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<br />developed after the mid-1800s, more intense human activities began to change the <br />landscape and natural communities. In Sherburne County today, approximately 90-95 <br />percent of the native landscape has been substantially impacted by human activities. <br />Examples of changes since European settlement include the following: <br />Roads and the railroads began to fragment forests and other communities. <br />Agriculture affected hydrology by draining wetlands and altering creeks. <br />Vegetation was altered through clearing, plowing, cessation of regular fires, and <br />grazing. These effects are evident in the reduction of native vegetation diversity <br />in meadow and forest understory and substitution of communities of low <br />diversity dominated by non-native plants. Soil erosion increased where native <br />cover was removed, adding sediments to creeks, wetlands and lakes. <br />Urbanization continues to fragment natural communities further with the <br />addition of more roads, streets and utilities. Construction of all types altars and <br />compacts soils, and changes the local hydrology. Large areas of impervious <br />surface and drainage of wetlands increases the amount of stormwater runoff <br />and pollutants carried to local waters. <br />Non-native, aggressive species like European buckthorn have been added as <br />landscape materials. Changes in habitat and the increasing presence of <br />humans in the landscape has brought changes in animal populations, <br />decreasing or eliminating some species like bluebirds and bison, and favoring <br />others such as English sparrows and white-tail deer. <br /> <br />Vegetation at the Time of Settlement <br />According to the original land survey notes (compiled in Minnesota between 1853 and <br />1856), the presettlement vegetation of southeastern Sherburne County was comprised <br />primarily of prairie and savanna in the south. Oak forest was more common in the <br />northeastern part of the city where it was interspersed with tamarack swamp, prairie, <br />and wet meadow, with small inclusions of wet prairie and lakes. <br /> <br />City of Elk River, MN - Natural Resouce InventolY <br />Bonestroo Natural Resources, September 2004 <br /> <br />6 <br />