Floodplain Forests

Floodplain Forests. . , Floodplain forests are often under water during the spring. After a flood, you can see silt still clinging to tree bark, several feet above the ground. These trees have adapted well to springtime flooding, waterlogging and burial by mud and water. They send out new roots from their buried trunks into the soil just below the water's surface where oxygen content is higher. Undergrowth plants such as stinging nettle, wood nettle, giant ragweed, jewelweed, and wild rye are all found in Crosby's floodplain forest. Common trees include box elder, cottonwood and silver maple. Animals seen in Crosby's forest include white-tail deer, raccoons, foxes, American toads and black-capped chickadees., Downey woodpecker . White-tailed deer . Wood nettle,

History Flashback!, John Crosby died in 1886. His estate was divided among his wife and sons. Eventually, the Crosbys moved off the land. The farm was sold to a succession of families who continued to farm the valley until 1962.

, Funding for this project approved by the Minnesota Legislature, Ml. 1997, Chapter 216, Sec. 15, Subd. 13k, as recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources from the Minnesota Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Prepared by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation.