2002 Draft Natural Resources Management

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The topography, soils, and pattern of streams, lakes and wetlands that resulted frorn glacial activity greatly influenced the pattern of vegetation that developed later in Roseville. Plant cotntr►unities such as oak savannas and prairies thrived in the sandy, well-drained soils and nearly level topography of the city's uplands, while prairie wctlands occupied low swales and depressions. Immediateiy after the glaciers melted, spruce trees and tundra plants developed around the margins of the glaciers, followed by pine barrens and forests with a bracken fern understory. As the climate of the region warnted about 9,000 years ago, pines began to decline, and prairie herbs increased, along with elm and oak forests. The climate continued to warm until about 7,OOQ years ago, when anidgrass prai�ie reached its maximum extent in Minnesota, and covered mosC af the Twin Cities region, including Roseviile. Prairie, oak woodlands and brushlands, and oak forests dominated the Region until about 3,500 years ago, when the climate became cooler and moister. Oaks, with their resilience and hardiness became the first tree species ta pioneer back into the prairie. They graduaily became more common and formed savannas and woodlands that were interspersed with tallgrass and wet prairies. About 300 years ago, the climate became dramatically more moist and cool, and forests of eEm, sugar maple, and basswood develaped in eastern Minnesota. With prairies, wetlands, and oak savannas present, the major patterns of vegctation in the north Roseville area at ihe time of Europcan settlement were then in place. Native Americans. Ideas about the history of Native Americans and their influence on the tocai Iandscape are still evolving. Native Arz�ericans have grobably inhabited and hunted in the area for more than l0,OQ0 years. While their i�npacts were not as b eat as those of European settlers, Native Americans used a wide variety of plants and animals for food, and aitered ve�etation patterns for cu�tivation and by setting fire to broad expanses of landscape. The Native Amencans (and European fur traders) ased fire to hunt game, create dcsired garrae habitat, to clear the landscape for travel, communication and defense, and to obtain firewood. �Vhile sortte fires in the region occurred naturally, fires set by Native Americans occurred far mare frequently. Historic recoz'ds indicate that portions of the upper Midwest may have been burned annually. Prairies and savannas communities that were common to Roseville are fire-dependent and the human use of fire played a critical role in sustainin� this landscape. Ciry of Roseville Patks tVattrrcrl Resotrrce Managemerit