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CMP Part 3A. Environmental Protection Plan <br /> Natural Resource Inventory Results. The Inventory identified 358 individual natural community <br /> remnants, covering a total of 2,549 acres or approximately one-fourth of Orono's land area. These <br /> included eight forest types, one woodland type, two shrubland types, four herbaceous wetland <br /> types,and one upland grassland type.Each of the remnants was categorized with regards to quality <br /> as either high, good, moderate or low. <br /> Nearly half of this acreage (1,148.2 acres) is encompassed in Maple-Basswood Forest remnants <br /> ranging in size from 0.2 acres to 113.2 acres. Oak Forests comprise 369 acres, and Lowland <br /> Hardwood Forests total 157 acres. Other forest types identified include Aspen Forest (4.4 acres); <br /> Tamarack Swamps(25.4 acres); Floodplain Forests(14.5 acres); Black Ash Swamps (56.9 acres); <br /> and Mixed Hardwood Swamp (3.1 acres). Oak Woodland/Brushland totals 38.0 acres. <br /> Shrublands identified in the inventory include Willow Swamp(30.4 acres) and Alder Swamp (2.8 <br /> acres). Herbaceous wetlands documented in the inventory include 568 acres of Cattail Marsh <br /> ranging from 0.1 acres to 106.1 acres in size; 11.9 acres of Wet Meadow; 2.5 acres of Poor Fen; <br /> and 74.2 acres of Mixed Emergent Marsh. Upland grasslands include Mesic Prairie totaling 29.3 <br /> acres. <br /> Aggregate <br /> Orono does not benefit from aggregate (Sand/ gravel) resources in a commercially viable scale. <br /> Consequently, there are no plans to open or allow for aggregate mining within the city of Orono. <br /> ORONO AS A "RURAL OASIS" <br /> In 2005, the City of Orono commissioned DSU, Inc to quantify several goals intended to preserve the <br /> Cities Rural Oasis Identity. That study is retained as an appendix in the 2008-2030 CMP and is <br /> incorporated by reference here. <br /> The goals and guiding principles identified by that study are highlighted here: <br /> Goals <br /> Future development in Orono must achieve the following goals: <br /> Goal#1: Promote the conservation and enhancement of the quality of surface water and <br /> wetlands throughout the city, particularly Lake Minnetonka. <br /> Goal#2: Ensure the preservation and enhancement of the existing "rural character" of <br /> the city. <br /> City of Orono Community Management Plan 2020-2040 Part 3A, Page 10 <br />