BAXTER — Environmental projects at Mississippi Overlook Park in southwest Baxter will have another year as the City Council approved an extension.
The extension is for the cooperative agreement between Baxter and Great River Greening.
The project is to restore a jack pine savanna and remove invasive buckthorn. The site is located on the east side of the original 60-acre Mississippi River Overlook Park . Great River Greening is a nonprofit conservation organization based in St. Paul. The project area is for about 13 acres of upland habitat in the park.
Work in the park so far includes cutting trees in the jack pine savanna restoration area. The project called for cutting 50-90% of the jack pine trees in a specified area before planting native plants for the restoration. In addition to the tree cutting, a buckthorn removal project took place in the southwest and west parts of the park. Buckthorn is a non-native species that spreads and crowds out native plants.
The University of Minnesota notes common buckthorn is a restricted noxious weed and it is illegal to import, sell or transport it in Minnesota. Cut branches on buckthorn expose an orange sapwood and twigs often end in stout thorns, the University reported.
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The issue of the extension with Great River Greening was before the council during its meeting on Tuesday, July 2.
“The one-year extension is to allow time to hopefully organize a controlled burn of the Jack Pine Savanna and to allow time for treatment of nonnative plants and seeding/plug planting,” a staff report to the council stated.
Great River Greening received grant funding of $731,000 through the Minnesota and Environmental Natural Resources Trust Fund for Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape Forest Restoration and Enhancements with Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District.
The funding is for restoration/enhancement improvement projects on public lands. Of that, $731,000, a sub-award of $262,500 was named to Great River Greening for restoration/enhancement of public lands including volunteer engagement.
Great River Greening would contribute $38,000 to the partnership project with the city and Baxter is providing a value of $5,000 of in-kind contributions, including halting cut jack pine trees to a wood stacking/staging area and assisting with vehicle access to the park.
The council approved the extension.
In other business, the council:
Approved the conditional hire of Colby Peterson as a patrol officer.
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Met in closed meetings with city attorney Greta Bjerkness to discuss three items under attorney-client privilege. One is to discuss ongoing civil litigation regarding the commercial property at 13499 Elmwood Drive, which has four retail businesses in a retail center. The litigation involves a special assessment. A scheduling conference via Zoom for the matter is set Aug. 5 in the 9th Judicial District.
The council also met in closed session for attorney-client privilege to discuss “potential litigation” related to the state’s statute regarding a drainage system or project. And the council met in closed session to discuss “potential litigation” pertaining to the Whiskey Creek stormwater project.
After extended discussion, the meeting reopened. No action was taken related to the three items and the council adjourned.
Renee Richardson, managing editor, may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at @DispatchBizBuzz.
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