Lake Rose Community Preserve
Lake Rose Community Preserve is located south of Excelsior Boulevard and west of Whited Avenue. The preserve is divided into two parcels: Lake Rose south parcel (4.7 acres) and Lake Rose north parcel (1.4 acres). The preserve provides public access to a frozen lake (Lake Rose) in winter, offering recreational opportunities such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and skating. The south parcel is an excellent birding site, particularly in spring and fall when migratory songbirds are heading north (spring) or south (autumn). Lake Rose is a frequent stopover for swans, bald eagles, grebes, and loons, and has nesting geese and duck populations.
Cultural HistoryEcologically, the two parcels couldn’t be more different. The south parcel is an oak savanna and mixed deciduous woodland remnant (logging of trees likely occurred in the late 1800s); the north parcel includes a section of the abandoned rail right-of-way, formerly owned by the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Milwaukee Railway (Minneapolis to Excelsior trolley rail line). In the 1980s, residents asked the city to dredge the north lobe of the lake (between the two park parcels) because it was likely filling with sediment from the surrounding housing development. The excavated lake fill was hauled away although some was dumped in the north parcel.
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1971 Historical Aerial Photo
Source: https://apps.lib.umn.edu/mhapo/
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The Establishment of Lake Rose Community Preserve
Ecklund and Swedlund Development Corporation developed the Lake Rose Estates neighborhood east of the park beginning in 1974. According to a resident who has lived near the park since 1975, Mr. Swedlund reserved the 4.7 acre (south parcel) to build his own home. The Black Oaks neighborhood residents across the lake (to the west) were not in favor of this plan and petitioned the city to set aside the land for a park, in exchange for more homes constructed in the Lake Rose Estates neighborhood development. When visiting the park, note the narrow, fifteen foot wide strip (likely the proposed driveway) that now provides access to Lake Rose Community Preserve (south parcel) from Lake Rose Drive.
Ecological Restoration of Lake Rose Park: South Parcel
2004
The mesic woodland and oak savanna plant communities were classified as D-grade quality in the Minnesota Land Cover Classification System in a 2004 report because the park was fully invaded with buckthorn and other invasive species.
2007-2010
Small volunteer buckthorn removal projects occurred until residents, in cooperation with staff, coordinated a neighborhood buckthorn bust along the shoreline in March of 2008. This city-led volunteer event was the first cut of the large buckthorn present in the park and the initiation of the park restoration project. Prior to this initial restoration work, the park was completely inaccessible to the neighborhood due to the density of the buckthorn growth. Subsequently, the city hired contractors five times to continue buckthorn control using cut-slash, basal bark herbicide, fall overspray, prescribed fire and other treatments through March 2010. Volunteers returned to work on the last five percent of upland buckthorn in March 2010.
The mesic woodland and oak savanna plant communities were classified as D-grade quality in the Minnesota Land Cover Classification System in a 2004 report because the park was fully invaded with buckthorn and other invasive species.
2007-2010
Small volunteer buckthorn removal projects occurred until residents, in cooperation with staff, coordinated a neighborhood buckthorn bust along the shoreline in March of 2008. This city-led volunteer event was the first cut of the large buckthorn present in the park and the initiation of the park restoration project. Prior to this initial restoration work, the park was completely inaccessible to the neighborhood due to the density of the buckthorn growth. Subsequently, the city hired contractors five times to continue buckthorn control using cut-slash, basal bark herbicide, fall overspray, prescribed fire and other treatments through March 2010. Volunteers returned to work on the last five percent of upland buckthorn in March 2010.
2010-2011
A resident volunteer prepared a Nine Mile Creek Watershed District grant on the City’s behalf to revegetate the steep southwest slope and knoll with 500 native perennials and 800 bare root trees and shrubs. Grant funds awarded totaled $6500; the in-kind contribution/matching commitment was funded through volunteer and staff time. Volunteers and staff planted perennials and bare root trees and shrubs as part of the watershed grant commitment.
2012 - 2018
Neighborhood restoration volunteers continued to manage buckthorn regrowth, garlic mustard, and other invasive species.
A resident volunteer prepared a Nine Mile Creek Watershed District grant on the City’s behalf to revegetate the steep southwest slope and knoll with 500 native perennials and 800 bare root trees and shrubs. Grant funds awarded totaled $6500; the in-kind contribution/matching commitment was funded through volunteer and staff time. Volunteers and staff planted perennials and bare root trees and shrubs as part of the watershed grant commitment.
2012 - 2018
Neighborhood restoration volunteers continued to manage buckthorn regrowth, garlic mustard, and other invasive species.
2019
Volunteers submitted a request to the city for a prescribed burn throughout the park to kill buckthorn seedlings. In April, 2019 the top of the knoll was burned. Volunteers submitted a second request to hire a contractor to help cut and treat buckthorn regrowth on the steep slopes.
Volunteers submitted a request to the city for a prescribed burn throughout the park to kill buckthorn seedlings. In April, 2019 the top of the knoll was burned. Volunteers submitted a second request to hire a contractor to help cut and treat buckthorn regrowth on the steep slopes.
2020
Following the contractor cutting, volunteers worked intensively to cut the remaining buckthorn re-growth in the park, transforming it into one of a minority of city parks that is buckthorn-free! The new Natural Resources Master Plan ecological assessment (2021) shows Lake Rose Park having the highest ecological rating (one of a small minority of parks in the city). Through intensive volunteer commitment and city collaboration, this park's ecological quality has changed from a D rating to an A rating. The long term restoration efforts and removal of invasive plant species is facilitating the resurgence of the plant community and soil microbiome. Tree seedlings are germinating without competition for light and resources, and native plants never seen before, are emerging from the seed bank.
Following the contractor cutting, volunteers worked intensively to cut the remaining buckthorn re-growth in the park, transforming it into one of a minority of city parks that is buckthorn-free! The new Natural Resources Master Plan ecological assessment (2021) shows Lake Rose Park having the highest ecological rating (one of a small minority of parks in the city). Through intensive volunteer commitment and city collaboration, this park's ecological quality has changed from a D rating to an A rating. The long term restoration efforts and removal of invasive plant species is facilitating the resurgence of the plant community and soil microbiome. Tree seedlings are germinating without competition for light and resources, and native plants never seen before, are emerging from the seed bank.
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2021-2023 Lake Rose is continuing on its positive restoration trajectory requiring only periodic monitoring and maintenance. Garlic mustard and narrowleaf bittercress are removed in spring, thistles and leafy spurge in summer, and any remaining buckthorn is eradicated on a fall pass through the park. The groundlayer vegetation from seed sowing in the last six years is establishing well. This fall, more savanna seed mix was sown on the sunny slopes and buckthorn replacement on the shadier side of the park. Two new neighborhood residents volunteered twenty hours removing all of the fencing in the park. This fencing will be reallocated to other park efforts. We look forward to the neighborhood engagement process and to participating in the 2024 park master planning for Lake Rose. |
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