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overall natural resources evaluation. Additional field notes will be gathered on related natural resource management concerns such as erosion/sedimentation, land use concerns, and stormwater runoff. u Task 5- Natural Resource Evaluation November 2001 -� January 2002 Classification of Natural Communities Minnesota "s Native Vegetation, A Key to Natural Communities [Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 1993) will be used to classify natural communities. This key is the best available statewide guide for classifying native plant communities. For "human created areas," common descriptive names such as "old field" or "conifer plantation" will be used. Each identified natural and human created community will also be classified using the Minnesota Land Cover Classification System (MLCCS). MLCCS coding will be to Level 5(greatest level of detail) and entered into a G8�compatible database. Ecological Ranking of Natural Communities Each natural community that meets the criteria for classification under the methodology of the MN DNR Natural Heritage Program will be assigned an ecological ranking, ranging from A to D. An "A" community is the highest in ecological quality; "D" the lowest. Standard ecological criteria used to evaluate the health of natural communities will be used to determine the quality rankings. These criteria include degree of native species diversity, age of trees, and amount of disturbance. The rankings reflect how closely the community area being studied resembles an intact or "pristine" community of its type in the regi0n— "A" quality communities are most like intact natural areas; "D" quality communities have been highly altered from this standard. Due to the high level of human activity in urbanizing landscapes, "A" quality communities are rare. Lake and Watershed Assessment Based on available data, Bennett and Langton Lakes will be evaluated for their ability to support the uses designated by the City. Using existing information on sub-watershed size and land use composition, a watershed and lake response model will be constructed to estimate the pollutant loading entering each lake from its watershed. MLCCS coverage for the areas of concern could be valuable for this task if it is available, since this database would contain vital information on impervious coverage that forms the basis of a good watershed modeling effort. Lacking this data, existing land uses data from the City of Roseville will be used and impervious coverage estimated. ❑ Task 6 - GIS Mapping September 2001 • October 2001 Information gathered in the field inventory portion of the project can best utilized if it is available in a Geographic Information System (GIS� format. GIS provides accurate, detailed mapping of natural resource � Cllj� o/ Rosev%//e Nawral Resource Management 6 �i Bonest ioo, RoSP�P, .9/)de/lIk and Associates, lnc.