Environment Articles
Freeman Park’s First Year of Change
Prof. Mike Schuster and his team of researchers from the University of Minnesota are studying alternative buckthorn management strategies in Freeman Park’s western section.
This research focuses on methods aimed at exhausting the plant without relying on herbicides.
Get up close and personal with Bald Eagles
Once a rare sighting in the area, bald eagles are now a daily occurrence seen soaring above the Lake Minnetonka area, including on the southwest end of the lake and on the eastern bays.
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
