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RICE CREEK NORTH REGIONAL TRAIL MASTER PLAN | 43 projects listed include the conversion of old field to prairie and removal of the cultivated conifers within the north section. The cultivated conifers (pines) were planted on the edge of the oak woods in the late 1960’s. These pines were planted to close together and were never thinned. The pines are currently overcrowded, stressed, dying and acting as a barrier between the oak woods and prairie transition area, providing little habitat and ecological benefit. Restoration would include removal of these conifers and the planting of oak trees and transitional woodland to prairie species, including native shrubs. This conversion would greatly benefit the songbirds and insects that currently inhabit the neighboring oak woods and established prairie. Future projects within the central section will include conversion of old field to prairie west of rice creek and habitat expansion within the recently acquired wildlife corridor within the former twin cities army ammunition plant. Habitat expansion within the wildlife corridor will include conversion of old field to prairie and savanna and restoration and preservation of the existing wetland and protected buffer area. Planting of native vegetation, consisting of mainly prairie species, will occur within the proposed trail corridor. Future restoration within the south section will include conversion of a small section of old field to prairie and ongoing maintenance of the initial restoration work that will be completed in spring of 2019. Wildlife Wildlife management within the corridor includes deer management, bird monitoring and providing nesting structures. Deer populations in the area are surveyed annually to determine the need and location for special archery hunts within the corridor. A special archery deer hunt, under the provisions of the Ramsey County Cooperative Deer Management Plan and in partnership with the city of Shoreview, has been held in the north section of the corridor since 2015. There has been an active volunteer led bluebird monitoring program within the corridor. There are currently 24 blue bird houses in the north section and 12 bluebird houses within the central section of the corridor. In 2018, a volunteer led effort to evaluate locations for kestrel boxes was completed. One kestrel box was installed within the prairie area in the north section. Further monitoring and locations for additional nesting box locations will be ongoing. This effort is in tandem with the kestrel nesting box and monitoring efforts being completed within the neighboring AHATs. Osprey monitoring in and around the corridor has been ongoing with all survey data recorded and submitted to the Three Rivers Park District, whom houses the osprey nesting data for the twin cities metro area. There has been an active colony of breeding osprey nesting in the power poles within the former twin cities’ army ammunition plant (TCAAP), now owned by Ramsey County. Since many power poles were removed and altered from this area, steps were taken to install permanent nesting structures on permanent parkland in 2014. Five osprey poles and nesting platforms were installed within the corridor and two were installed on the neighboring AHATs. Since the installation, three of the seven poles have been consistently occupied by nesting osprey and an additional four to five nests on remaining poles within the former TCAAP area. Investigating locations for additional nesting platforms and continued monitoring will be ongoing. Wildlife within the corridor will continue to by monitored and management and protection measures will be implemented as needed. Invasive Plants and Animals Invasive vegetation has become widespread throughout the corridor and efforts to control established species and eradicate emerging species will be ongoing. Surveying the corridor will be completed to locate emerging invasive species and monitor established species following restoration projects, so that treatment options can be made. Treatment options will depend on the density and range of the vegetation and can include hand pulling, foliar spraying, prescribed burns and reestablishment of native vegetation to out compete invasives. Emerging invasive vegetation will continue to be monitored and uploaded into the national database which is the Great Lakes Early Detection Network or Midwest Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMaps Midwest). Invasive animals within the corridor can cause negative effects on native wildlife and vegetation. Invasive animals will be monitored and efforts to control and/or eradicate invasive animals within the corridor will be examined and will depend heavily on species density and funding. Invasive animal species will continue to monitored and efforts to control or eradicate will be implemented depending on density and funding for control. In 2014, emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered within a small isolated grove of ash trees in the north section of the park, EAB has also been identified and is prevalent within the residential areas surrounding the park as well. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is currently using this emerald ash borer site as a biological control