Raymond Park Habitat Restoration Project

Raymond Park is a relatively untouched peninsula of land that stretches out between Spring Lake and a large wetland, which are connected only by a small channel. Once platted into 11 lots and planned for development, the land is now a park owned by the City of Prior Lake and offers a unique opportunity to restore a variety of habitats in one location. The natural beach community has been been altered by years of attempts to control the erosion at the shoreline. A history of turf grass and lawn maintenance have led to the loss of pollinator habitat previously provided by flowering forbs. The oak savanna area, once maintained by fire and grazing, has become overgrown with low-quality, weedy species. The Raymond Park Restoration Project provides a unique opportunity to restore four different habitats at one site: beach, shoreland, grassland, and oak savanna. As a public park, this restoration project will also serve as a demonstration site for the public to learn more about different types of habitat restoration which could potentially be installed on their own property. Great River Greening, the City of Prior Lake, and the Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District will be collaborating together to complete this important project.