ACD is collaborating with Anoka County Parks to enhance wetland basins in the Cedar Creek Conservation Area. Efforts are underway to increase plant diversity and to shift the wetland plant communities to sedge meadow and wet meadow. Both basins were initially dominated by reed canary grass. In 2021, two sheet pile plugs were installed in the ditch system and reed canary grass scrapes occurred in the east side basin (see map below). Native plants emerged where reed canary grass was scraped away. Management including mowing, spot herbicide treatment and seeding continue in this area to increase plant diversity. 

The upland – wetland basin in the CCCA has the potential to be restored to native dry prairie and sedge meadow habitats. Many of the remaining sedge meadows are often only fragmented narrow strips, adjacent to non-native cattails, making them difficult to manage. It is feasible to create a burn break around this unique wet meadow and prairie habitat to restore and maintain the plant communities. There is an opportunity to include this area with an adjacent dry prairie that is part of a regularly scheduled prescribed burn management plan. Additionally, the soil type along the wetland margin in this basin are known to support rare plant species. Once restored, this site could be a recipient site for rescued rare plants. For more information contact Carrie Taylor,Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The ditch plugs and berms at Cedar Creek Conservation Area are retaining this year's rainfall in the wetland basins, keeping the water on the landscape instead of channeling it to Cedar Creek and the Rum River during larger rain events. The organic wetland soils are saturated instead of dried out and vegetation is shifting to a native plant community to provide habitat for wildlife. These late summer photos below show native plants and standing water in an area that was previously drained and dominated by reed canary grass. ACD staff continue to control reed canary grass in some areas and spread native seed as needed. See 2021 Construction photos here. 

Do you want to start a new garden or fill in some gaps? Fall is a great time to plant. The soil is still warm and promotes good root growth and the cooler weather and fall rainfall reduce heat stress on new plants. Select plants based on the area's soil moisture and light exposure. Blue Thumb's Plant Finder is a great tool for selecting native plants and has a list of MN native plant nurseries. Protect pollinators! - Be sure the plants you buy were not grown with systemic pesticides such as neonicotinoids, which are highly toxic to bees and other pollinators.

Choose plants to create habitat for birds and pollinators. Find bird-friendly native plants with Audubon's plant database. Select plants that flower from spring to fall to provide pollen and nectar for pollinators. Learn more about pollinator preferences and include host plants in your garden. Join ACD and help plant pollinator gardens throughout Anoka County. Learn more and sign up here. For more information contact Carrie Taylor, Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

ACD staff, volunteers and students are collecting data to record milkweed plants, flowering plants, Monarch caterpillars and Monarch butterflies in prairies throughout Anoka County. The data will be entered into a national database, which is utilized to understand how monarchs interact with the environment, and how habitat and monarch populations change over time. The data will also be used to guide management decisions at each prairie. ACD recently applied for BWSR pollinator grant funds, which would provide funding for future habitat enhancement activities with students in the Anoka-Ramsey Community College prairie and to broadcast milkweed and other wildflower seed after Anoka County Parks prescribed prairie burns. Sign up today to volunteer with ACD or for more information contact Carrie Taylor, Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.