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Big Island Nature Park Management Plan November 2011 <br />____________________________________________________________________________ <br />35 <br /> <br />Fencing. The only area of the Park that has fencing is at the bluff on the south hill. Bluff <br />erosion over many decades left the original fence at the precipice rather than setting some <br />distance back from it. Through efforts of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District the bluff <br />underwent a vegetative restoration program in 2009-10 which is expected to minimize future <br />erosion. In 2010 the City replaced the fence at the top of the bluff with a higher fence set back <br />10-15‘ from the edge to enhance safety for park visitors. <br /> <br />Signage. In 2009 the City erected a variety of regulatory signs on the property, primarily at the <br />two entry points. These signs are intended to inform visitors of Park rules. In the spring of <br />2010 it was found that many of the signs installed the previous year had been vandalized or <br />pulled out of the ground (along with their concrete bases) likely by chaining or roping them to <br />a snowmobile or other vehicle. These signs are being re-installed with more substantial <br />footings with a goal of avoiding this problem in the future. Future interpretive signage for the <br />Park will be considered as the Management Plan is implemented. <br /> <br />Grounds Maintenance. After the initial cleanup of the property which was ongoing into 2008, <br />grounds maintenance has included minor clearing of brush encroaching the trails, removal of <br />selected dead trees, and occasional mowing of the main promenade area that is not within the <br />Conservation Easement. The City in 2009 hired a part-time Community Service Officer (CSO) <br />to provide an authoritative presence on the Island during peak visitor times and assist in <br />necessary ongoing maintenance, trash removal, etc. The City also purchased a boat for <br />transporting the CSO to and from the Island. While having a CSO at the Park was generally a <br />positive experience, the value of continuing this practice for future years was reconsidered <br />after the 2009 season, given that there was not enough activity to justify that position, and no <br />CSO was hired for the 2010 or 2011 seasons. <br /> <br />At the current time there is no dedicated maintenance shop or equipment storage facility on the <br />property. All maintenance equipment and supplies must be brought in and removed by boat or <br />barge, which results in increased maintenance costs and added man-hours. Consideration <br />should be given to the provision of a securable storage unit on site, such as a small steel cargo <br />container. <br /> <br /> <br />Ongoing Site and Facilities Maintenance <br /> <br />Big Island Nature Park requires a variety of ongoing maintenance activities in order to ensure <br />public accessibility and safety as well as to enhance visitors‘ recreational experience. These <br />activities include but are not limited to: <br />- Annual installation of docks and pilings in the spring <br />- Ongoing monitoring of dock condition, addressing maintenance issues as needed <br />- Removal of docks/pilings in the fall and providing for their winter storage <br />- General trash cleanup on at least a weekly basis or more often as necessary during the <br />boating season <br />- Mowing specified areas on a weekly or as-needed basis <br />- Trail maintenance <br />- Trimming or removal of hazardous trees within the parameters of the Conservation <br />Easement