Goats, family-friendly activities and more are scheduled at the final open house for the Natural Resource Management System Plan on Thursday, April 13, from 6-8 p.m. at the Visitor Center in Lebanon Hills Regional Park.
The plan will guide the future of natural resources management of Dakota County parks, conservation easements and greenways. The final of four open houses throughout a two-year process will give the public a chance to comment on the draft plan and discuss it directly with staff and consultants. The plan was developed using a two-tier approach, addressing pressing natural resource issues in the next five years and other important issues over the next 15 years.
Parks Department staff will be on hand to discuss other park system issues, including restoration projects and volunteer events planned for 2017.
Goats from Goat Dispatch LLC will be outside the Visitor Center for a buckthorn/shrub eating demonstration. Dakota County uses goats to help restore about 76 acres of steep terrain at Miesville Ravine Park Reserve. The open house will also feature nature games, a coloring area for kids and more.
For more information on the Natural Resource Management System Plan, visit www.co.dakota.m.us/parks. For special accommodations or for more information about the open house, contact Joe Walton, senior ecologist, at joseph.walton@co.dakota.mn.us or 952-891-7507.