tall grass sections. The SNP can thus hold a very wide variety of

wildlife (K. Stachowski, personal communication, September 13, 2013)

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Flora and Fauna

As previously stated, the Southwood Nature Preserve is within the deciduous

forest biome. Its characterized as such because the trees lose their leaves at the end of

each growing season. There are many different types of trees within SNP, which include:

(C. Troendle, personal communication, November 14, 2013)

Native Trees: Basswood (Tila americana) Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) Box Elder (Acer negundo) Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) White Oak (Quercus alba) Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) White Pine (Pinus strobus) Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) Wild Plum (Prunus americana) Mulberry (Morus rubra) Sumac (Rhus typhina) Cherry Tree (Prunus serotina) Black Willow (Salix nigra) Cotton Wood (Populus deltoides) White Ash (Fraxinus americana) Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) American Elm (Ulmus americana) Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Non- Native Trees: Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) Walnut Trees (Junglans) Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) Apple (Malus domestica) Honeysuckle (Lonicera) Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

Shrubs: Red Raspberries (Rusus idaeus) Common Elderberry (Sambucus)

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Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) provides habitat for many species of urban

wildlife. It hosts many common species such as white-tailed deer, grey squirrels,

raccoons, skunks and red fox. It also hosts many different species of resident and

migratory song birds, which are studied by fourth graders the Cowern Elementary

School. According to Ms. Troendle students have observed a Great Horned Owl (Bubo

virginianus) with their young, Common Egrets (Casmerodius albus), Mallards (Anas

platyrhynchos), Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), Canadian Geese (Branta

Canadensis), American Robins (Turdus migratorius), Mourning Doves (Zenaida

macroura), Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), American Crows (Corvus

brachyrhynchos), Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata), Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis

cardinalis) and American Goldfinchs (Carduelis tristis). In total Ms. Troedle has

identified 98 species of birds within SNP. In the summer of 2013 she observes a species

of dabbling duck, called the Godwall (Anas strepera) with its young in the pond. This

was the first recorded nesting Godwall in Ramsey county (C. Troedle, personal

communication, December 8, 2013).   

The pond within SNP host a significant amount of wildlife including, waterfowl

and turtles. During a visit to the site are group observed blue winged teals, wood ducks,

mallard and Canadian geese using the pond. One primary reason that so much waterfowl

uses the pond is because of the large amounts of algae growth, which provide a valuable

food source.

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In addition the pond also hosts a wide variety of species of turtles. While visiting

SNP our group observed Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta belli) and Snapping Turtles

(Chelydra serpentine). Many of these turtles migrate between SNP and the Holloway

Marsh, which is located to the south of Holloway Avenue (K. Stachowski, personal

communication September 13, 2013). This brings up an issue of turtles being killed while

crossing Holloway Avenue. During a visit to SNP several members of our group counted

five dead turtles along the shoulder of Holloway Avenue. According to the MN DNR,

vehicle related deaths are the largest factor in the decline faced by many turtle species. In

order to diminish this problem it might be necessary to create a barrier along the road to

prevent turtles from crossing the road.

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Social Features and Resources

Users and Zones

The Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) provides a valuable green space to the city

of North St. Paul. SNP is located within walking distance to many residential areas.

Several schools that are located within the city of North St. Paul offer nature lessons and

programs in SNP. The SNP task force estimates that there are 30 people that visit SNP on

a self guided visited each day, of those 30 people 25 re-visit multiple times per week.

Most of the users are pedestrians, dog walkers or bicyclists. There is no break down of

how much each user group uses the nature preserve, however in the future the task force

hopes to have this information.

Maplewood Middle School and Cowern Elementry School use SNP for nature

programs and science classes. The University of Minnesota Master Naturalist Program

(MMNP) leads some of the programs for these schools. Since 2007, Cathy Troendle has

been a volunteer with the MMNP and has played a large part in developing the programs

for these schools. She has used grants sponsered by the Minnesota Pollution Control

Agency’s Environmental Education Advisory Board (EEAB) and the Minnesota

Association for Environmental Education (MAEE) to develop several programs for third

through fifth graders. These programs have been designed to meet the state of

Minnesota’s educational standards. These grants were awarded in 2007 and although the

schools pay for supplies, no additional monetary support has been given since 2007.

The programs that Ms. Troendle developed and currently teaches during late

winter and spring. Through these programs third graders study the leaves of native trees,

fourth graders learn to use binoculars and identify different bird species, and fifth graders

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are involved in a four-part lesson, where they learn about mammals that live in

Minnesota. Recently, Ms. Troendle has begun working with the Maplewood Nature

Center and Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District to coordinate a field day for

students at Maplewood Middle School (C. Tronendle, personal communication,

November 14, 2013).

The trail system within SNP is roughly1 ½ miles long. The most used trail is a

woodchip trail that runs though most of the park and around the pond. The second most

used trail leads to the wooden observation deck. There is a kiosk next to the observation

deck, which provides information about SNP. It has a map of many of the trees, shrubs,

and animals that you might see while in the SNP.

The map at the kiosk splits the park into four quadrants: northeast, southeast,

southwest and northwest. Each quadrant offers something different to see and experience.

In the northwest quadrant there is a trail with signs labeling many of the plants in the

area. The northeast quadrant contains an open field where visitors can picnic and play

field games. In the southeast quadrant there is the foundation of the old farm house.

Finally, the southwest quadrant contains the large old growth oak savamah.

History of Southwood Nature Preserve

The land used to establish Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) was first acquired in

1969 through eminent domain. Through eminent domain, the government has the right to

sieze private property for public use with payment or compensation to the land owner.

The land that SNP currently encompasses used to be twelve separate parcels of land, each

owned by a different family. Nine of the parcels were bought through eminent domain,

while three of the families refused to sell. In the fall of 1970 the remaining three parcels

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were condemned and acquired for park use (J. Fure, personal communication, November

14, 2013).

The funds used to purchase these parcels came from a few different sources

including, the State of MN Natural Resource Fund Grant, Federal HUD Grant and funds

from other state and federal grants (J. Fure, personal communication, November 14,

2013).

Prior to the establishment of SNP the land itself served as homes to families as

well as a dumping ground for the Berwald Roofing Company and the Allan homestead in

the early 1960 (C. Tronendle, personal communication, November 14, 2013). On August

16, 1968 a letter to the Berwald Roofing Company and Allan’s family stated that they

were no longer allowed to use the land as a dumping site because the city was striving to

mitigate water quality problems. This became a regulation, which in turn helped improve

the water quality of pond within Southwood Nature Preserve (J. Fure, personal

communication, Novemnber 14, 2013).

Through the last 50 years, a lot has changed at the site of Southwood Nature

Preserve. It is now provides green space within community, learning opportunities for

surrounding schools, homes for the local wildlife and recreational trails for hiking and

observing nature.

Social Aspects Effect on Character

The social aspects of Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) are one of the great and

unique aspects of the preserve. The preserve is surrounded by an urban area which

influences its use in many ways. It serves as a great place for local community members

to participate in nature based recreation. It also provides wildlife with habitat in an urban

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area. However, due to the prioximity of SNP to such a developed area it creates

vulnerabilities by increasing the spread of invasive species and environmental

contamination.

The convenient location of SNP increases its use by local residents. The site is

large enough to provide residents with a place where they can relax in a quiet natural

setting. According to North St. Paul’s Assistant Public Works Superintendent, Keith

Stachowski, over ninety percent of SNP visiters walk to the site from their homes or

schools in the surronding neighborhood. Many of these people access the park though a

series of spur trails that have been created by community members. However, according

to Mr. Stachowski the city does not support these trails. They hope to remove them

inorder to restore natral vegetation.

The location of the SNP also allows local schools to walk to the preserve and use

it as an extension of the classroom, were students can be taught about nature and ecology.

As discussed earlier, teachers from Maplewood Middle School and Cowern Elementary

School work with the Minnesota Master Natralist Program when they walk to SNP with

groups of young students. Their lessons at SNP are targeted toward teaching students

about the outdoors in a holistic method which blends with classroom coursework.

In the past, signage has been installed by volunteers of the University of

Minnesota Master Naturalist Program. These signs, which are generally on small

notecards, have aided teachers by providing non-personal interpretation opportunities.

The signs are placed low to the ground and each label a certain plant or tree species.

Many of these signs have become weathered and are difficult to read. Others have been

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overgrown by plants which make them difficult to find and even more difficult to

determine which plant they are meant to identify.

There are many concerns that arise due to the convenience of SNP. One primary

concern is that many residents use the preserve as an extension of their backyard. They

often use it as a place to dispose of sticks, grass and other yard waste. Citizens often use

SNP as a place to let their dogs run off leash. Loose dogs have a negative effect on

wildlife in the area as they often chase wild animals or leave a scent which scares the

animals out of their habitat (T. Bates, personal communication, October 2, 2013). It also

creates a risk of injuries and conflicts among visitors. These conflicts include dogs

approaching and scaring visitors that may not like dogs. Many visitors may also choose

not to spend time in SNP due to dog feces being on the trails (K. Stachowski, personal

communication, September 13, 2013). Injuries may include dogs biting or jumping on

people.

Furthermore many environmental issues arise due to the location of SNP. Invasive

species, for example, are difficult to control in such a small area within a greater urban

area. Runoff from streets, houses, and lawns also presents a concern for environmental

degradation by reducing the water quality which also affects the kinds of aquatic life that

can grow in the pond and stream. For example, the use of chemicals containing

phosphorous from lawn fertilizers creates a large amount of algae growth on the pond.

The location of the site also means that the city of North St. Paul must run utility

lines though the preserve. This is necessary due to the location of the preserve; however it

does have several negative effects on the character of the site. In order to maintain these

utility lines the city must keep several trails wide enough to allow service trucks to drive

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through the preserve. These wide trails take away from the natural appeal of the park and

also segment the forest resulting in an increase of invasive species and a decrease of

suitable habitat for wildlife such as white-tailed deer.

SNP and the land it is on has been used in many different ways for a long period

of time. In 1969, when the land was acquired by the Southeast Area Village Park there

was a homestead site established in the southeast quadrant of what is now SNP (see

Figure 5) . Although this homestead was deconstructed in 1970 there are still remnants of

the site. These include concrete slabs and pieces of the structures foundation. The area

around the homestead can also be identified by clearings and abnormal parts of the

natural forest, such as non-native trees. Another way that the old homestead site can be

located is by finding trees that are smaller and younger than the surronding forest. For

example, a section of trees that are forty years old within an older section of forest may

be due an old homestead. The forty year old trees are likely to have been planted after the

removal of the homestead. Some of these abnormalities may go unnoticed by most

visitors, but an interpreter or proper signage could help visitors better appreciate this site.

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Figure 5: Location of Homestead Site

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Recreational Facilities

The Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) has no buildings, but it does have a

platform viewing area, bridge, benches, several trashcans and doggy bag dispensers. The

benches are placed throughout the park on small spur trails off the main trail. There is a

kiosk area at the head of the trail, near the southern end of the pond. There is information

posted on the different species of plants and animals that inhabit the park. It identifies

which of these are invasive species. Straight ahead of the trailhead kiosk is a large

wooden deck overlooking the pond. This deck can accommodate a class of at least 20

students. East from the trailhead sign and overlook area, there is a portable outhouse at

the start of a trail. There is also a doggy bag dispenser and garbage can before the trail

starts. On the eastern edge of the preserve near the road, there is another garbage can.

SNP has several trails that run around the pond and branch off into other trails

that lead to the edge of the woods and out to the street. These trails are 5 ft. wide in most

places and covered with wood chips. There are signposts along the trail that describe

different parts of the forest and include a Google Map picture of the park. There are small

signs near the ground in the northwest quadrant that identifies different plant species.

These were placed by volunteers of the Minnesota Master Naturalists Program (K.

Stachowski, personal communication, September 14).

The SNP has no personnel committed to its maintenance.  The city of North St.

Paul Parks Commission takes care of all the parks within the city. Its maintenance is

minimal compared to the preserve’s size and the amount of users.

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Recreational Resources

Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) aims to create recreational and educational

opportunities for the people of North St. Paul. SNP creates these opportunities while

closly following the mission of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department. This

mission is: To help make Saint Paul the most livable city in America, North Saint Paul

Parks and Recreation will facilitate the creation of active lifestyles, vibrant places, and a

vital environment. (North St. Paul, homepage 2013)

All of SNP’s resources which include the trails, trail signs, viewing platform, a

task force (community based group of volunteers that report to the Parks and Recreation

Comminsion), and other volunteers help to create a facility that promotes active lifestyles

within a vibrant place and vital environment. SNP is fortunate to have a group of people

that are passionate about its future. However, many aspects need to be improved

including: removal of invasive species, increasing interpretive programing and adding

updated signs to the trails. This can be a possibility thanks to the community involvement

and a desire to create a quality green-space for the city of North St. Paul.

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Recommendations In the final part of our Long Range Management Plan we will make several

recommendations for long term management of the site. All of our recommendations are

based off the information we have collected about the mission and vision, natural features

and social features of the Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP). Thus each recommendation

will be categorized based on which of these areas it best fits. In addition to these three

areas we have also identified staffing as a primary issue and used it as a fourth category.

These recommendations are meant to address concerns brought up during conversations

with people currently involved with SNP.

Mission and Vision

Recommendation: Revise Mission Statement

The current mission of the City of North St. Paul Parks and Recreation is “to help

make Saint Paul the most livable city in America, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation will

facilitate the creation of active lifestyles, vibrant places, and a vital environment”. (North

St. Paul, homepage, 2013) This mission is aimed at parks in North St. Paul as a whole,

but it’s important for Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) to have a mission statement of

its own. This will allow SNP to follow its own specific needs. There are two options that

SNP can do to provide their own mission statement.

Option 1: Task force makes the Mission statement

The first option is to collaborate with the task force to create a mission statement

for SNP. This allows the individuals most involved and dedicated in the park to create a

mission that revolves around the importance of conservation, maintenance, sustainability,

and promotion of active living throughout the park.

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Option 2: To follow the mission our group has created which is stated below:

“Southwood Nature Preserve aims to make North St. Paul a more sustainable

city by increasing the use and quality of green space by providing

opportunities for outdoor education and environmental education”.

This mission statement is measurable, which provides the city of North St. Paul and SNP

employees to see if they are meeting their goals. Having a measurable mission statement

also allows employees to keep on track and get things done more efficiently.

Option 3: Keep the City of North St. Paul Parks and Recreation’s mission statement

Southwood Nature Preserve currently follows the city of North St. Paul Park and

Recreation mission statement; this however speaks to the Parks and Recreation

Department as a whole. SNP is one small preserve out of many other areas of land

managed by the Parks and Recreation Department in North St. Paul. Having their own

mission statement will allow SNP to be specific with its own set of goals and to provide

the care SNP needs.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Revising MissionStatement: Option 2

Natural Features

Recommendation: Use Holloway Marsh in Conjunction with Southwood Nature Preserve

Option 1: Work in conjunction with the city of Maplewood to connect Holloway Marsh

with SNP

Our group recommends that North St. Paul work with the city of Maplewood to

incorporate the Holloway Marsh in its programs. The Holloway marsh is a 38-acres

cattail marsh located to the south of Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP). It is in the city of

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Maplewood and managed by the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department. Hill-

Murray High School is located along the southern border of Holloway Marsh.

Ensuring the protection of Holloway Marsh and increasing its use will increase

the quality of the experience for visitors to SNP by creating a larger contiguous green

space. By offering programs in Holloway Marsh, SNP would increase its diversity and

thus be able to offer a wider variety of environmental education programs. The

Minnesota Master Naturalists could use this resource to work with school teachers and

further develop curriculum, including wetland ecology.

We recommend building a boardwalk within the Holloway Marsh, which would

allow visitors to get a closer look at the wetland ecosystem. Through an agreement

between North St. Paul and Maplewood, resources such as interpreters could be shared

between these two nature areas.

SNP and the Holloway Marsh share many resources such as water and wildlife.

Therefore if not protected, the degradation of Holloway Marsh would negatively affect

SNP and the citizens of North St. Paul.

Impacts of Option 1

If this option is chosen there will be increased human impact on the Holloway

Marsh. There will be an educational aspect to the Holloway Marsh that had never existed,

which will provide a service to the community and visitors. Holloway Marsh will be a

protected wetland within the city, which will help to preserve the marsh and keep it in a

more natural state. The partnership between Southwood Nature Preserve and Holloway

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Marsh would provide new opportunities for community enrichment and educational

programming.

Option 2: Do not partner with Holloway Marsh.

This option will keep things as they are currently with the SNP and Holloway

Marsh as two separate entities. This option will not protect the marsh and leaves it

vulnerable to potential development.

Impacts of option 2

The Holloway Marsh will not be a protected wetland which can further degrade

water quality in the watershed and will also negate providing unique educational

opportunities.

Long-range management team’s recommendation for: Use Holloway Marsh in conjunction with Southwood Nature Preserve: Option 1

Recommendation: Invasive Species Eradication

The invasive species in the SNP need to be removed so that native species can be

preserved. There are two methods that can be used to complete this recommendation.

Option 1: Eradicate one invasive species at a time.

If eradicating one species at a time, one must fully remove it and then move onto

another species (Soll, n.d.). This will create a challenge to protect the area that is now

free of invasive species from other invasive species taking over. So, as an example, if

North St. Paul successfully used a treatment such as the Garlon 4 Solution (a broad

spectrum herbicide used to control broadleaved weeds) to kill Japanese knotweed, they

would have to keep all the other invasive species out of that newly invasive species free

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area (Soll, n.d.). However, it would be hard to keep invasive species like buckthorn and

wild parsnip from taking over an open area free of native species challengers.

Option 2: Work on eradicating all of the invasive species in the preserve at once.

Another option would be to have separate groups of people working on each

specific invasive species to eradicate them at the same time. This option would make it

easier to keep different species from spreading to newly disturbed soil caused by the

eradication of the other invasive species. For this to be successful native species would

have to be reintroduced to replace the invasive species.

Option 3: Take no action.

If invasive species are not removed, the biodiversity of the SNP will deteriorate.

The native species will be pushed out and the invasive species will dominate the

preserve. SNP would thus lose much of it educational and environmental value. In order

to be a nature preserve, native species must have a suitable environment to be preserved.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Invasive Species Eradication: Option 2

Social Features

Recommendation: Build a Parking lot as a clear access point

In order to increase accessibility to Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) our group

recommends building a parking lot in the northeast quadrant. Currently there is no

parking lot for the SNP and visitors have to either walk to SNP or use on-street parking

along Holloway Ave, which runs along the south side of the park. Although Holloway is

a wide road with large shoulders, it is not an ideal spot to park or unload groups of

children. Our group recommends building a parking lot to increase the use of SNP. The

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proposed parking lot would go in the open field located along Parkway Avenue in the

northeast corner of SNP.

Option 1: Put in blacktop parking lot in the northeast corner of SNP

Our first recommendation is a blacktop parking lot, which would reduce dust and

fit in well in its urban setting. This would have a higher initial cost, however it would last

for many years with minimal maintenance.

Impact of option 1

This option comes with drawbacks for the residents living next to the park. There

are houses located on the north end of the open space that would be able to see the

parking lot and hear visitors from their homes. A parking lot would also increase traffic

on Parkway Avenue and other neighborhood streets. Traditional blacktop parking lots are

non-permeable, meaning water cannot infiltrate the ground and water runs downhill to a

common drainage. This type of runoff is known as ‘point-source’ pollution, because it

concentrates all of the pollutants from the runoff area into one drainage point.

Option 2: Put in gravel parking lot in the northeast corner of SNP

The second option is to use a gravel surface for a parking lot. This may have less

impact on the environment, as it would allow water to infiltrate the ground and filter out

pollutants from the parking lot. One benefit of building a gravel parking lot is that it

would cost significantly less than creating a blacktop parking lot.

Impact of option 2

There will be lots of dust caused by a gravel parking lot and nearby residents may

not be happy with dust blowing on their houses and yards. The impact from salt would be

lower because sand is used to manage ice on gravel surfaces.

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These options both come with drawbacks for the residents living next to the park.

There are houses located on the north end of the open space that would be able to see the

parking lot and hear visitors from their homes. A parking lot would also increase traffic

on Parkway Avenue and other neighborhood streets.

We feel that the advantages of building a parking lot outweigh the disadvantages.

These advantages include increase use of SNP, safer access to users of SNP and less

congestion along Holloway Avenue. We recognize the drawbacks of building a parking

lot, yet without increased parking it will be much more difficult to increase the use of

Southwood Nature Preserve.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Build a Parking lot as a clear access point: Option 1

Recommendation: Improve Interpretive Signage

Option 1: Continue without improving signs

There are currently two different types of interpretive signs in Southwood Nature

Preserve (SNP). There are many smaller signs stuck in the ground a few inches from the

soil, which identify the flora and fauna of the surrounding area. These signs are

weathered and difficult to read. There are also larger signs scattered within the park

which do not contain any information due to lack of upkeep. In total there are around 15

signs, few of which are legible.

Impacts of Option 1

Without properly displayed and well written signs, non-personal interpretation is

not possible. Interpretation is a key part of experiencing SNP for many reasons. Without

signs, the users are unable to make a personal connection to the historical and natural area

through self-guided discovery. If no improvements are made on the signs, they will

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continue to fade and become unreadable, eventually making it impossible for users to

gain valuable knowledge about the area.

Option 2: Replace and update existing interpretive signs

In order to improve non-personal interpretation within SNP the current signs have

to be taken down and improved. This can be done in many ways, one of which will be to

replace the current signs that have no protection from the elements. This can be done by

printing and laminating historical information about the park, natural biological feature of

the park, and community involvement. Another way the signs can be improved is by

taking the current flora and fauna signs that are hand-written and replace them with

laminated typed out information and mounting them on three foot tall stands.

Impacts of Option 2

By improving the signage, non-personal interpretation can be an easy and

immediate part of experiencing at SNP. Users will be able to learn facts about the

preserve and all of its features by reading a few sentences as they walk by. The signs will

not be too intrusive, but they will be there for people who would like to learn more

information about SNP.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Improve InterpretiveSignage: Option 2

Recommendation: Increase Winter Recreation

Option 1: Continue without increasing winter recreation

SNP provides a natural area that is underutilized during much of the winter

season. Without any attempts to increase winter recreation, the park will continue to sit

dormant throughout the winter months.

Impacts of Option 1

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The property will not to be used to its full potential during the winter season.

Many residents of North St. Paul may choose to recreate in other facilities that provide

maintained trail system.

Option 2: Create a ski trail system

Classic and skate skiing are popular sports; with limited and crowded facilities

scattered throughout the metropolitan area. In order to create a ski trail system,

investments would have to be made in grooming equipment as well as staff trained to use

the equipment.

Impacts of Option 2:

By grooming a trail system, SNP would appeal to a new audience. It would open

up the preserve to regular users in a season where it normally sits dormant. This would

also help increase awareness about the park and create jobs.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Increase Winter Recreation: Option 2

Recommendation: Monitor Usage

The city of North St. Paul has done very little to monitor the amount and types of

users at Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP). It is important to monitor the users of the

site, how they use it, and how often. This information can tell North St. Paul what types

of impacts visitors are having on SNP. This will help to identify the target audience of

SNP and dictate renovations that are made to trails and facilities. If this information is

unknown, then SNP cannot adapt to its users.  According to the task force, SNP receives

25-30 visitors daily, and half of those users visit the SNP several times a week. This is an

estimate that does not account for large groups and needs to be refined. There are several

options SNP can take to solve this problem.

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Option 1: Have an SNP employee count how many people use the park on a given day

This option provides North St. Paul with accurate data about the users of SNP

through the employment of a staff person to monitor and record use. This employee can

also interview individuals to get first hand feedback on what needs to be done to make

improvements within SNP. Our group recommends that North St. Paul employs a person

to monitor the amount and types of users in SNP. This will provide the SNP with

important data on what needs to be done to help conserve the natural features of the SNP.

Option 2: Have a sign in sheet for users at entrances

This option will allow users to independently record their activity by stating their

name and how they are using SNP. This is less effective because it depends on citizen

participation, and can be easily overlooked by passersby. It does however, allow

employees to focus on other work that needs to be done within SNP.

Option 3: Continue loosely monitoring the use of SNP

Currently all of the available information about SNP users is based on

undocumented observations by the task force. This does not provide North St. Paul with

accurate, quantitative information regarding the use of SNP and thus makes it unlikely

that the city will be able to be innovative in meeting the user’s needs.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Monitor Usage: Option 1 and Option 2

Recommendation: Build a Shelter

A shelter should be built in Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) to establish a

general meeting area and picnic spot that will remain dry during bad weather.  

Option 1: Build an enclosed shelter.

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An enclosed shelter could be very useful as an outdoor classroom where

educational programs could take place all year long, regardless of weather. In winter it

could be used as a warming house for skiing or ice skating. The drawback of an enclosed

shelter is that it would have to be locked when not in use. An enclosed shelter would not

provide community access unless an instructor were present. It would also create the risk

of vandalism or break-ins.

Option 2: Build a roof shelter.

The shelter does not have to be an enclosed building. Instead a sturdy roof held up

by several pillars could be build. The size of the shelter should be at least 16x16 feet and

no larger than 24x24 feet. A company called Poligon makes several models that fit this

description (Poligon square shelters, n.d.). The smaller option, would take up less space

in the preserve and still be large enough for most classes to fit into, however most classes

would not have enough space to continue their lesson. A larger shelter is a better option,

because it would provide classes with adequate space to seek shelter and still continue an

active lesson.

Option 3: Take no action.

If a shelter is not built, people will be less likely to visit the SNP for a long period

of time. Educational programs will also be less dependable, because without a shelter

they will be cancelled or delayed due to bad weather.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Build a Shelter: Option 2

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Staffing

Recommendation: Staffing

Southwood Nature Preserve currently has no full time staff to run programs or

maintain trails and facilities. As of now SNP has a task force comprised of 6 community

members dedicated to bettering the site. SNP

could expand and create a lasting impact on the city of North St. Paul if staffing was

created to show the residents the benefits of this natural area. The SNP is used by many

surrounding residents and other community members in the city of North St. Paul, but

these residents and community members do not understand the full impact of this site in

the middle of an urban setting. Here are a few options on how SNP can become a more

recognizable site in the city of North St. Paul

Option 1: Hire a full time interpreter to teach lessons and inform the public

By having an interpreter on staff, the citizens of North St. Paul can learn about the

importance and significance of SNP. An interpreter can teach about the wide array of

plant and animal species found in the SNP creating a personal connection to the place.

Along with informing the general public an interpreter can be used to run school

programs for the nearby schools. Many traditional school teachers are interested in

outdoor programs, but are not experienced enough to teach programs in an outdoor

setting. Having a professional in this field will help to create many opportunities for

schools and increase environmental education. Along with being an interpreter another

job responsibility would be monitoring the users of the SNP.

Option 2: Hire a maintenance crew for upkeep of trails and facilities

It is important to have a site that is appealing to the senses. By having SNP well

kept it draws in a larger audience. If trails and facilities are well kept users will see that it

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is an important site. An un-kept resource will only continue to become less respected and

filled with trash and create an unappealing area. The maintenance crew will help to

decrease trash and other litter in SNP and make an area that residents can be proud of and

call their own.

Long-range planning team’s recommendation for Staffing: Option 1

Concluding Remarks

The recommendations we have made as part of the long-range management plan

for Southwood Nature Preserve (SNP) were designed to follow the mission statement of

North St. Paul’s Parks and Recreation Department. It is our goal that these

recommendations will make North St. Paul a more livable city by increasing the quality

of green space, increasing outdoor and environmental education programs, sustaining the

natural environment and providing opportunities for outdoor nature based recreation. In

combination these things will lead to active lifestyles, vibrant places and a vital

environment within the city of North St. Paul.

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References

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City of St. Paul, MN - Official Website - Mission & Vision Statements. (n.d.). City of St.

Paul, MN - Official Website. Retrieved October 22, 2013, from

http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=2171

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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Helping Turtles across the road.

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P. Ahlborg, personal communication, October 24, 2013

Poligon square shelters. (n.d.). Square Four Sided Hip Roof. Retrieved from

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