6.2 at 1 Camp Cozy Park_NRMP_2023

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67 Friends of the Mississippi River Camp Cozy Park NRMP A goal of the restoration is to have at least 25 pollinator-supporting plants (including common and whorled milkweed) present in the prairies. These plants will provide important habitat and resources for pollinator populations in decline across the state and country. Milkweed plants are especially important habitat and food sources for monarch butterflies, as well as a host of other insect species. PRIORITY 4: Invasive woody removal within Unit 5 North Oak Forest, Unit 6 South Oak Forest and Unit 7 Terrace Forest Pockets of woody invasive species (primarily common buckthorn, and to a lesser extent, Tatarian honeysuckle) exist in Units 5, 6 and 7. The most dense and aged buckthorn is present in the southern edge of Unit 5 and the northeastern corner of Unit 7. The most economical method of managing these dense patches of woody invasive species is to forestry mow (using a Fecon mower with an ASV attachment or similar equipment). Hand cutting may be required in areas of Unit 7 due to the channels in this area. Where forestry mowing is possible, work will be limited to the winter months when the ground is frozen. This will limit damage to the native ground layer plant community and minimize soil disturbance. Small pockets of buckthorn are also present in the eastern leg of Unit 6. Because of distribution of the buckthorn within the matrix of native trees and shrubs, hand cutting is recommended in this area. Hand cutting can be done at various times of the year, though the fall is recommended, as native plants will have senesced and buckthorn and other invaders, which have a slightly longer growing season, will be easier to identify. For hand-cutting, brush pile locations will need to be selected at the time of removal to ensure burn piles are safely located. Because Camp Cozy is located in a Rusty-patched bumblebee (RPBB) High Potential Zone (Figure 8), burn piles must be located at least 100 feet from woodland edges to prevent harm to overwintering bees, which burrow in the soil of wooded edges. Mowed areas in both Unit 1 and Unit 2 are located more than 100 feet from woodland edges and are suitable locations for burn piles. Generally, all management tasks must be conducted to avoid and minimize potential impacts to RPBB as per Section 7 guidance of the USFWS. This includes disturbance to bees: • overwintering in surface soil and leaf litter of forest edges and forest interior from October 11 to April 9, • nesting in the ground on the forest edge from April 10 to October 10, • nesting in the ground of the grassland from April 10 to October 10, • foraging in the forest interior from April 9 until flowers stop blooming, • foraging in the grassland and forest edge from April 10 to October 10 If initial buckthorn removal is done well, stump-sprouting should only occur in small numbers (if at all), though these sprouts will need to be treated by mowing, cut and paint herbicide application, or foliar herbicide treatment. Follow-up treatments to manage new germinants will