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Home My WebLink About12.A. Authorization to Contract for Prairie Maintenance and Management 11. fl. CITY OF SHAKOPEE MEMORANDUM To: Mayor and City Council Mark McNeill, City Administrator From: Jamie Polley, Director of Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Meeting Date: February 3, 2010 Subject: Authorization to contract for Prairie Maintenance and Management INTRODUCTION: The City Council is asked to approve the recommendation by the EAC and authorize staff to enter into a contract with Applied Ecological Services, Inc. for the maintenance and management of five prairie areas throughout the City. BACKGROUND: The City has five prairie areas within City Parks that have been planted within the last 3- 5 years. This past summer staff evaluated each prairie area to determine growth and establishment. Three of the five prairies are established and are in need of general maintenance. Two of the prairie areas have little to no prairie plants visible. During the development of four of the five parks it was the responsibility of the developer to maintain and ensure establishment of each of the prairie areas for the first two years. Due to staff turnover and staffing restrictions the two year maintenance requirement for the developers concluded before establishment could be identified and two of the prairie areas were not properly established. The management and maintenance of the prairie areas is now the responsibility of City staff for all of the prairie areas except one. The first three to five years are critical in establishing prairie areas. In the summer of 2009 the Natural Resources intern, city staff and a consultant reviewed the prairie areas to determine the progress of the native plants. A survey of five native prairie plantings in Shakopee City Parks was administered on June 18, 2009. Cit~ staff visited sites at Savannah Oaks, Westminster, Cloverleaf, Huber Park and 17' Avenue Sports Complex. The planting at Westminster is the newest of the five, installed in 2008, and is still under warranty by the contractor, Quiring Excavation. The 17th Avenue Sports Complex planting was completed in 2008 and managed by the contractor until the summer of 2009. The Savannah Oaks and Cloverleaf plantings were completed in 2006 and are out of their warranty periods. Huber Park was completed in 2007 and is no longer under warranty. The assessment of the prairie areas are as follows: Savannah Oaks: The general health of the prairie is very poor. Very few native plantings were present at the time of the inspection. Roughly 90% of the prairie was weed cover, including two species of noxious weeds (leafy spurge and bull thistle). Small patches of June Grass and a native wheat species was present, however, no native Dry Forbes was present. It appears that the prairie has not been maintained properly since the initial prairie plantings. It is recommended that the prairie be mowed to stop the weeds from germinating and slow the spread of the weeds. Since there is little to no prairie plant establishment it is recommended that this prairie be reestablished from scratch if a prairie area is desired. Cloverleaf: There are two native prairie plantings at Cloverleaf Park, both of which are in fair condition. Both prairies have thick layers of weeds over-running the native species. The natives present at the west prairie were Black-eyed Susan, Butterfly Milkweed, and June Grass. Roughly 95% of the prairie was weeds, 10% of which was Bull Thistle. At the east prairie, Black-eyed Susan, June Grass, and Blue Vervain were identified. Bull Thistle was also identified on this site. The weeds present have established themselves and are out-competing the native seedlings. Many of the weeds have grown to a height where they are now suffocating native seedlings and shading out young plants. It is recommended that this prairie have a spring burn, herbicide treatments, one spot mowing and fall interseeding. Westminster: The prairie at Westminster Park is in moderate condition, and is the healthiest of the five surveyed prairies. The prairie is located along a drainage ditch on the north end of the park. The prairie is healthiest at the middle of the ditch near the retaining wall where the soil is the dampest. Native vegetation identified at the time of the survey was a wheat cover crop, Butterfly Milkweed, Blue Vervain, and Little Bluestem grass. The Little Bluestem grass grew significantly taller and thicker in areas of moist soil than in areas of drier soil. There were a large percentage of weeds on site. including Perennial Sowthistle, a noxious weed. The prairie should have spot herbicide treatments, one mowing and a fall interseeding to assist with establishment. Since this park is under warranty the contractor will be interseeding the prairie area east of the playground this fall and the prairie establishment will be re-evaluated in the spring/summer of 2010. Huber Park: The prairie at Huber Park is in poor condition. The prairie areas had a thick weed cover and few native species present. The most invasive weed present was Sweet Clover, which was widespread throughout the prairie. Other weeds that were causing significant competition with native species were Reed Canary Grass, Oxeye Daisy, and Bull Thistle (noxious). The prairie in Huber Park would need to be re-established from scratch if desired. Pond at the 17th Avenue Sports Complex: The area around the pond was planted with a prairie seed mix in 2007 and has been managed by Applied Ecological Services. The management contract concluded in the summer of 2009. The prairie is well established and routine herbicide and burns are. recommended for this area. -- .~- ------. - -..----.- ........-- Staff has met with the Public Works Department to discuss the maintenance and establishment for the current prairie areas. Due to the time and increased attention prairie areas need to become established staff feels that a contractor can provide the necessary care and maintenance needed for the prairie areas to be successful. DISCUSSION: On January 13, 2009 the EAC reviewed quotes for the 1st year of maintenance and management from Applied Ecological Services, Inc and Prairies Restorations, Inc.: AES Prairie Restoration* Westminster $997 $925 Cloverleaf $1,534 $800 1 ill Avenue Sports Com. $296 $500 ! Savannah Oaks $1,610 $1,800 Huber Park $6,350 $7,100 *Prices are for mechanical and chemical control. Materials and labor are additional costs based on work completed. The prices from AES include materials and labor for all of the parks. The prices reflect the cost savings if Cloverleaf, Westminster and the 1 ill Avenue Sports Complex are completed together. If they are separated the prices may increase. AES also indicated that if Huber Park and Savannah Oaks are completed together there would be a $1,900 cost savings. Each organization was asked to include in the quote the price for management of the first three years. Prairie Restorations submitted a quote for the first year only. Staff has budgeted $20,000 annually in the Natural Resources budget for contracted services and contracting to manage and re-establish the prairie areas would be funded from the budgeted $20,000. Approximate yearly totals quoted by AES are as follows: Year 1 $10,700.00 Year 2 $3,000.00 Year 3 $4,000.00 Totals above are higher than anticipated because they include reestablishing all of Huber Park and Savannah Oaks Park and managing all areas within Cloverleaf park and Westminster Park. The EAC is recommending to the City Council that the City contract with Applied Ecological Services for the maintenance and management of the prairie areas for 3 years with the costs not to exceed the quoted totals above. AES is recommended based on the quote reflecting the final costs. The final cost for Prairie Restorations is unknown due to material and labor costs resulting from work completed. For additional reference AES established the prairie at the 17th Avenue Sports Complex and managed the Dean Lake area for the past 5 years. The EAC also recommends specific work to be completed for each park: 1. Huber Park - restore the prairie areas around the ponds, steep slope north of playground and steep slope along 101. Plant turf in the area next to the dental office. 2. 17th Avenue Sport Complex - Continue with prairie management 3. Westminster - Maintain and manage prairie areas along ball field fence. Plant turf in area east of playground. 4. Cloverleaf - Manage prairie area north of tennis court and along Independence, expand area if possible. Plant turf in prairie area located in NW corner of park. 5. Savannah Oaks - restore prairie area north of playground. RELATIONSHIP TO CITY VISION: B. High Quality of Life ACTION REQUESTED: I If the City Council concurs, authorize staff to contract with Applied Ecological Services, ! Inc. for prairie maintenance and management of the City's Prairie areas with funding from the Natural Resources budget not to exceed $10,700 for year one, $3,000 for year two and $4,000 for year three. u Jamie Polley, D ctor Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources