Big Woods Protection at Stieg Woods
The City of Rogers purchased a total of 41.28 acres of land that includes 19.99 acres of high quality, ecologically significant Big Woods Maple-Basswood forest in southern Rogers. The forest is a portion of a 59.71-acre Centennial Farm owned by Denny and Jan Stieg, whose family has resided on the property for more than 100 years. As development encroaches and the CSAH 117 extension is planned to bisect the property in the future, the family wishes to ensure that this patch of remnant Big Woods Maple-Basswood forest is preserved in perpetuity.
The City of Rogers identified the Stieg Woods as a rare Greenway/Open Space opportunity during the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Update. The Greenway System and Natural Areas envisioned as part of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan relate to undeveloped areas within the City. Setting aside some portion of these lands as development occurs for open space preservation and trail corridors was a major goal of the 2007 Parks System Plan and continues to be a major goal today. Within the current city limits, the opportunity to set aside land for open space is relatively limited. The identified greenway system consists of a mix of publicly-owned and privately-owned lands that would be perpetually preserved as natural open space, likely through the use of conservation easements negotiated with developers and landowners as development occurs, or land dedicated or acquired via park dedication.
In 2020 the City began discussing the acquisition of Stieg Woods for the purposes of natural preservation and open space. Interestingly the subject property had been previously under contract for a development then called Stone's Throw which was intended to be a large master planned community. In 2021 staff began negotiating with the Stiegs for the purchase of the woods and some surrounding property for wetland restoration, stormwater ponding and future road right of way. In 2021 the city also applied for a LSOHC grant for the preservation of the woods. In 2022 the LSOHC grant was approved and signed into law. After a lengthy appraisal and negotiation process the Stiegs signed a Letter of Intent in October, 2022 and a Purchase Agreement was executed in October, 2024.
$1,020,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of Rogers to acquire land in fee and restore and enhance forest habitat for wildlife in Hennepin County. A list of proposed acquisitions, restorations, and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
The native plant community of the stand of Maple-Basswood forest at Stieg Woods is classified as MHs39c: Sugar Maple Forest- Big Woods. It has an S-rank of S2, which means it is "imperiled". It has a G-ranking of G3, or Vulnerable, which means it is at moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or fewer), recent and widespread declines, or other factors.
According to the DNR, 121 Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are known or predicted to occur within the Big Woods. These SGCN include 55 species that are federal or state endangered, threatened, or of special concern.
Rare vascular plant species have been observed within other Maple-Basswood forests in the vicinity of Stieg Woods. It is also notable that Henry's Woods, which is less than 3 miles from Stieg Woods, is mapped as High Value on the MCBS, and contains a similar forest type to Stieg Woods.
Stieg Woods is located at the intersection of four Townships, with neighboring Dayton and Maple Grove Townships having between 11-50 SGCN records; the lack of recorded occurrences on the Stieg Woods property and in Rogers Township does not necessarily indicate that SGCN are not present.
City and Property Owner and City