Park Maintenance crews planted nine trees at Civic Plaza this spring, including chinkapin oak, black gum and northern pecan — three species the city said have traditionally grown farther south and east of Minnesota. The idea is to diversify Bloomington's canopy with trees adapted to warmer, wetter conditions, giving the urban forest better odds against pests, disease and shifting weather.
Further out, Bloomington Parks and Recreation is leading a longer-term restoration effort along the Nine Mile Creek corridor near Moir and Harrison parks, aiming to bring back oak savanna — a landscape the city calls one of the state's rarest ecosystems. Crews are selectively removing invasive and fast-growing trees that block sunlight, then reseeding native grasses, wildflowers and oaks, with plans to plant 150 to 200 trees in the area.
The city is working with environmental consulting firm SEH, the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, and Bloomington Neighbors Nurturing Nature, a local nonprofit led by Heidi and Dan Niziolek. Rather than pushing for an oak-only forest, the goal is an "oak-majority" habitat that still supports a mix of native species — part of a citywide effort covering more than 9,000 acres of parks, open space and natural areas. The work is funded through the voter-approved local sales tax, and the city said forest restoration takes time, describing it as a long-term plan rather than a quick fix.