Dakota County will restore 95 acres of prairie, savanna, lakeshore, wetlands, and floodplain forest in Lake Byllesby Regional Park. The project will remove invasive species and reconstruct wildlife habitat.

Prairie plantings in former crop fields and pasture land will benefit pollinators with a diverse offering of flowering plants. Natural lakeshore plantings with similar floral diversity will also stabilize soils to prevent erosion.

Funding for this restoration project is provided by a grant from the Outdoor Heritage Fund and Dakota County.

First phase of the project

The project is split into two phases. During this first phase of the project, restoration and enhancement activities will focus on 95 acres of land on the east and west sides of Lake Byllesby. See project maps for the East Unit and West Unit.

Phase I project timeline

2019-2020: Exotic woody brush removal
2019-2020: Prepare and seed native prairie and savanna
2019-2020: Prepare and seed native shoreline
2019-2022: Prescribed burns 
2019-2022: Control invasive plants (buckthorn)

Dakota County Parks receives funding through  Minnesota's Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. Learn more.