Volunteers Try a New Technique
at
Mississippi West Regional Park

Anoka County’s new park will be an example of environmentally conscious park management.

May 7, 2009

To Partners and Friends of Great River Greening:

For the first time, Great River Greening will engage volunteers in streambank restoration along the Mississippi River in Ramsey Minnesota.

On Saturday morning, June 13, nearly 100 volunteers will help to install tree revetments along eroding shoreline at Mississippi West Regional Park, a relatively new protected area which Anoka County is seeking to make a shining example of sustainable park management. Volunteers will first cut branches from harvested red cedar trees overgrowing on the site, and then stack the trees at the top of the bank. Later, Great River Greening field technicians crew will install the revetment, on approximately 200 feet of shoreline, using these prepared cedars.

Accelerated streambank erosion occurs when natural events or human activities cause a higher than expected amount of erosion, and is typically a result of reduced or eliminated riparian (streamside) vegetation. The tree revetments (anchored trees laid in the stream along the eroding bank) serve to slow the current along the bank, decreasing erosion and allowing sediment to be deposited within the tree branches.

The sediment trapped in and behind revetments provides a moist, fertile seedbed for vegetation establishment. The primary purpose of a revetment is to stabilize the bank until trees and shrubs become established to provide permanent protection.

Trees with many fine limbs and branches are best at slowing near-bank currents, catching sediment carried in the stream, and catching slump material from the bank. For this reason, eastern red cedar is usually the best choice. Eastern red cedar is also more resistant to decay than hardwood trees.

This project is made possible by support from the Anoka County Parks, Board of Soil and Water Resources, the City of Ramsey, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) through Great River Greening’s membership in the Metro Conservation Corridors partnership. For information contact MARK TURBAK AT 651-665-9500 EXT. 11, or mturbak@greatrivergreening.org

Great River Greening’s Spring 09 Newsletter Goes Digital
The exciting news and engaging photos you once received in print format via post is now available as a down loadable PDF on the Greening website. Just visit www.greatrivergreening.org and click on news to enjoy the most recent Greening activities.

Support Greening with your spring purchase at Linder’s Garden Center
It’s easy. Just print out this invitation and take it with you to any Linder’s Greenhouse, Garden Center, or Flower Mart May 8 – May11. Sign the invitation and present it to the cashier when you check out. Linder’s will send Greening 15% of your pre-tax purchase total.

Major operating support for all Great River Greening programs is provided by The McKnight Foundation.