Environment Articles
The Dirt on the Tonka Bay Dirt
The massive dirt piled in the Tonka Bay City Hall parking lot is not unnoticed.
In fact, it was a topic for the Sept 28 Tonka Bay Council Meeting where an impressive resident-council-consultant conversation addressed every question and concern in a full-blown “community conversation.”
Let’s Talk Trash
Shorewood leadership considered city organized trash collection in 2019. “Organized hauling” is when the city contracts with one hauler based on bids and the best service value.
Results from a resident survey in 2019 were all that was needed to shelve the discussion. A survey is a piece of a much larger pie. Other relevant data is available that should be factored into a sound decision by the council.
Crows: They know who you are!
The collective noun for a group of crows is a murder, also known as a horde, a mob or a parliament.
With that bit of trivia, if you have noticed a “murder” of crows that seem to be stalking you, perhaps after chasing one away from the bird feeder, you may be right!
Forgotten Trail on Vine Hill Road
Residents have been trying to get the city’s attention on a substandard “trail” in southeast Shorewood for over two years. The asphalt trail was built along Vine Hill Road in the early 2000s. The trail was not built to any particular standard and is degrading.
Residents have reported that it is so broken up, uneven and narrow that it excludes many users.
Rabbit Rabbit, Oh no!
Admit it. Rabbits are overtaking the neighborhoods. Cute? Yes. Destructive? Oh yes! Rabbits are here in unprecedented hordes.
In spite of their “cuteness,” wild rabbits can pose problems, some serious, for humans and pets, primarily through the transmission of diseases and parasites.
Purple Creeping Bellflower: So Pretty-So Invasive!
Purple creeping bellflower is an invasive plant from central and southern Europe, west Asia, and the Caucasus. It will easily take over a garden and choke out other plants.
A New Invader in Town: Wild Parsnips
The MnDNR says “Invasive species are species that are not native to Minnesota and cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” Wild parsnips are one of the latest “invasives” to show up in the region. The MnDNR says wild
Freeman Park: The Beginning of Shorewood’s Premier Park
Stefan (Stef) and Audrey Freeman lived on Eureka Road across the street from a large wooded lot in Shorewood. The house on that lot had burned down but there was an old faded red barn still standing on the property. Stefan wondered who owned the property and whether or not he could buy it.
The Zone 4 Clover Lawn Experiment
Sometimes there are certain areas of the lawn that constantly cry for maintenance. Traditional bluegrass lawns demand food, water, temperate weather and are disease prone.
One local resident has researched alternatives and starting in the drought of 2023, is experimenting with perennial white mini-clover in a contained area.
