Greenways Planning
Burns Township Greenway
In 2002, Burns Township located in Northwestern Anoka County, it is 22,500 acres in size. Much of Burns Township has been used for agricultural production since settlement. However, there is increasing residential development occurring in the area. The area also serves as an important watershed and greenway link to the Rum River and natural communities to the north in St. Francis and Isanti County.
With a grant from the Metro DNR Greenways program, land cover inventory began in the summer of 2002 and completed in the spring of 2003. The land cover inventory will assist community leaders and residents develop parks and recreation that suits the community's needs. The inventory and planning process will also assist the township to identify the community resources and plan for the future.
The Burns Greenway Report identifies community significant resources and the open space corridors that maintain these important habitat areas. The report goes on to provide a foundation for future resource management throughout the township. This includes park and open space planning, habitat protection and land use planning recommendations. The Anoka Conservation District will use this information to focus natural resource management in the area including conservation easements and habitat restoration.
