Parks, Trails & Recreation Master Plan

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS The general public’s increased awareness of environmental issues in Minnesota, such as clean water, air, and energy efficiency have put increased demands on the City of Shakopee to provide more quality natural resources, access to nature, and play elements involving nature. People associate the natural world with healthy environments and view the parks department as stewards of the natural environment in their city. Additionally, the parks department has an opportunity to foster sustainability throughout the community by providing leadership in advancing environmentally sensitive practices. Sustainable development and redevelopment, native landscapes, environmentally friendly stormwater management, and energy efficiency are all commonly understood aspects of sustainability that are directly impacted by parks and facilities. At the climactic level, recent climate trends and future forecasts will impact parks facilities with increased storm intensities, longer periods of drought between storms, higher temperatures (summer and winter), decreased snow cover, impacts to traditional vegetation, and increased threats from insects and invasive species. These changes will have significant impacts on the park system’s ability to provide key services throughout the seasons, protect park users during and after storms, and support quality turf grass required for active field play.

Storm damage will likely increase and these issues can create additional pressures for City and Park system resources. It is worth noting that a recent July 2019 storm leveled long-standing trees in the Ridge Creek area, requiring an additional layer to the Ridge Creek Master Plan addressing tree replacements. Emerald ash borer outbreaks and new pathogens and infestations are likely to strengthen in intensity and frequency and will require a dedicated plan to re-mediate, including a look at increased diversification of newly planted trees within the City to protect against mass losses. Looking forward to the near future, USDA identified planting zones are already shifting, and in the 2019 classifications maps, Minnesota shifting to warmer zones. More frequent and longer lasting instances of flooding at Huber and Memorial Parks are the most obvious signs of climate change as several staff and residents have noted how much more often the parks have been flooded recently compared to the past. For further information on climate change and how it will impact the City and greater region, you can visit the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s climate change webpage and view Minnesota’s Interagency Climate Adaptation Team’s 2017 report at https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/ climate-change-minnesota. Projected climate changes in Minnesota Continued rapid loss of cold weather extremes and enhancement of extreme precipitation In the years and decades ahead, winter warming and increased extreme rainfall will continue to be Minnesota’s two leading symptoms of climate change (see Figure 7). Figure 7

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Needs Assessment

Snapshot of projected and expected trends among common weather hazards in Minnesota, and confidence that those hazards will change (further) through the year 2099 in response to climate change. Graphic based on information from 2014 National Climate Assessment, and data analyzed by the Minnesota DNR State Climatology Office. Greenhouse gas concentrations will continue rising through the century, and the air’s ability to trap heat from the earth’s surface will increase accordingly. As a result, winters, and cold conditions in particular, will continue warming well beyond historical bounds. Continued warming of the atmosphere will evaporate even more water into the air, further limiting the amount of cooling Minnesota will be able to achieve at night and during the winter. This increased water vapor will also enhance precipitating

SHAKOPEE PARKS, TRAILS, AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN | NEEDS ASSESSMENT 54