Dakota County restored 95 acres of prairie, savanna, lakeshore, wetlands, and floodplain forest in Lake Byllesby Regional Park. The project removed invasive species and reconstruct wildlife habitat.
Prairie plantings in former crop fields and pasture land benefit pollinators with a diverse offering of flowering plants. Natural lakeshore plantings with similar floral diversity stabilize soils to prevent erosion.
The Outdoor Heritage Fund and Dakota County provided funding for this project.
First phase of the project
The project was split into two phases. During this first phase of the project, restoration and enhancement activities focused on 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.