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66 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP <br /> Photo 10. Care will need to be taken when burning sections of prairie in Units 1 and 2 where significant poison ivy is present. <br /> <br />PRIORITY 3: Enhancing species diversity within Unit 1 North Prairie and Unit 2 South Prairie <br /> <br />Despite the gap in burning and resulting woody encroachment, both Unit 1 and 2 maintain a <br />diverse, if graminoid-dominant, herbaceous layer. To enhance the species diversity of the <br />prairies and boost the forb to grass ratio, supplemental seeding in the woody removal areas is <br />recommended. Enhancing the plant community in remnant systems should be done carefully. <br />Collection of seed from on-site or nearby remnant communities, such as the rail corridor on <br />County Road 35 NW to the north of Camp Cozy. This approach will preserve the genetic <br />diversity of the remnant with plants that are already adapted to local conditions. On-site or <br />nearby seed collection is an excellent opportunity to involve the community in the restoration <br />of Camp Cozy. <br /> <br />Another option is to source commercially harvested seed that has origins within a small radius <br />(e.g., 50 miles) from Camp Cozy. Local ecotype seed should be obtained following the <br />Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) seed collection criteria, moving from <br />ecological subsection to ecological section to a maximum distance of 175 miles. To increase <br />species diversity across many guilds, a combination of seed sources will likely be needed. <br />