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1 11 L FRJENDS~ TRUST Hastings' Greenway Vision Realized: '( Ib.. MISSISSIPPI RIVER r {) R PUBLIC LAND iiI The City of Hastings designated as a proposed greenway the eastern edge of the city on the Mississippi River between the city's developed urban service area and the rural township including the Gores Pool Wildlife Management Area. This greenway was identified as part of a comprehen- sive greenways plan to '80 80 8) protect the city's valuable natural infrastructure, prevent growth in sensitive areas, and maintain the quality of life for Hastings' residents. N ow the City of Hastings has an outstanding opportunity to implement a key piece of this greenway vision. The Freitag property, a roughly 300-acre parcel on the eastern edge of the city with a mile of Mississippi River frontage, is for sale, and the Department of Natural Resources is ready to help the city by purchasing the land and taking on its long-term ownership and management as a greenway. The pub- lic purchase of this property, the city's gateway to the Vermillion River Bottoms and St. Croix River con- fluence, would help the city implement its greenway plan while leveraging substantial resources for land protection and long-term management from non-city sources. City Leverage of a Strong Public-Private Funding and Management Partnership: The Departtnent of Natural Resources, through its Wildlife, Metro Greenways, and Fisheries divisions, has recommended substantial funding for acquisition of the Freitag property to be owned and maintained by the DNR as a Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Trust for Public Land is leading the real estate negotiations with the landowners, helping raise funds and making a substantial capital contribution towards this land acquisition. Friends of the Mississippi River, with funding from the federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act program and in partnership with Ducks Unlimited and others, plans habitat restoration activities for the property. By making a capital contribution towards the acquisi- tion of the Freitag property, the City of Hastings will greatly leverage these public and private funds and efforts for the benefit of the citizens of Hastings. It will also join other cities in the Metro area who have made similar contributions to the preservation of open space in their communities. 0 ~ .¡.J (J) a .' :<~~, ~':;;ii:", ", !~{."':e~nways ';':~-¿-". OJ" :"~~-" -~'> PROTECT. CONNECT. ENHANCE. ENJOY