Dakota County is restoring 15 acres just north of Empire Lake in Whitetail Woods Regional Park. The area is a high-quality wet meadow community that is currently choked by reed canary grass. This invasive non-native grass introduced from Eurasia drives down biodiversity and degrades wildlife habitat.
Restoration method
To restore the area, little to no herbicides will be used. Instead, methods such as mowing and raking to remove thatch and scarify the surface soils. This should result in the release and invigoration of the native seedbank. The site has many native seeds, so potential for successful restoration is high.
There are specific steps with this method. The mowing and raking need to occur when the soil is frozen, but also while the ground is relatively snow-free. We had those conditions in winter 2024.
Project contractors
The county has hired renowned botanist and restoration ecologist Jason Husveth. He wrote a management plan for the project. This site is typical of reed canary grass-dominated sites in that it is a “stagnant system." Dethatching, scarifying and burning can help reinvigorate the area and “make it dynamic again."
Ecological restoration contractor Minnesota Native Landscapes was hired to complete the work. They have worked with Husveth on similar projects.
Budget
The county received a $50,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The county provided $20,000.
Project timeline
Winter 2024: Mowing, dethatching and scarifying area – completed
Spring-summer 2024: Monitor area
2025–2026: One or two prescribed burns to help stimulate the native seed bank and suppress the non-native seeds