3.5. SR 11-16-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PR~~~CT D~~CRIPTI~N Answer the following questions in detail about your project. Use the buNleted questions only as suggestions for information to include in your answers. Use the "Evaluation Profile" sheet found in the RFP to help you design your project. ~ . WHY DD YOU WANT TC~ CARRY BUT TH IS I'RO~ECT? Describe your plan far carrying out acrd evaluafrng the project over its full length, including a t~melrne, ® What are your goals and objectives for this project? Explain your abilities and authorities to accomplish project. ® is there a specific problem you want to address? ® How does this project fit into your long-term plans for your organization? ® What will be the environmental benefits? ® How will these changes affect your budget? Response; In December 2008 the 5WCD accepted the responsibility of addressing the forest resource needs of Sherburne County, Since accepting this new charge the staff has realized the forestry related needs of the resources on bath public and private lands. It has become evident that residents and public employees want desperately to protect their trees - it is up to us to provide them with the resources to be park of that protection, Sherburne County is eager to protect the forest resources within its' boundaries, Prior to 2oDl the Sherburne SVIICD sold 1 Ds of 1,OgOs green ash trees through the annual tree program for use in field windbreaks and wildlife plantings, In response to the impending EAB migration the SWCD discontinued green ash on our list of species offered starting with the 20D7 sale, The recent discovery in St, Paul is approximately 40 miles from the south eastern county boundary where Hwy 101 enters the City of Elk River, connecting State Hwy 1 D and Interstate Hwy 94, Cur goals for the Forest Resource Protection Campaign include encouraging and empowering people within Sherburne County that they play a vita! role in protection of our forest resources. We can da this by educating government officials, employees and landowners of both small and large properties an EAB spread, signs and symptoms, how to prevent, and what to do if EAB is suspected. It is important to have all government units on the same page, which gives much urgency to the need for a Preparedness & Response Plan to be adopted by the county, townships and cities, We also need to ensure that we can provide residents with a method of disposal for infested ash material that would effectively slaw the spread and reduce the impact of EAB establishment. To da that we are coordinating with existing compost facilities to modify their current grinding schedule, finished grind size and final destination of processed material. The local refuse derived fuel station, Great River Energy, is also interested in being part of the preparedness team with a willingness to accept processed material for incineration forthe production ofenergy. A vital element of protection not yet mentioned, is to know where our vulnerable areas lie. The SWCD is equipped with GPS and ArcMap technology to inventory and map ash trees in urban residential neighborhoods, industrial parks, boulevards and county, city and township parks, as well as agricultural windbreaks, An integral part of the inventory will involve assessing tree condition, Protecting forest resources is a high priority of the Sherburne SWCD, Looking way back to our beginning tree planting has always been a huge part of haw our Baal of reducing erosion was accomplished. The county is situated on the Anoka Sandplain, which is made up of highly erosive -you guessed it-SAND, and consequently erosion from Wind is something we still fight today. Slowing the loss of trees to buy us time to plant the future erasion control is not an option - it is why we exist. Our topsail depends on it and we depend an our topsoil, The environmental benefits da not stop at our sails. Reducing erosion by keeping existing trees will reduce nutrient loading to surface waters. Maintaining trees in urban areas will increase infiltration of starmwater and ffltrativn of water before reachEng groundwater, Trees in our urban landscape provide shade and wind protection, not to mention perching for song birds and valuable propylis for pollinators, Further more, developing a mechanism to dispose of tree material as biomass to GRE in Elk River puts in place a built in quarantine that will keep material within county boundaries. Right now processed material from the compost facilities is either processed further into decorative mulch ar it is transported to District Energy in St. Paul. Reducing distance to an RDF station by 3D+ miles will cut consumption offossil fuels and their production of greenhouse gases by l5°Ifl! The work required of this project fits into existing staffs position descriptions. Mapping, inventory and tree assessment will require the need to outsource to staff of partnering agencies and neighboring SUVCDs -which is not included in our 201 D budget. The costs associated with direct mailing of EAB information, development of Preparedness & Response Plan for EAB, mileage and time for presentations an EAB at meeting of LGUs, and training of key staff on EAB early detection are also not covered in our budget for the upcoming year.