5.c Email to MPRB From: Rich Baker and Becky Anderson [mailto:anderbake@comcast.net] Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 9:14 PM To: 'Sievert, Ralph C.' Cc: 'Weber, Andrea S.'; 'Windsperger, Randal S.'; 'Sparrow, Joseph P.'; 'Schmidt, Michael P.'; JMiller@minneapolisparks.org; atabb@minneapolisparks.org; Anita@Robtabb.com; Burt, Tom; Clancy, Jeannine; 'Chamberlain, Bruce'; 'Susan L.'; slundstrom@ci.golden -valley.mn.us; Loomis, Linda; damonstruyk@hotmail.com; steven@pundtlaw.co m; 'Shep Harris'; 'John Munger' Subject: Concerns re. Tornado "Clean -up" in South Theodore Wirth Park Mr. Sievert, Thank you for speaking with me last week. As I have explained over the phone and in my previous email (below), I remain very concerned abo ut the clean -up in the area of the Glenwood/Wirth Parkway intersection of Theodore Wirth Park. I have expanded upon my concerns in the attached letter, and have included several photos that illustrate these concerns. Theodore Wirth Park is a precious nat ural resource and an asset to our community that deserves the best management possible. Please understand that my goal in writing to you and those who are copied is to insure that management of the Park’s natural areas is conducted in a careful and inform ed manner, a standard that I believe has not be achieved in this instance. I look forward to discussing my concerns with you and/or other MPRB staff and officials at your convenience. Sincerely, Rich Baker ******************** Rich Baker 224 Janalyn Ci rcle Golden Valley, MN 55416 763 -377 -3780 anderbake@comcast.net ******************** From: Sievert, Ralph C. [mailto:RSievert@minneapolisparks.org] Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 4:44 PM To: 'anderbake@comcast.net' Cc: Weber, Andrea S.; Windsperger, Randal S.; Sparrow, Joseph P.; Schmidt, Michael P.; Burt, Tom; 'Clancy, Jeannine'; Chamberlain, Bruce; 'slundstrom@ci.golden -valley.mn.us'; 'damonst ruyk@hotmail.com' Subject: RE: Concern about magnitude of deadwood removal at Glenwood and Wirth Parkway Hello Mr. Baker – I am writing in response to your email of 12/6/11 below to Andrea Weber of the MPRB Planning Department. Ms. Weber asked that the F orestry Division respond since we are doing the work you have referenced. Having visited the site I know how different it looks from before. We began this work in mid -
October in an area of Wirth Park north of Olson Highway. We are expecting to be fini shed with the current areas by the end of the year. Please be assured that our work is only related to cleaning up the damage that was caused by the May 22 nd tornado. We are removing fallen trees as well as trees that are structurally damaged yet still s tanding. There were so many fallen trees that leaving them would pose an obstacle to any natural regeneration that may occur. The criteria for removing standing trees has to do with its potential to cause damage to surrounding healthy trees if such trees should fall or fail. There is also a safety concern for individuals that may be walking through the area. While it was not our intention to remove understory, that which has been removed was due to trees being dragged to the chipper and that which neede d to be sacrificed so as not to interfere with the work being performed. The pathway that has resulted is due to the need for an established route for equipment access. We restricted the movement of machinery through the area to this equipment pathway to deter indiscriminate driving throughout the park. As a forested natural area within the MPRB system, active reforestation and vegetative restoration is dependent on budget availability. The MPRB takes great pride in our care of park properties and we ap preciate hearing from those that use and appreciate our system. If you have further questions, be sure to let me know……………..Ralph Sievert ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Help Slow Emerald Ash Borer - Don't Move Firewood! Ralph Sievert Director of Forestry, MPRB Forestry Division 3800 Bryant Avenue S. Minneapolis, MN 55419 office: 612 -313 -7735 fax: 612 -370 -4831 www.minneapolisparks.org From: Rich Baker and Becky Anderson [mailto:anderbake@comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 11:16 PM To: Weber, Andrea S. Cc: 'Damon Struyk'; 'Lundstrom, Al'; 'barbara klaas'; 'Mike Alexin' Subject: Concern about magnitude of deadwood removal at Glenwood and Wirth Parkway Ms. Weber, I am writing to express my serious concern about the amount of downed wood being removed from the woods at the northwest and southeast corners of the subject intersect ion. I had watched the work in the southeast corner earlier this fall, and while I couldn’t understand why windthrow would be removed from an area without trails or other use, I let it go, assuming that was the end of it. Now, in the past few days, I’ve been utterly dismayed to see the thorough and complete removal of deadwood from the northwest corner of the intersection. I cannot imagine how this is being justified! I am a professional wildlife biologist (I work for the DNR, but am writing as a citiz en, not as a DNR representative), and wonder how the MPRB can justify removing not only the small deadwood, but all snags, downed logs, and other coarse woody debris that is so critical to the health of the forest and the wildlife that uses it. I could un derstand if the goal was to restore an oak savannah cover type to the area, but that is not what is growing there, and I don’t see any evidence that this is the site’s propensity. The work over the past week has essentially destroyed the natural character of the site, and has removed any CWD that would rot, provide seedbed for any new growth, and serve as foraging sites for the birds and other wildlife in this area. I had hoped that most of the large oak snags and downed logs from the tornado would be left in place. Unless aggressive restoration is undertaken next spring, buckthorn will take over
the site within a few years! Please reply with your rationale for the removal and your plans for restoration. While I want to stress that I am expressing conce rn ONLY as a private citizen, I am also the Chair of the Golden Valley Environmental Commission, and am copying our City Forester, Al Lundstrom, to share my concern with him. I am aware that this area is owned by the City, and I hope that this devastation has been approved by Al. If not, I would ask that the work cease until coordination with the City can be undertaken. (FYI, I am also copying some interested neighbors.) Thank you, Rich Baker *************************************** Rich Baker and B ecky Anderson 224 Janalyn Circle Golden Valley, MN 55416 763 -377 -3780 anderbake@comcast.net ***************************************