Laek Lois Habitat Reserve Forest Management Plan
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Page 2 – Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve–Forest Management Plan - Draft Forest Management Plan- September 7, 2012 LAKE LOIS PARK AND LAKE LOIS HABITAT RESERVE Lacey, WA Introduction The City of Lacey has requested that Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. (WFCI) perform an inventory and assessment of trees, wildlife habitat, and other vegetation and prepare a 'Forest Management Plan' for Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve. The purpose is to improve the overall health of the forest and enhance wildlife habitat in the park, while protecting the values that park patrons desire. Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve Location Located on the eastern side of Lacey, Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve provide approximately 37.21 acres of natural woodland combined with recreational Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Olympia, WA Page 3 – Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve–Forest Management Plan facilities. Recreation amenities in the park include: maintained and undeveloped trails that thread through the woods and along the shoreline, bank and bridge fishing, interpretive signs, parking and picnic table. Recreation amenities in the habitat reserve include: interpretive, maintained and undeveloped trails, an overlook for wildlife observation, and bank fishing. Lake Lois Park is situated in Lacey between Carpenter Road SE and Lake Lois Road SE, north of Pacific Avenue SE & south of 6th Avenue SE (see Appendix VII). There is one official pedestrian and vehicular entrance to Lake Lois Park at the intersection of Carpenter Road SE and 7th Avenue SE. Other popular undeveloped access points to the park are in the NE corner of the park and along the split rail fence on 7th Avenue NE. Lake Lois Habitat Reserve is located in the Urban Growth Area (UGA) of the City of Lacey, between Carpenter Road SE and Lake Lois Road SE, north of Pacific Ave SE and th south of 6 Avenue SE (see Appendix VII). Until the habitat reserve is annexed into the Formatted: Highlight City limits, Thurston County code prevails. The City has authority to acquire park and open space lands in the UGA. Rules established by the Board of Park Commissioners and codified by the Lacey City Council govern both the park and the habitat reserve. Undeveloped access points to the habitat reserve are in the NE corner, near the McKinney Building, behind the Safeway store, and along 6th Avenue SE. An interpretive loop trail winds through the wooded area and along the shoreline, leading to an observation deck. There are five (5) legal tax parcels in Lake Lois Park: #58100005401, 58100005101, 58100005100, 58100005200, and 58100005000. There are seven (7) legal tax parcels in Lake Lois Habitat Reserve: #48203800100, 48203800200, 48203900300, 48203900400, 48203700000, 48203600000 & 48204200000. All parcels are located in Sections 15 & 16, Township 18 North, Range 1 west (see Appendix VII). The lake is fed by Woodland Creek. The depth of the lake averages nine (9) feet, but in spots is 10.5 feet deep. There are four “ponds”, referred to as North, East, South, and West ponds, and covers s surface area of approximately 12 acres. (See Appendix IV). The west pond (2 acres) is in Lake Lois Park, completely surrounded by city park property and Carpenter Road Right-of-way. The east pond (2.5 acres) is surrounded completely by the habitat reserve. The south pond (4.5 acres) has a very small surface area and shoreline (less than 10%) in private ownership. The north pond (3 acres) has approximately 50% of its surface area and 40% of the shoreline in private ownership. The City of Lacey and its Urban Growth Area are divided into ten park planning areas. The forest is divided into two of the planning areas, with Carpenter Road serving as the dividing line. Lake Lois Park is located within the Woodland Planning Area. In 2010, the population of the planning area was estimated at 772 residents, with a density of 424 people per square mile. Lake Lois Habitat Reserve is located within the Thompson Place Planning Area. In 2010, the population of the planning area was estimated at 8,836 residents, with a density of 2,945 people per square mile. Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Olympia, WA Page 4 – Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve–Forest Management Plan Park Master and Management Plan Most parks in the City of Lacey’s park system have a master plan. A master plan is a ‘map’ (see Appendix V) drawn to show the existing and proposed uses and areas such as athletic fields, picnic areas, trails, restrooms, parking lots, play equipment, tennis and basketball courts, cultural resources, wildlife habitat, trails, open playfields, wetlands and buffers in a park. No record could be found of an adopted master plan for either Lake Lois Park or Lake Lois Habitat Reserve. An Environmental Analysis and Management Plan for the 12 acre Hebert Property in Lake Lois Habitat Reserve was prepared in May of 1993 to guide management, maintain and protect ecologic integrity, and develop an environmental educational program. The City now desires to build upon this effort and cover the entire 37 acres of park and habitat reserve. A management plan identifies how each area will be managed and maintained, including the purpose or program for the park, any special rules in addition to adopted park rules, hours of park use, and best management practices for the man-made, cultural and natural features as well as the natural resources in the park. The management plan must be continually updated, may vary with the seasons, and usually does not address emergency repairs due to vandalism. Some of the parks in the City of Lacey’s park system have a management plan, while other have a partial management plan or no plan. The Forest Management Plan is the first phase in the process to take a holistic approach to planning, both master and management planning, for Lake Lois Park and Habitat Reserve. It may take a few years to address all natural resources in a management plan, but with each successive planning phase, the groundwork is laid for improved stewardship of Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve. Park Acquisition and Development History In 1972, six acres were purchased on the west side of Carpenter Road for the park that would become known as Lake Lois Park, using $16,250 of City of Lacey funds, and a grant of $65,000 from the Washington State Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. A picnic table, drinking fountain, small parking area, and shoreline path are located on this site and were developed in 1973. In 1986, the City acquired another acre for $16,500, using city funds, to expand the park. In 1993, the Hebert Family sold 11 acres on the east side of Carpenter Road to the City for $205,000. Deed restrictions were placed on the title at the time of sale by the Hebert Family, including a Deed of Conservation Easement. The City obtained an $181,000 ALEA (Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account) grant from Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR), matched by $24,000 of city funds for the Hebert property acquisition. In May of 1993, the City retained the services of two wildlife biologists, Washington Forestry Consultants, Inc. Olympia, WA Page 5 – Lake Lois Park and Lake Lois Habitat Reserve–Forest Management Plan Eugene Dziedzic and E. Reade Brown, to prepare an environmental analysis and management plan for the Hebert Acquisition. Galen Wright, WFCI, was acknowledged as contributing to the preparation of the plan. In 2001, the City purchased the 17.56-acre Lois McKinney property and house, a historic structure dating back to 1931, for $350,000. Lake Lois is named after Lois McKinney, the only child of Alva and Elva McKinney, who operated a resort on the lake. In 2009, the Lacey Rotary Club “adopted” the Habitat Reserve to pull ivy that is invading and threatening the native understory and choking trees. Club members pull ivy once a month on a Saturday, and invite others to join them in planting the cleared area with native trees and shrubs that have been salvaged from construction sites by the Washington Native Plant Salvage Foundation. Three boy scouts completed trail projects to earn their Eagle advancement in 2010. Two boy scouts completed trail projects to earn their Eagle advancement in 2011. One boy scout completed a trail project to earn his Eagle advancement in 2012. In 2011, the City and Thurston County widened Carpenter Road. The twin 48 inch culverts were replaced by a bridge, with a “critter crossing” to allow wildlife to cross under Carpenter Road safely. To mitigate for fill placed in Lake Lois, a wetland was created in Woodland Creek Community Park, along Woodland Creek. In 2011, the City retained the services of Brad Thiele of Northwest Environmental Consulting, LLC to delineate the wetlands in the park and habitat reserve. Goals and Objectives - Supporting Plans The City of Lacey has recognized the need to protect and manage its valuable urban forest. Our vision for the city is to retain as much tree canopy as possible to preserve the forested Pacific Northwest character of the city. These goals and objectives will serve as the structure for park planning, acquisition and development, as well as management. The need to design space for trees, encourage and enforce sound tree protection practices, facilitate tree planting, and create long-term tree planting plans is critical. A significant element of maintaining a livable city is to instill pride in its citizens. Citizens that take pride in their city and environment will get more involved and work even harder to preserve, protect, and enhance its beauty and livability.