The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board hired Barr to assess native plant communities in Minnehaha Park’s 55-acre lower glen and to plan ecosystem restoration measures. The project specifically addressed bluff stabilization, oak savanna release, control of invasive plant species, and design of trails and structures to help prevent visitors from trampling native plants.
Barr designed a variety of measures to restore the native plant community, which included maple-basswood forest, oak savanna, and floodplain forest habitats. Working with the park board, we developed a practical implementation and management approach that protects natural features and offers long-term maintenance options that can be achieved with the park board’s resources.