OVERVIEW AND SCHEDULE

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1 Request for Proposals for a Conceptual Site Plan for the Belwin Conservancy s Creative Center Belwin Conservancy - Inspiring our connection to the natural world OVERVIEW AND SCHEDULE Proposer Opportunity The Belwin Conservancy is seeking Proposals from qualified firms or individuals to provide site planning services. The Conceptual Site Plan is a critical component in the process of establishing a Creative Center (working title), on a 300-acre natural area owned by Belwin. The Creative Center was identified as a strategic goal for Belwin in 2005 and is part of its 21c Master and Strategic Plan The purpose of the Creative Center is to create a center where art is the draw and medium to involve people in a natural experience. All Belwin art and nature programing will encompass an environmental message delivered through an artistic experience. The Conceptual Site Plan will serve as the visualization of an art and nature outdoor experience at this particular location. Belwin Conservancy owns a total of 1,364 acres. The subject area of the Conceptual Site Plan includes approximately 300 acres. The Conceptual Site Plan will locate points of public access, parking, trails (both hiking and art opportunities), interpretation, and establish meaningful connections between the north and south sides of the property. The north side of the property is primarily in a natural state while the south side of the property contains a residential complex comprised of 4 existing structures. Belwin is excited to be moving forward with implementation of its 21c Master Plan. The goal of this effort is to connect many facets: restoration, protection, research, education, and beauty using Art & Nature to communicate Belwin s mission and educate audiences about environmental issues. 1

2 Planning Structure The main deliverable of this RFP will be a Conceptual Site Plan presented as a schematic drawing that will guide site development for the next three to five years. It is imperative for the Proposer to engage with Belwin s staff and the Capital and Program Planning Committee to facilitate clear communication. Phase 1: Consultation with membership - completed Phase 2: 21c Master Plan, mission and facility design - completed 2014 Phase 3: Conceptual Site Plan for Creative Center current Proposal Phase 4: Detailed Landscape Design 2017/18 Phase 5: Oversee the implementation of the Design 2019/20 (est.) The successful Proposal will contain the following information: Proposers understanding of Belwin s needs Qualifications of Proposer, including design team resumes and previous related experience Proposers approach for the site planning process including how Proposer would work with Belwin staff and the Capital and Program Planning Committee Proposers plan and schedule for developing, verifying and finalizing 2 Conceptual Site Plan options A detailed budget for the development of the final Conceptual Site Plan Proposal Submission and Timing Deadline for submission of proposals is 4:00 p.m. CST on Friday March 3, Proposals must be submitted by in pdf format to nancy.kafka@belwin.org, with one copy in print delivered by USPS or some other delivery service. A letter of transmittal should accompany the proposal. Promotional or illustrative information may accompany the submission. Proposals received after the specified date and time will not be accepted. Once the successful firm or individual has been selected it is envisioned that the Conceptual Site Plan will be completed by May 12, Client Belwin Conservancy Contact: Nancy Kafka, nancy.kafka@belwin.org, (651) x Stagecoach Trail South, Afton, MN Committee to guide process: Nancy Kafka, Executive Director, Belwin staff and the Capital and Program Planning Committee Included Site Map: Creative Center (known as Lake Edith) 4 Photos of Site PROJECT DELIVERABLES AND PROPSAL REVIEW Conceptual Site Plan Defined Two conceptual site plans will be prepared identifying all proposed components of the landscape development and will act as a multi- year guide. The concepts will include: o Entrance(s) vehicular and pedestrian o Parking facilities o Site experience and connectivity including trails soft surface, hard surface and aggregate o Buildings and structures existing modified and new o Art Opportunities gathering and interactive spaces, and site elements Schematic Drawing of the final Conceptual Site Plan Estimated budget for implementation of the conceptual plan in logical stages over a five-year period 2

3 Note: Belwin Conservancy has a 45-year history of successfully restoring and protecting land to pre-settlement vegetation. Belwin s staff is knowledgeable about native species and skilled at working on land and facilities and envision doing much of the work in-house and in partnership with the landscape architect. Timeline February 3 February 15 February 17 February 21 March 3 March 10 March 15 April 28 May 12 RFP released Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference and Land Tour for interested individuals and firms - RSVP Required by 2/14/16 at 5:00 p.m. CST Questions due in writing by from Proposers Responses to all questions provided by Belwin in writing to all Proposers Proposal Due no later than 4:00 p.m. CST by Interviews with selected firms or individuals Landscape Architect or Firm selected Two Conceptual Site Plans Due to the Capital and Program Planning Committee Presentation to the Board of Directors of Schematic Drawing of final Conceptual Site Plan Proposal Evaluation and Selection A Review Committee made up of members of Belwin staff and the Capital and Program Planning Committee will review the Proposals. The Review Committee reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, or portions thereof, to negotiate modifications of Proposals, and to negotiate specific elements within a Proposal. Evaluation Criteria Evaluation of the proposals will be based on the following criteria: 1. Understanding of the scope of work 2. Timeline to accomplish the project 3. Experience and qualifications of key personnel 4. Firm or individual s record of experience on similar projects 5. Proposal organization, clarity, conciseness, and thoroughness 6. References 7. Financial considerations Successful Proposer Determination The Review Committee shall determine the final ranking of Proposers, and the Committee s decision is final. Upon determination of the successful Proposer, the Belwin staff will notify the Proposer. The Belwin staff will attempt to reach a final agreement with the successful Proposer. Should it not be possible to reach satisfactory agreement, the Belwin staff may re-open the RFP process. Belwin Conservancy reserves the right to withdraw this RFP at any time. Creative Center Pre Bid Conference and Land Tour All Proposers must participate in a pre-proposal meeting and land tour prior to submitting a Proposal. The tour will be February 15, 2017, 1:00 p.m. CST. The tour will start at 795 Indian Trail, Afton, MN and will take approximately two and a half hours. Please RSVP to nancy.kafka@belwin.org. Note: We will be walking the site so please dress accordingly. 3

4 PROGRAM GOALS, TARGET AUDIENCE AND BACKGROUND Goals To create a center where art is the draw and medium to involve people in a natural experience To connect people emotionally to nature To create programs and facilities that will appeal to a new audience and impart knowledge, experience and emotion that will create environmental awareness To create programs that are financially self-sustaining Target Audience and Number of Visits The target audience for the Creative Center is adults and young adults, both individuals and communities, not currently connected with environmental issues. We are interested in hosting individuals and small groups on the site but would like to be able to host events for up to 100 people as well. Background Belwin Conservancy is a non-profit organization whose programs are based on the care and use of the property it owns in Washington County, Minnesota. For 45 years Belwin has worked to preserve, manage and protect its property so it will remain as open space benefiting the community through programs of land management (restoration and preservation), environmental education, environmental research and recreation. Belwin seeks to restore its land to pre-settlement vegetation. It will, through its own example, programs and partnerships, encourage others to do the same. Belwin recognizes that management for natural systems and people requires a delicate balancing act that will involve compromises. It will make those choices in the same way it will manage all relationships with clients, neighbors, suppliers, employees and wildlife, with as much ethical consideration and thought as possible. Creative Center Site In 2008 the Belwin Conservancy secured the 300-acre parcel named the Lake Edith Site. The property is located 20 miles east of downtown St. Paul in Afton, MN. The Lake Edith Site is west of Stagecoach Trail, predominantly north of Indian Trail and south of Hudson Road and is surrounded by 20 private landholdings. Over the past 8 years Belwin has been in the process of restoring approximately 65% of this site to presettlement vegetation. The unique ecologies found on this site and described below are the heart of the Creative Center. The topography and soils are representative of the glacial history of the St. Croix Valley. The advance and retreat of the Superior Lobe deposited large amounts of sand and gravel forming the St. Croix Moraine Complex. Most of the well-drained soils were formed in the outwash from the retreating Superior Lobe. As the Grantsburg Lobe moved into the area from the southwest, the meltwater from the retreating Superior Lobe was forced eastward. This historic river terrace is now the Lake Edith wetland complex. The wetland complex has two larger water bodies bordered by wetlands that are connected by a narrow, wooded stream. To the north of the wetland complex, the south- and west- facing slopes are moderately-steep to steep. The soils on these slopes tend to be gravelly and well-drained. The relatively flat terraces perched to the north and south of the wetland complex formed in silt over outwash. The north- and east-facing slopes to the south of the wetland complex are gentle to moderately steep, formed from a loamy mantle and the underlying outwash material. The historic vegetation was influenced by the moisture gradient of the soil and the frequency of fire. The General Land Office notes indicate that oak openings and barrens were common when the surveyors came through in the mid-1800s. Most likely oak savannas and sand-gravel prairies dominated in areas with droughty soils and greater fire frequency. In the shelter of the ravines and towards the heavier soils at the bottom of the slopes, oak savanna transitioned into oak woodland. Wetlands formed in the hydric soils along the shores of the old river bottom. 4

5 Restoration efforts since 2008 include: mowing, chemical spot treating, hand pulling, and burning. Currently, the vegetation ranges from moderately intact to somewhat degraded. Large portions of the property are returning to native vegetation and therefore require minimal management. Remaining areas that are heavily infested with invasive species will be managed in a more targeted manner using the above mentioned management tools. Invasive species of concern include but are not limited to: Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis), Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense), and Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii). Woody species such as honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.), European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), and Amur maple (Acer ginnala) are also encroaching. Some remnant patches of native dry prairie species remain along ridge tops and steep slopes. Grass species include but are not limited to: Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), and Side-oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula). Forbs that have been found include but are not limited to: Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis), Prairie Larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum) and Bird s-foot Violet (Viola pedata). Woody invasive species such as European Buckthorn, Prickly Ash, and Honeysuckle, have greatly reduced the extent and the quality of the existing remnants. Other invasive species of concern include Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii), Sweet Clover (Melilotus sp.), Grecian Foxglove (Digitalis lanata) and Common Tansy (Tanacetum huronense). The woodlands have a canopy of open-grown oaks, including Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) and White Oak (Quercus alba). Other tree species include Red Oak (Quercus rubra), Northern Pin Oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis), and Black Cherry (Prunus serotina). In areas with greater moisture retention in the soil, Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Elm (Ulmus sp.), Box Elder (Acer negundo), Ash (Fraxinus sp.) and Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) can be found. The shrub layer of the woodlands is dominated mostly by invasive species such as European Buckthorn, Prickly Ash, and Honeysuckle with some natives such as Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa). Understory vegetation is depauperate with some native species such as Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum), Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), and Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex penslyvanica). Some areas that have been disturbed now contain populations of both biennial and perennial Thistle, Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), Spotted Knapweed (Centauria biebersteinii). In the wetland complex, community composition has intact wet meadow with reed canary grass monoculture along the shoreline, and grades into cattail marsh and open water. Species include but are not limited to: Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta), Lake Sedge (Carex lacustris), Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum), and Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Structures on site: Housing complex - 3 brick buildings, 1 wood barn with four bays, 1 wood shed, wellhead, drain field for septic, paved drive and parking area, 3 gates, split rail fence; bench on overlook; boardwalk in marsh; 1 gate each on east and west side of property; chain link fencing along some borders. 5

6 BELWIN CONSERVANCY PRIMARY PROGRAMS Belwin s primary programs or activities include Land Restoration and Protection, Research, Education, Athletics, Astronomy, and Bison. Land Restoration and Protection Belwin has undertaken an aggressive land acquisition program since 1985 as it felt the window of time to protect lands surrounding its existing property from development was ending. Since that time, it has acquired 1,364 acres in multiple separate transactions. It has also undertaken transactions to permanently protect much of this land with conservation easements. The property Belwin owns includes unique features which include remnant and restored tall grass prairies, goat prairies, oak savannas, spring-fed cold water streams, marshes, floating bogs, potholes, and oak, pine and maple/basswood forests. Belwin is engaged in aggressive restoration initiatives including prairie and oak savanna restoration as well as control of invasive exotic vegetation such as buckthorn, prickly ash, amur maple, spotted knapweed and reed canary grass. Restoration efforts include using local genotype seed prairie plants that exist in local ecosystems, rather than using seed imported distant locations. Belwin believes that collecting and using local genotype seed ensures appropriate restoration that will truly benefit local wildlife, insects and the land itself. Belwin promotes sustainable ecosystems and programs through the integration of environmental, health, economic and quality-of-life goals for the land and people who use it. Belwin staff work collaboratively with a range of environmental specialists to safeguard the natural environment air, water, land, native wildlife, insects and plants. Research Over the years, numerous studies have been done on Belwin s land including multiple-year bird migration and census studies, stream research on trout and aquatic insects, stream monitoring, research on plant diversity and population trends of threatened plants found on the property including many native prairie plants. Belwin continues to work with numerous colleges and research facilities each year. Education The Belwin Outdoor Science program was established by a cooperative agreement between Belwin and the St. Paul Public Schools in The purpose is to provide an environment for school children that facilitate a better understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Approximately 10,000 students come through the education program each year with an estimated 450,000 over the length of the partnership. (At Bell Oak Savanna management site.) Athletics As Washington County grew in population the athletic facilities for its youth had not kept up with demand. By the early 1990's, there was a significant gap between the demand for recreational playing fields and what was available. In 1998, Belwin was approached by local sporting organizations about the availability of land that would be suitable for a complex of athletic fields. The facility was opened in 2000 and includes 52 acres divided into eight soccer fields, four baseball fields, parking (paved and dirt) and an irrigation pond, 64 acres of restored prairie and 48 acres of woodlands. The site hosts approximately 60,000 visits per year from 14 communities. (At Croixview Management Area) Astronomy Through a year partnership with the Minnesota Astronomical Society, Belwin Conservancy hosts two viewing sites. One consists of several concrete viewing platforms. (At Lake Edith management site.) Construction of the Joseph. J. Casby Observatory was completed in 2010 and houses an eight-foot-long 10" TMB Apochromatic Refracting Telescope. (At Bell Oak Savanna management site.) Bison Native prairie is one of the rarest landscapes in North America and was historically grazed by native bison. Through a partnership with North Star Bison, Belwin hosts a herd each summer to assist in maintaining a 120-acre prairie and educating audiences on native species and prairie restoration and maintenance. (At Croixview Management Area) 6

7 Site Map with Land Management Units From LE-5 Looking SE 7

8 From West End of LE-2 Looking ENE From East side of LE-9 Looking SW at Structures 8

9 From Building in LE-9 Looking NE 9