Six Mile Marsh Prairie Restoration

Overview

MCWD’s Watershed Management Plan identified Six Mile Marsh as a key conservation area, and determined the need to restore connections between the marsh and Halsted Bay on Lake Minnetonka to improve water quality, habitat, and increase biodiversity. In 2012, MCWD obtained 230 acres of land near Six Mile Creek, the headwaters of the Minnehaha Creek watershed. This land created the opportunity for MCWD’s largest restoration project. MCWD restored connections between Six Mile Creek and the wetlands it flows through on its way to Lake Minnetonka, reducing runoff and improving habitat in a largely agricultural landscape. The development of the Six Mile Marsh Prairie Restoration was split into two phases; the first phase involved the restoration and establishment of the prairie, and the second phase included the construction and design of the site’s interpretive features.

Since 2013, MCWD has been working to reconstruct the landscape to mirror what existed prior to European settlement. The Six Mile Marsh Prairie encompasses about 124 acres of restored mesic and wet prairie, 79 acres of marsh and open water wetlands, 22 acres of oak savanna, and 4 acres of oak woodland. This restoration work included removing existing buildings, breaking existing drain tile lines, seeding native species, planting oaks, and regularly removing invasive species through vegetation management. New trails through the prairie create recreation opportunities for hiking, biking, birding, and much more, allowing people to experience green space as it was before settlement. By converting the landscape from crops to native vegetation, the health of the soil is improving, and high-quality native plant communities are able to filter out nutrients to improve water quality downstream.