2002 Natural Resources Management

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The inventory and management recommendations included in this report suggest that natural areas be evaluated on an ecological basis. Simply put, an ecosystem (or "habitat ") is where things live. An ecosystem includes the interacting group of physical elements (soil, water, etc.) and biological elements including plants, animals and human communities. All of these elements and their linkages to other natural areas are considered in this report. Science suggests that a key measure of ecosystem health is the diversity of native plants and animals present in a given area. Healthy, diverse ecosystems are a desirable goal because they provide for the basic needs of all living things, and allow the landscape to adapt to changing conditions. And importantly, the unique plant communities found in Roseville serve to express the local character of the City, providing residents with a sense of place. OVERALL GOAL OF INVENTORY AND MANAGEMENT PLAN To inventory existing natural communities to create sound natural resource management plans for each of the five parks. OBJECTIVES The specific objectives identified for the five parks included in this study are: ■ To identify and inventory natural areas in each park. ■ To develop specific, practical, and science - supported recommendations for management of natural communities. GUIDING ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPALS Some ecological principles that are important components of protecting or enhancing natural areas in City Parks include the following: • The health of natural communities depends on their size. In general, smaller and more fragmented communities support fewer species, are more vulnerable to local extinction and invasions, and are less able to maintain or recover their diversity, particularly if other sources of native populations are not available nearby. Planning should emphasize improving connectivity for natural areas within parks as well as to City of Roseville 5 Parks Natural Resource Management