The City of Plymouth is set to conduct prescribed burning of select prairie areas in 14 locations throughout the city in April and mid-May.

The Plymouth Parks and Forestry Division expects the prescribed burns to take several weeks to complete and the days of the burns are weather dependent.

Residents in the area should not be alarmed if smoke is observed.

Prescribed Burn Locations:

1. City Hall Police Garage Hillside – 3400 Plymouth Blvd.  
   This is the hillside that is adjacent to the police parking garage doors.
2. City Hall Parking Lot Rain Garden – 3400 Plymouth Blvd.
   The rain garden is located in between the lower parking lot and the service road which leads to the Hilde Performance Center.
3. Plymouth Maintenance Facility Hillside – 14900 23rd Ave. N.
   This is the native hillside located along the road on the west side of the building which leads to the salt shed.
4. East Medicine Lake Park shoreline – 1740 East Medicine Lake Blvd.
   825 linear feet of native vegetation lake shoreline in the park.
5. The Reserve Park - 5310 Empire Lane N.
   On the west side of this park, there are 720 linear feet of native vegetation along 53rd Ave. N. and Empire Lane. 
6. Woodland Trails – 5130 Terraceview Lane N.
   At the west entrance to the park off Terraceview Lane, there are two small native areas on each side of the trail as it leads into the park. 
7. Parkers Lake Playfield storm pond – 15500 County Road 6
   Just southwest of the Lakeview Commons apartments, there is a small storm pond on park property that is surrounded with native vegetation. 
8. Spirit Garden – 15500 County Road 6
   At Parkers Lake Playfield in the southwest corner of the park, between the park shelter and the park entrance road, there is a steep hillside planted with native plants. 
9. Vicksburg Crossing Pond – 3155 Vicksburg Lane N.
   South of the Lowes and west of the Vicksburg Crossing apartment complex, there is a triangle shaped storm pond surrounded by native vegetation which has been managed by the city. 
10. Legacy Greenway – 15251 60th Ave. N.
    On the east side of the park, there is a trail that leads to Niagara Lane. The native area is on the west of this trail in between the trail and townhomes.
11. The Meadows Neighborhood Park – 5720 Peony Court N.
    On the north side of this park, in between the neighborhood park and the playfield park, there is a native area at the top of the hill.
12. Northwest Greenway Pavilion/Challenge Course – 5250 Peony Lane
    On the northeast side of the pavilion, the hillside between the picnic area and the trail is a native area. Inside both parking lots at the Pavilion and the Challenge Course there are native rain gardens. There is an additional rain garden south of the Pavilion parking lot. Finally, there is a storm water pond surrounded by native prairie northwest of the Challenge Course parking lot. 
13. Plymouth Creek Oak Grove – 3625 Fernbrook Lane N.
    On the west side of the park there is a raised oak grove next to the western most athletic field. Prescribed forest floor burning will take place throughout this landscape area. 
14. Elm Creek Woods Entrance Field Edge – 5315 Peony Lane N.
    Near the parking lot at the entrance on the edge of the woods next to the open field. This area will be managed by prescribed burning. 

More Information

A routine maintenance activity that benefits native plantings, a prescribed burn is the controlled application of fire by a team of professionals during specified weather conditions. Fire burns away thatch buildup, warms the soil and speeds up the emergence of warm-season grasses, which are one of the main components of native prairies.

Those with questions should contact the Parks & Forestry Division at parksforestry@plymouthmn.gov or 763-509-5940.