Olmsted County Parks Newsletter - Spring 2022
Volume 8, Issue 1
In this Issue:
Donation for Good Deeds, Bee Research, Winter Trails, Thank You Team Red and more...
Winter Trails
by Celeste Lewis
The winters can get to be very long and cold here in Minnesota, so why not embrace them by enjoying the park trails in a whole different way! Whether skiing, snow shoeing, or fat-tire biking, Olmsted County Parks has an option for you!
Chester Woods Park offers approximately 12 miles of groomed winter trails to enjoy when conditions allow. The trails we groom are considered “Multi-Use” and are labeled as such. With that said there are user courtesy’s that we do ask to be followed. On the trails that have ski track set we have posted signs that show where each user is to use the trail. We also ask that hikers use the trails that have been groomed without a track these are better for our snow shoers and those with shoes or boots as they tend to leave deeper marks in the snow.
Our multi-use trail head is located across the iron bridge at the boat ramp parking lot. That section leads to approximately 8.5 miles of trails. We then comb out the Kisrow Trail and Chester Lake Trail in the developed area for hikers, dog walkers, and snowshoers adding up to approximately 3.5 miles of trial. Remember, if you’re feeling a bit cabin feverish, get out to your local park and check out the winter trails in whatever is your favorite way! And although I am writing this on the darkest day of the year… I know that when you are reading it, the days will be getting brighter!
Team Red Thank You Letter
by Lonnie Hebl
Throughout life I have always tried to see the bright side of every situation. However, I don’t always accomplish that. I sometimes find myself holding a handful of lemons instead of enjoying a nice refreshing glass of lemonade. It can be very easy to get caught up in the negative and I often find myself needing to be reminded just how much good there is in the world and just how truly giving and caring people are. I was recently reminded of this when Tom O’Leary, Team RED’s front man, contacted me and told me about their annual trail run that was held at Oxbow Park. Not only did Team RED, a local running group from Byron (Website-Teamredgo.com), have a good turnout of runners, they raised $1,120.00 and wanted to donate that to Oxbow to help with the costs of maintaining trails. Tom and Kylea Garas came out to the park and presented Naturalist Megan Long with a check that will be put to good use. Funds like this make a huge impact, from replacing worn out bridges to purchasing culvert sections that will hopefully help get some of the water to go where it will do the least amount of damage to the trails. Generosity like this is a constant reminder of not only the different amenities parks have to offer and maintain, but of the many different user groups that enjoy them and go above and beyond to help with maintenance costs. That is what I appreciate the most about donations like the one from Team RED. It makes me realize how fortunate Olmsted County Parks are to have so many great partners that feel the importance of improving the Parks through their grass roots fund raising efforts.
Not only do I thank them for their donation but for also reminding me how good a glass of lemonade can taste!
Thanks Again!
Lon
Critter Catch Up - Prairie Dogs
After over two years without prairie dogs, Zollman Zoo is once again home to a small colony! Six spunky black-tailed prairie dogs arrived at Oxbow Park in early October, now calling Zollman Zoo home. They have been busy digging holes, cashing food, and establishing their elaborate tunnel system.
Black-tailed prairie dogs live in family groups called coteries and in colonies called towns. They dig tunnel systems with many different chambers used for sleeping, food storage, birthing and raising young, and even going to the bathroom! Prairie dogs are herbivores eating primarily grasses, sedges, and prairie flowers. They also have an extensive vocabulary among their family groups. They have many different vocalizations to communicate including territorial, alarm, mother-to-young, displeasure, and more!
Prairie dogs are essential to prairies and grasslands throughout the Midwest. Black-tailed prairie dogs once called Minnesota home, but are no longer native to the region. Colonies are now prevalent in South and North Dakota. Many animals rely on prairie dogs to survive, making them keystone species (a species which many other species depend on ecologically). Black-footed ferrets and American badgers almost primarily eat prairie dogs. Tunnel systems are excellent for both aerating the prairie soil and a great place for snakes and burrowing owls to take refuge. Even prairie dog fecal is useful for fertilizing prairie plants!
Come out to Zollman Zoo to check out these adorable little guys!
Donations for Good Deeds
by Clarissa Schrooten
Local organizations are trying to make a positive impact by doing good deeds. Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo was fortunate to be on the receiving end of this generosity. Sargent’s Nursery has a program called, “Dough for Doing Deeds” where departments within Sargent’s organization can donate money to a facility that will put the money to good use. The donation this year to the Zollman Zoo was earmarked to purchase toys for the zoo animals. Sargent’s Nursery was so generous it allowed zoo staff to purchase toys that are extra heavy-duty for the large animals in the zoo. Typically, these heavy-duty toys are not purchased by individuals because the cost is several hundred dollars for one toy. Zollman Zoo animals are happy to be the recipients of this generosity!
Bumble Bee Research
During the summer of 2021 University of Minnesota student Michelle Boone was working on a research project involving bumble bee habitat in Minnesota. She contacted Chester Woods staff and inquired about utilizing the park as one of her research locations. Of course, we were more than happy to allow her access for this important research. In return we asked that she share her findings with the park. Below is a brief report of the work conducted and species counted.
Friends of Chester Woods Attack on Invasives
By Ernie Freudenburg, Jim Peterson, Jerry Pruett
Much of Chester Woods is infiltrated with buckthorn and other woody invasives, especially in the undeveloped areas of our park. We have forested areas where buckthorn is almost the exclusive species on the forest floor. The FOCW Board in 2021 has committed financial resources of $6000 yearly for a 5 year period to attack this problem and hopefully restore sizable areas of our forest. Volunteers Jim Peterson and Jerry Pruett explaining what buckthorn will do if left untreated. It will take over a forest sapping most nutrients in the soil meant for the native vegetation along with crowding out the natives as well.
What we have learned over the last few years is that cutting buckthorn alone without follow-up treatment is worse than doing nothing. The cutting alone allows the seeds to fall and spread even more thoroughly and with the additional sunlight the buckthorn spreads rapidly creating much denser stands of young buckthorn and making removal even more difficult. Jim and Jerry with the help of park staff and other volunteers are implementing several long-term strategies including first cutting buckthorn in a manageable area and then letting it resprout to a height of about 1 ½ feet. Then using a herbicide, they sprayed these areas of regrowth. The results thus far have been very encouraging. Over the rest of the growing season, they observed that the resprouting buckthorn was dying.
The area where this project was implemented is about 3 acres and had thousands of young buckthorn plants mostly between 5–8 foot tall. The buckthorn was cut in late winter by a volunteer with the park’s forestry mower. By the end of July, the buckthorn regrowth was deemed ready for spraying and a herbicide called Garlon was applied. The most effective spraying method was done using the Park’s 50-gallon boom sprayer with the tank mounted in the back of an ATV. After the initial spraying they followed up with hand spraying any plants missed by the boom sprayer. We are anxious to see how much buckthorn will be present this coming spring and the hope is that we can manage the area with just follow up spot spraying where new growth occurs. This method was also implemented on 2 other smaller areas in the park with similar results.
In addition, this method of invasive woods vegetation control with some modifications has been initiated in two other areas of the park as well. On the east side of the park there is a 3-acre parcel that has a greater variety of woody vegetation with many of the plants being desirable. Along with buckthorn there was substantial amounts of honeysuckle which needed to be removed. The method of choice was to use an electric backpack sprayer and without the initial cutting of the buckthorn. Our volunteers, Jim and Jerry soon observed that the early spring spraying of standing buckthorn and honeysuckle was effective. It only took a couple of weeks to see an effect and the area soon opened up the forest floor. Although spraying in late summer and early fall seems quite effective it appears that early season spraying is probably the most effective due to the more rapid growth that takes place at this time of year.
One final area is the fen west of the Park Office which has a number of woody plants species in addition to buckthorn and honeysuckle which are not desirable. Since this area contains many desirable plant species unique to a wet ecosystem, we needed to use more targeted spot spraying. The fen will require an ongoing effort to not only maintain it, but hopefully to restore it to a more natural site.
Friends of Oxbow (FOX) Update
The Friends of Oxbow continues to work toward our $1 million capital fundraising goal and we are nearing the $400,000 mark! We are so grateful for all donations from the dollars dropped into the wishing wells at the zoo to our large business donors. Each dollar raised goes toward supporting projects within the new Nature Center - habitat exhibits, classroom audio/video equipment, native landscaping, and so much more.
In September we hosted a Fall Fest in the zoo to raise awareness for the campaign. It was a huge success with hundreds of families participating in outdoor games and crafts. Next spring, we look forward to hosting Brews for the Zoo at Bearwood Event Barn (right next door to the park!) with local breweries, food, and games on April 30th, 2022. Please check our social media for important updates and ticketing information later this winter.
If you are in a position to give or know anyone who might be, please consider donating at: https://www.4giving.com/GZ9C
