City of Minnetonka, MN
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Restoring the Cullen Nature Preserve
As in many places, more than 80 years of fire suppression allowed Ann Cullen Smith’s property to become more heavily wooded. The understory is dense with buckthorn and other invasive plants, and extensive deer browsing has caused the decline of most wildflowers.
Restoration takes planning and time. Here’s what has been done since 2017:
- Identified high-priority management areas
- Worked with volunteers, staff and contractors to control garlic mustard
- Used goats to reduce buckthorn in upland areas
- Working on a long-term management plan
- Cut buckthorn from Oakland Rd to areas around the former home site
- Protected native plantings with fencing
- Released biological control beetles to control purple loosestrife in wetlands
More changes coming soon:
- Winter 2022: Work will begin the week of Feb. 7 and last approximately two weeks. Large-scale buckthorn and tree removal, over approximately 13 acres, will dramatically increase habitat biodiversity.
- Summer 2022: Opening up the canopy will stimulate abundant regrowth of buckthorn and other invasive species from the seed bank in the soil. Follow-up invasive species control is essential and planned.
- Fall 2022: Prairie savanna and woodland native seed mixes will be sewn throughout the 13-acre grant project areas. The plan includes a prescribed burn when conditions are appropriate to further control invasive species and mimic conditions with which native plants in this region have evolved.
- Spring-Summer-Fall 2023: Continued spot treatment of garlic mustard, buckthorn and other invasive species regrowth to enhance native seed germination and establishment. Other maintenance activities will occur annually as needed.
More information:
- Park Board presentation (4/7/2021)
- Cullen NP Open House (PDF) (10/26/21)
- Cullen Restoration FAQ (PDF)
- Cullen Restoration handout (PDF)
- Use the Subscribe box at the top-right of this page to receive project updates
Want to help?
- A Friends of Cullen Nature Preserve group formed to assist with the conservation and restoration of the Cullen parcel. The group has been instrumental in the city’s grant contracts with Hennepin County and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for accelerated large-scale habitat restoration.
- Currently, volunteers are needed to help pull garlic mustard every May and June and other invasive species periodically through the summer. To learn about volunteer opportunities, email NRvolunteer@minnetonkamn.gov or check for scheduled events on the city's website.