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Recently the prevailing discussion concerning our environment has been centered on global warming. Well, let's not talk about global warming for once. It seems other issues such as the conservation of natural resources have been swept under the rug.
Yes, a progressive does not want to yell and shout about global warming right now, you heard correctly. Global warming is a long term threat that we will have to deal with as time goes on. A gravel pit and ball fields taking over rare forest land? Well, I guess we either deal with that now or never. |
| Here in my hometown of Savage, seven acres of the Maple Basswood forest are in close proximity to Prior Lake Aggregates and is situated on the property of my alma mater, Prior Lake High School. PL Aggregates would like to expand its gravel pit and cannot move forward with this process without the removal of the forest land. With a mix of 1,000 trees including oak, maple, elm and ash a reasonable person would think a good amount of thought would go into the decision of removing this land.
According to this week's Savage Pacer, the land is rated as "exceptional" by the DNR and is one of two of its kind in Savage and one of 105 in the metro area.
When an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) was done of the high school site, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) expressed concern that SS-9 could be degraded or even eliminated. The Metropolitan Council also commented that any native forests on the high school site should be saved as much as possible, particularly the highest quality areas.
Natural Resources Specialist Jon Allen told the City Council that its conversation about removing SS-9 is ?short sighted in terms of considering the loss of trees for the purpose of not having to construct a retaining wall and providing extra parking. You?re missing out on the importance of SS-9.
?In this case, the area has been identified as the most significant of all areas of Savage,? he continued. ?You?re talking about an eco system that functions at a high level. It has biological diversity that we don?t find anywhere else.?
In all honesty, I live in a housing development which contributed to the deterioration of a formerly treasured natural resource in Savage: the Eagle Creek fresh trout stream. Once the houses went up, the fish went away.
Gone. Forever.
Now, according to our Mayor Tom Brennen this forest is not worthwhile as people "want to see and use their natural resources."
Really, all people want to use natural resources such as...gravel?
Certainly, these decisions aren't easy, and the Prior Lake/Savage areas is growing, but replacing land such as this with a gravel pit and ball fields have very permanent consequences. Even speaking as someone who grew up playing baseball in Prior Lake and Savage and understand the importance for new playing fields, this should have thorough public discussion with clear and open debate. Unfortunately the council seems to have already made up its mind.
Although the City Council made no decision on SS-9, when the mayor asked for consensus for moving forward with removal of the area, there were nods all around the table. So did they make a decision or not? I hope more evaluation is allowed to occur before, ahem, "real" debate occurs.
Flashing from my high school alma mater to my college town of Winona, Amber Dulek of the Winona Daily News looks at an effort to preserve land on a ranch and prevent development. I've been gone from Winona just over a month, and miss its unique environment compared to the suburbs, especially during the summer! Every effort should be made to hang on to areas in Winona such as the one described in the article.
On the federal level, an effort is being made to bring focus to conservation as a part of the farm bill Congress is in the process of authoring. Our friend Sally Jo at A Bluestem Prairie has been in Washington, D.C. advocating on the part of the Audubon Society with concern for our bird population. A front page story on last week's Pioneer Press highlights Minnesota's declining bird population. |
