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Public/Government
Take a look below to see the public/government gravel beds!
Non-Profit, Academic, and Commercial Gravel Beds
Look below for information on the non-profit, academic/research, and commercial/business gravel beds!
City of Ada
Location: Public Works Building, 900 W Main St., Ada, MN 56510
Installation Year: 2016
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Uncontained
Medium: Pea stone
Primary Use: Municipal planting
City of Andover
Contact: Kameron Kytonen, Natural Resourses Technician, [email protected]
Location: Public Works Building, 1785 Crosstown Blvd NW, Andover MN 55304
Number of Beds: 1
Dimensions: 10' x 15'
Primary Use: Municipal planting
City of Arlington
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Above-ground
Dimensions: 23'x12'
Primary Use: Municipal planting
City of Bemidji
Contact: Jared Stull, Parks Superintendent, [email protected]
Location: Public Works Facility, 1351 5th St SW, Bemidji, MN 56601
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Above-ground
Medium: 70% pea stone / 30% sand
Irrigation: Drip line
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 75 1.5" caliper trees
Stock: Trees
City of Bloomington
Contact: Dave Hanson, Assistant Maintenance Superintendent, [email protected]
Location: 6800 W 106th St, Bloomington, MN 55438
Installation Year: 2016
Number of Beds: 2
Bed 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Gravel/sand mix
Dimensions: 25' x 55'
Irrigation: Timed sprinklers
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 350 trees at 2' x 2'-3' spacing (species dependent)
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Bed 2
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 25' x 55'
Irrigation: Timed sprinklers
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: See Bed 1
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: Keep the hackberrys on an outer row. The pure pea gravel stays cleaner (less weeds/grass), and sand seems less necessary since moisture stays well in the field.
City of Crookston
Location: Highland School Nature Center, 801 Central Ave N, Crookston, MN 56716
City of Duluth
Contact: Don Keinholz, Park Maintenance
Location: Park Maintenance Facility, 110 N 42nd Ave W, Duluth, MN 55807
Installation Year: 2013
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 40' x 50'
Irrigation: Timed soaker hose
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 30 1" - 2" caliper trees at 4' on center spacing
Stock: Tree/shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: Put in gravel in spring, water well and hold for summer, plant in fall. Utilize varieties that work and thrive in gravel bed systems.
City of Edina
Contact: Luther Overholt, Forester, [email protected]
Location: Fred Richards Park, 7640 Parklawn Ave, Edina, MN 55435
Installation Year: 2017
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 10' x 20'
Irrigation: Lawn sprinkler on a timer, 4 times a day for 30 minutes
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 150-200 seedlings at 6"- 12" on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: Seedlings sourced from DNR. Gravel bed works really well!
City of Ely
Contact: Val Nesteruk, Ely Tree Board Member, [email protected]
Location: Sibley Manor, 210 West White Street, Ely, MN 55731
Installation Year: 2013
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 10' x 20'
Irrigation: Timed spray heads on hose
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 25 1.25"-1.5" caliper trees at 2' on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: Overall, it works great for us. Some species do better than others.
City of Hendricks
Location: Lake Park, Cottage Ave, Hendricks, MN 56136
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
City of Hibbing
Location: Bennett Park, 520 E 13th St, Hibbing, MN 55746
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
City of Mankato
Contact: Justin Lundborg, Natural Resource Specialist, [email protected], (507) 387-8397
Location: Water Resource Recovery Facility, 701 Pine St., Mankato, MN 56001
Installation Year: 2013
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 35' x 35'
Irrigation: Soaker hose
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 110 1.25" caliper trees at 2' x 3' spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: Irrigated with reclaimed water.
City of Maple Grove
Location: Public Works Building, 9030 Forestview Ln N, Maple Grove, MN 55369
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
City of New Brighton
Contact: Jim Veiman, Forester, [email protected]
Location: 700 5th St NW, New Brighton, MN 55112
Installation Year: 2013
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Pea stone
Irrigation: In-ground sprinklers on concrete barriers
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 90 1"-1.5" caliper trees at 3' on center spacing
Stock: Tree/shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Fall
City of New Ulm
Contact: Shane Omersa, [email protected]; Tom Schmitz, Park & Recreation Director, [email protected]
Location: Park & Recreation Maintenance Garage, 6 North Front Street, New Ulm, MN 56073
Installation Year: 2017
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone and sand
Dimensions: 8' x 37'
Irrigation: Timed soaker hose
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 35 1"-1.5" caliper trees at 2' spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: Worked well.
City of North St. Paul
Contact: Josh Bond, City Forester, [email protected]
Location: North St. Paul Public Works Facility, 2303 1st St N, North St. Paul, MN 55109
Installation Year: 2016
Number of Beds: 2
Type of Beds: Portable/traffic barrier (2 dumpsters)
Medium: Pea stone (3/8")
Dimensions: 7' x 14' (2)
Irrigation: Irrigation timer hooked to a hydrant, each dumpster has 3 irrigation heads in it- total of 6 heads. Timer also has a rain sensor.
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 25-35 0.5"-0.75" caliper 4'-8' whips at 12"-18" spacing/dumpster
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
City of Princeton
Contact: Bob Gerold, Public Works Director
Location: SE quadrant of US 169 & MN 95
Installation Year: 2014
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: <1/2" screened rock
Dimensions: 10' x 20'
Irrigation: Timed soaker hose
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 30 1" caliper trees at 18" - 24" on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
City of Robbinsdale
Contact: Stephan Papiz, City Forester, [email protected]
Location: Robbinsdale Public Works, 4601 Toledo Ave N, Robbinsdale, MN 55422
Installation Year: 2015
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Hybrid (see notes)
Medium: Pea stone (3/8")
Dimensions: 48' x 14'
Irrigation: 6 Pop-up irrigation heads with 180 degree spray fields all positioned equidistantly along one of the long sides of the gravelbed
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 150-175 >5' tall trees at 1.5'-2' x 2'-2.5' spacing (see notes)
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: Gravelbed is actually somewhat of a hybrid between in ground and traditional since it was carved out of a slight hillside. One long side is a concrete wall like shown in the above picture but the 3 other sides are bordered by removable 20" high boards that "fit" into the concrete surface more like traditional. Tree size is almost always smaller than caliper size and primarily consists of 5' to 7' for lightly or regular branched trees and 6' to 8' for whips. Caliper-sized trees are very difficult to extract in fall and calipered oaks tend to grow very few roots in the gravel. Smaller trees seem to work the best in terms of performance and handling come fall. Irrigation timing & frequency still more art than science to a certain extent. Would highly recommend as a system for any kind of municipal tree planting initiative. Allows for planting anytime from late summer into late November or early December.
City of Rochester
Contact: Jeff Haberman, City Forester
Location: Olmsted County Fairgrounds, Rochester, MN 55902
Installation Year: 2010
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 75' x 75'
Irrigation: Drip line and spray heads
Primary Use: Conservation planting
Stocking: 400-700 1.5" caliper trees at 18" on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Spring and Fall
Notes: Closely monitor water usage. As temps warm, water usage increases. All trees dipped in hydrogel after removal from gravel bed.
City of St. James
Installation Year: 2016
City of St. Paul
Contact: Zach Jorgensen, Urban Forester, [email protected]
Locations:
Bed 1: Forestry Office, 1120 North Hamline Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108
Bed 2: Dayton's Bluff Rec Center, 800 Conway Street, St. Paul, MN 55106
Installation Year: Bed 1 - 2014, Bed 2 - 2017
Number of Beds: 2
Bed 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 20' x 20'
Irrigation: Pop-up irrigation heads
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 170 0.5"-1" trees at 2' on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Bed 2
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 8' x 16'
Irrigation: Hand water
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: See Bed 1
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
City of Wabasha
Contact: Tony Johnson, Public Works Director, [email protected]
Location: Wabasha Public Works Building, Wabasha, MN 55981
Installation Year: 2017
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: 50% pea stone / 50% sand
Dimensions: 50' x 30'
Irrigation: Timed drip hose
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 33 ~3" caliper trees at 3'-4' on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Spring
City of Wayzata
Location: Wayzata Public Works, 299 Wayzata Blvd W, Wayzata, MN 55391
Installation Year: 2016
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Pea stone
City of Winona
Location: Winona Wasterwater Plant, 1400 Shives Rd, Winona, MN 55987
Hennepin County
Contact: Dustin Ellis, Forester, [email protected]
Locations:
Beds 1, 2: Adult Correctional Facility, 1145 Shenandoah Lane, Plymouth MN 55447
Bed 3: North Community High School, 1500 James Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411
Installation Year: 2015
Number of Beds: 3
Beds 1, 2
Type of Beds: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 0.25 acre
Irrigation: Fixed sprinkler on zoned timer
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: 1250 trees @ 2' on center (see notes)
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Bed 3
Type of Beds: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 12' x 12'
Irrigation: Soaker hose
Primary Use: Municipal planting
Stocking: See notes
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: We have 200 seedlings, 20, 6' conifers and 1030 1" and larger trees. There are a few whips that got sent that are probably .5". This was due to low stock and needing those species. Gravel beds are on top of bare soil and some dirt mixes in with gravel. The larger the gravelbeds get, the more problems they pose. Only get what you know you can use.
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization
Contact: Marcy Bean, Capital Projects & Stewardship Specialist, [email protected]
Location: 2522 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
Installation Year: 2012
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: In-ground
Medium: Pea gravel w/sand
Dimensions: 32' x 12'
Irrigation: Timed drip line
Primary Use: Community support initiative (see notes)
Stocking: 150 small seedlings @ 18" on center spacing
Stock: Tree/Shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Spring
Notes: Trees and shrubs provided to community based grant projects, as possible. Seedlings sourced from conservation districts.
Sherburne County Soil and Water Conservation District
Contact: Gina Hugo, Forest Resource Specialist, [email protected]
Location: Sherburne County Public Works Facility, 10705 125th Ave SE, Becker, MN 55308
Installation Year: 2014
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Portable/traffic barrier
Medium: Chipped granite
Dimensions: 20' x 30'
Irrigation: Timed soaker hose
Primary Use: Public & private planting with education emphasis (see notes)
Stocking: 120 0.75"-1" caliper trees a 2' on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: We promote GB trees in new construction neighborhoods to teach new homeowners the value of trees, how to plant and care for them.
Mississippi Park Connection
Contact: Mary Hammes, Environmental Stewardship and Volunteer Manager, [email protected]
Locations:
Gabbert Raptor Center, 1920 Fitch Ave, St Paul, MN 55108
Installation Year: 2018
Number of Beds: 2
Bed 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Recycled pea stone
Dimensions: 12' x 46"
Irrigation: Soaker hoses
Primary Use: Conservation planting
Stocking: 400 8"-18" saplings at <6" on center spacing
Stock: Tree/shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Fall
Bed 2
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Recycled pea stone
Dimensions: 32" x 84"
Irrigation: Soaker hoses
Primary Use: Conservation planting
Stocking: See Bed 1
Stock: Tree/shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Fall
Prospect Park Community Gardens
Location: 2909 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Installation Year: 2018
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Recycled pea stone
Dimensions: 20' x 6' (L-shaped)
Irrigation: Soaker hoses
Primary Use: Conservation planting
Stocking: 800 trees and shrubs; at least 6 in. apart; one species 6"-12" and the rest 8"-18" saplings
Stock: Tree/shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Fall
Science Museum of Minnesota
Location: 120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
Installation Year: 2017
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Recycled pea stone
Dimensions: 12' x 20'
Irrigation: Soaker hoses
Primary Use: Conservation planting
Stocking: 40 trees at 1' on center spacing
Stock: Tree/shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Fall
Urban Roots MN - Rivoli Bluff Farm
Location: 120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
Installation Year: 2017
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: In-ground
Medium: Recycled pea stone
Dimensions: 10' x 20'
Irrigation: Soaker hoses
Primary Use: Conservation planting
Stocking: 245 trees; at least 6 in. apart; one species 6'-8' and the rest 18"-24" saplings
Stock: Tree/shrub mix
Plant Out Time: Fall
Tree Trust
Contact: Karen Zumach, Director of Community Forestry
Location: 3500 Kennebec Dr, Eagan, MN 55122
Installation Year: 2017
Number of Beds: 2
Type of Beds: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 25' x 100'
Irrigation: Drip line
Primary Use: Volunteer community plantings (see notes)
Stocking: 200 0.5"-0.75" caliper trees at 2' on center spacing
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Fall
Notes: We purchase gravel bed stock to use in our volunteer fueled community plantings each fall. We hung tallow based soap around the perimeter of the gravel bed last year to deter deer browse-no concrete evidence that it worked, but there was negligible browse following the soap addition as compared to what we saw before.
Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center
Contact: Program Director
Location: 6282 Cranberry Road, Finland, MN 55603
Installation Year: 2012
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 10' x 10'
Primary Use: Education
University of Minnesota - Cloquet Forestry Center
Contact: Kyle Gill, Forest Manager, [email protected]
Location: Cloquet Forestry Center, 175 University Rd, Cloquet, MN 55720
Installation Year: 2012
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 10' x 40'
Irrigation: Drip Line
Primary Use: Research
Stocking: Project dependent
Stock: Project dependent
Plant Out Time: Project dependent
University of Minnesota - Duluth, Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center
Contact: Program Director, [email protected]
Location: 7328 Boulder Dam Road, Duluth, MN 55803
Installation Year: 2012
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 10' x 10'
Primary Use: Conservation planting
Living Sculpture Trees
Contact: Jim Nayes, [email protected], (612) 803-9033
Location: 5900 Zehnder Road, Sunfish Lake, MN 55077
Installation Year: 2016
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone (3/8")
Dimensions: 30' x 30'
Irrigation: Sprinkler
Primary Use: Commercial nursery production
Stocking: Varies
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Spring
Prairie Restorations, Inc.
Contact: Gene Schmidt, Woody Plant Manager
Location: Boreal Natives Site, 3943 Munger Shaw Road, Cloquet, MN 55720
Installation Year: 2015
Number of Beds: 1
Type of Bed: Traditional
Medium: Pea stone
Dimensions: 15' x 30'
Irrigation: Timed overhead sprinkler
Primary Use: Commercial nursery production
Stocking: Varies
Stock: Trees
Plant Out Time: Spring
Notes: We have had good success with the trees we have rooted up in the gravel bed. We typically will install spring bare root trees from Bailey's Nursery; red maple, silver maple, aspen, birch, and basswood are typically what we would use it for.