Author: Phoebe Ward
Two Friends Groups receive funding for field trip grants in 2024
Parks & Trails Council decided to pilot an updated version of its youth engagement grant in 2024. Two Friends Groups were selected for this initial year of funding, with projects intended to foster a greater appreciation for Minnesota's rich natural heritage in the next generation. ...
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DNR Update: Next Steps in the MOU Process
Arielle Courtney, DNR Parks & Trails Partnership Development Consultant, shares an update on the DNR's Memorandum of Understanding with Friends Groups.
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The Friends of Minnehaha Park seek 4 New Board Members
From Friends of Minnehaha Park Position: Board Member The Friends of Minnehaha Park is looking for nature and outdoor lovers, civic-minded individuals, people from all backgrounds with passion and vision and people willing to share their talents and time fulfilling key roles within the ...
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Try, try again: the Gitchi-Gami Trail Association takes on erosion
In 2021, the DNR constructed a trail segment between Grand Marais and the Cut Face Creek State Wayside. While this was good news for the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, it came with an unexpected, weather-related hiccup: the native seed mix applied to both sides of the ...
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Improving the view at Frontenac State Park
The Frontenac State Park Association couldn’t have picked a better day. Sandwiched between days of forecasted rain, Wednesday, May 29th dawned clear and sunny, with a cool breeze that alleviated the early-summer heat. Frontenac State Park was in its element, bursting with green foliage, colorful ...
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The Friends of Scandia Parks & Trails start work at Liten Park
About a dozen residents of Scandia braved cold winds, wet ground, and prickly ash on April 20th in the name of restoring Liten Park. The park, recently acquired by the City of Scandia, is currently an irregularly shaped trapezoid of long grasses and woody bracken. ...
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Three Friends Groups receive funding for habitat restoration in 2024
Three Friends Groups have received funding for habitat restoration in 2024. These projects will address a variety of habitat-related issues at state and regional parks, including the restoration of bird habitat around a wildlife blind, creative erosion control measures at a high-traffic picnic area, and ...
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Meet the Friends of Munger South
Dave Auchter saw a problem that he couldn’t afford to ignore. A longtime user of the historic Willard Munger State Trail, he had had front-row seats to the slow degradation of the trail’s asphalt surface. A popular thoroughfare for hikers and bikers, the trail had ...
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DNR Update: What’s going on with the MOU?
An update from Arielle Courtney, DNR Greetings, friends! Thank you as always for your dedication and service to our state parks and trails. While this winter has been abnormal, I know many of you worked hard with our staff to put on a variety of ...
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Webinar: Friends Groups & Volunteer Appreciation Events
Details Hear from Friends Group leaders Jon Slock (Gateway Brown's Creek Trail Association) and Tony Manzara (Friends of Sunfish Lake Park) about holding successful volunteer appreciation events. More Webinar Recordings
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Meet the Friends of Minnehaha
The Friends of Minnehaha Park came into being in early 2023. Susan Glenn, a resident of Kenny neighborhood and a lifelong nature and history lover and park user, spent many hours outdoors exploring the park and sharing the love of the park with family and ...
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Webinar: Habitat Restoration Panel
Details Friends Group leaders Steve Dietz (Frontenac) and Beth Hayden (Gateway), with long-distance assistance from Gitchi-Gami Trail Association's Michelle Pierson, provide advice to prospective Friends Group applicants for P&TC's 2024 grant round. More Webinar Recordings
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Mulch and mud pies: a nature play area opens at Tettegouche
After three years of hard work, the Friends of Tettegouche held the ribbon-cutting ceremony for their Nature Play Area on Saturday, August 26th. The play area, which is designed to be ADA-accessible and includes a variety of play features, is located at the park’s High ...
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Webinar: Invasive Species of Minnesota
Details Hear from Laura Van Riper, Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator for the Minnesota DNR, about some of the most concerning invasive plants and animals in the state, as well as what the average citizen can do to counter them. More Webinar Recordings
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