| About Terrace Oaks Park Terrace Oaks park provides a great example of the City of Burnsville’s effort to restore oak savanna habitat and remove invasive plant species, like common buckthorn. Terrace Oaks Park is home to many towering bur and white oaks but is also heavily invaded by common buckthorn and other weedy trees. These conditions create eroding soils, a lack of understory grasses and wildflowers for wildlife, poor conditions for the regeneration of young oak trees and a dense overgrowth of woody plants that make the park less aesthetically pleasing and usable for park visitors.
In 2015, the City undertook the first large-scale restoration project in a 19-acre section of the Northwest corner of the park, in partnership with Great River Greening and utilizing grant funds from the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund. This involved substantial tree thinning, native plant seeding and controlled burning, with the ultimate goal of re-creating savanna conditions on the site and the ecosystem processes that sustain it.
In 2018, this effort was expanded by tackling a 26 acre restoration area in the north central portion of the park and finally expanded again in 2022 in the northeast section. The park now has about 70 acres of savanna restoration area in various stages of the restoration process.
About This Event The tour will walk about ½ mile on packed dirt/grass trails with a few short but moderately steep hills. Dress for the weather and wear decent footwear. This event may be cancelled if the weather is poor. Registration is limited to 30 attendees. Date, Time and Location Thursday, May 7 - 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Terrace Oaks Park WEST Entrance - 12801 County Road 11, Burnsville, MN 55337 - MAP HERE Please note: Terrace Oaks Park also has an east entrance so make sure you are navigating to the WEST entrance.
Questions? Contact Heather Holm at holm.heath@gmail.com. |
