Lake Bella Park Grassland Enhancement Project

This project will enhance 68.4 acres of wildlife habitat at Lake Bella Park. The park belongs to the Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District and is open to public hunting. The existing ground cover is non-native cool season grasses with occasional forbs intermixed. Most of the area is infested with pocket gophers. This project will plant a local ecotype seed mix of 25 or more species of native grasses and forbs. Ground preparation will begin in July 2010 . Seed will be planted during spring 2011. Spot spraying and mowing will be to establish the new vegetation. The enhanced grassland will be managed long-term with prescribed burns.