MISS Corridor Natural Resource Management Plan

Description

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The Mississippi River National River and Recreation Area (MISS) lacks a comprehensive Natural Resource Management Plan for the Mississippi River Corridor that verifies areas of high quality, areas missing critical habitat linkages, areas needing protection, areas most susceptible to impacts from Climate Change, and areas with significant degradation issues such as floodplain forests heavily infested with Emerald Ash Borer for the entire 72-mile Mississippi River corridor, plus the 4-miles of the lower Minnesota River that falls within the MISS. The objective of this Agreement is to: 1) Create the forest management plan and Coldwater plan sections for the MISS River Corridor Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP). 2) Use existing (new) vegetation mapping data created by NPS for the MISS as the basis for the desired sections. 3) Coordinate with corridor partners to incorporate any existing plans they may have into these sections of the MISS River Corridor Natural Resource Management Plan. 4) Create recommendations for priority work areas within these Plan sections with input from partners and stakeholders. This MISS Friends Group, the Mississippi Park Connection (MPC), works extensively with MISS coordinating volunteers to restore, clean up and plan for our natural areas. Much of the work they do is an extension of MISS natural resource and education divisions and additionally they serve as the main fundraising organization to support park education and outreach programs. MPC will oversee and coordinate the work of compiling data, sub-contracting with a consultant to draft the plan, as well as provide a minimum of $5,000.00 of matching funds from fund-raising efforts. The Recipient has completed some of the technical work required for the plan using Green Corps staff that will provide continued staff support to develop the plan. A rough draft of a Management Plan for Coldwater was created in 2016. While this plan needs additional work and updating, it provides sufficient data as a base for the Coldwater component of the plan. One of MPC’s Green Corps employees has worked the past year on determining the impacts Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) will have on forests in the corridor. Part of that focus includes working with NPS and volunteers to create gravel beds located on partner properties to grow alternative tree species for planting in EAB impacted areas. Both Green Corps staff have provided great additions to information and resource practices that will be incorporated into the MISS Natural Resources Management Plan.

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