Dakota County Parks thinned the tree canopy in lower quality woodlands in the area west and south of the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center. Thinning the canopy benefits a diverse array of flora and fauna and stimulates native plants for sedges and grasses.
This allows for the reintroduction of fire as natural resources management tool.
Restoration and enhancement activities included:
- Removing exotic woody plant material and control seedlings and resprouts (primarily buckthorn)
- Thinning of undesirable native trees and creation of canopy gaps to stimulate native plant growth
- Installation of native seed
- Prescribed burning
Goats to help with invasive species control
Goats will used to control invasive buckthorn starting the week of June 28, 2021. They'll be on-site for 7-10 days, primarily eating resprouting buckthorn on Roundtop Hill. A temporary electrified fence will be installed to keep them contained within the project area. Please enjoy them from a distance and do not attempt to feed or pet them.
Project timeline
- November–December 2019: Forestry mowing of buckthorn next to ski trails
- Spring 2020: Project kickoff with selected contractor and Parks staff
- Summer 2020: Site preparation for seeding.
- Winter 2020–2021: Additional forestry mowing and tree removal (See project map)
- Spring–Summer 2021: Seeding and installing plugs
- 2020 and beyond: Volunteer opportunities to assist with planting or remove invasive species