Cottonwood Restoration Project
In 2011, the National Park Service surveyed vegetation in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The results showed that cottonwood trees have not been regenerating in many areas of the river’s floodplain for decades, for a number of reasons including changes in the intensity and timing of floods and increased browsing by animals such as deer and beaver.
Cottonwoods are ecologically valuable for many reasons:
preferred nesting tree for bald eagles
provide nesting for many birds, including woodpeckers, owls, herons and song birds
protect bees with antimicrobial resin
facilitate forest succession in floodplains
reduce sediment load and erosion in rivers
increase water quality
shade water and reduce water temperature
enhance fish habitat
sequester carbon from the atmosphere
filter pollutants out of the air
To address this issue, Mississippi Park Connection, together with the National Park Service, spent two years studying to find the best way to plant cottonwood trees in the Mississippi River floodplain.
Here is a summary of our findings:
Project Goals
Determine the best way to plant cottonwood trees in the floodplains of the Mississippi River
Get a closer look at areas that have successful cottonwood regeneration throughout the corridor
Share findings and information with partners and provide them with tools to conduct their own cottonwood plantings
Project Partners
City of Saint Paul
Minneapolis Park Board
Minnesota GreenCorps
Three Rivers Park District
University of Minnesota