KSTP News: 3M employees at Fish Creek

Channel Five Eyewitness News reported on 3M employees volunteering with Great River Greening.

October 29, 2015STORYFifty 3M employees helped keep new trees thriving in Fish Creek Open Space, one of the largest undeveloped open spaces in Ramsey County, by mulching around hundreds of young trees and removing woody invasive plants.The effort is part of a long-term project to restore the open space. The five-year plan is to restore forest, prairie, and oak savanna; to monitor which trees do the best, and to also document the pollinators on site during the entire restoration process. The site offers views of the river valley and a part of the Mississippi River flyway. Restoring it will preserve wildlife habitat, improve water quality in Fish Creek, and enhance recreation areas. Great River Greening is partnering with the City of Maplewood and Ramsey County on the project.Wiley Buck, Great River Greening ecologist, said the trees were planted by Great River Greening and University of St. Thomas volunteers four years ago. “They are still small and will get through winter much better with a fresh layer of mulch. Without volunteers, it would be a real challenge to provide this sort of care.”About Fish Creek Natural Area GreenwayThe Fish Creek Natural Area Greenway stretches from Carver Lake in Woodbury, through meadows and forests in Maplewood, to the Mississippi River in St. Paul. The heart of the greenway is picturesque Fish Creek and the 200-acre Fish Creek Open Space.Fish Creek Open Space is located in the southwest corner of the Greenway. Once pasture land, it comprises open rolling hills with wide views, a prairie remnant, oak and aspen woodlands, and a pine plantation.The southwest corner of the site is Mississippi River bluff land with a dramatic vista across the river valley. Part of the Mississippi River flyway, the site is frequented by raptors, songbirds, and wildlife species such as fox, coyote, deer, and opossum. Many partners, including the Ramsey County Parks, the City of Maplewood, have adopted a vision for the greenway and plans for protection, stewardship, and access to nature.Fish Creek is especially intriguing in St. Paul where it carves a narrow channel through bedrock, an area known locally as the Fish Creek Canyon.This project is made possible with support from Ramsey County Parks, the City of Maplewood, the University of St. Thomas, and the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund.