Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods

September 10, 2021

Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods seeks new Board Member

From Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Position: Board Member Posting date: September 10, 2021 Contact: detertnorth@gmail.com Overview Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park’s mission is preserving and enhancing the experience of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. The friends group has a volunteer ...
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a group poses with their newly picked prairie seeds
July 7, 2020

July 2020 Newsletter – Friends of Nerstrand

From Friends Nerstrand Big Woods State Park In This Issue Park update Book review of "Nature's Best Hope" by Douglas W. Tallamy Meet the new manager Help wanted Upcoming events Photo by: Stephanie Moss/P&TC Photo Contest Click to download Go to friends' main page
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Tree trunks
April 2, 2020

April Newsletter – Friends of Nertrand Big Woods

From Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park In This Issue At the Park Now Nature News: Monarchs Join Us Planned Events Photo: Courtesy of Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Click to Download Go to friends' main page
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Volunteers raking dirt to restore prairie plants
November 25, 2019

Friends help upgrade tent pads at Nerstrand

From Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park On Thursday 11/14/19, a crew consisting of five volunteers and two park staff improved a total of eight tent pads in three hours! The pads, located at group camp and walk-in sites, were first cleared of leaves ...
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volunteers rake pea rock in a campsite
September 20, 2019

Annual Big Woods Gathering on Sep. 22

From Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Join Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park for their Annual Big Woods Gathering on Sunday, September 22, 2019. 5:00 PM: Talk by Al Batt, writer, speaker, storyteller and humorist Al Batt, of Hartland, MN writes humor ...
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May 22, 2019

3rd Annual Big Woods Photo Contest Launches

From Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Friends of Nerstrand has launched its 3rd annual photo contest. Winning photos will be published in a 2020 Calendar, to be used as a fundraiser by the Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Proceeds will help ...
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waterfall
January 22, 2019

Friends Groups Make an Impact through Grant Program

P&TC secured $50,000 of grant funding from the Henry S. Crosby Foundation in order to launch a multi-year initiative to engage friends groups in implementing habitat restoration projects in state parks. In 2018, five friends groups each received a $5,000 grant to spearhead a location-appropriate, ...
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a group poses with their newly picked prairie seeds
May 18, 2018

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park being enhanced with two volunteer projects this summer

Volunteers from the Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods are rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty as they partner with park staff on two exciting projects this summer. The first project is a habitat restoration project on half an acre near the main ...
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May 4, 2018

P&TC awards $5,000 grants to Friends Groups for restoration projects in state parks

Five volunteer-led Friends Groups have each received a $5,000 grant from Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota to spearhead habitat restoration projects within state parks. Parks & Trails Council worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to identify potential projects and overlap them with …

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November 27, 2017

Retirement Open House/Coffee & Cake

Saturday, December 9, 2017 1 to 4:00 p.m. Nerstrand Big Woods Visitor Center It has been a privilege to serve the last 12 years as manager at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. As visitors you also play an important role in the stewardship of the …

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Retiring park manager Elain Feikema
October 1, 2016

Getting more people into the woods

In the three years that Nerstrand Big Woods State Park has made friends with a group of committed volunteers, the park has seen skyrocketing visitor numbers. It could be coincidence, good weather, or part of the system-wide trend, but the park manager says the friends …

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closeup of understory flower
October 1, 2013

Making friends

The Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park officially formed in September of this year. A driving force behind the creation of the new friends group was Emily Nesvold, a P&TCM board member and Northfield resident. “I saw the need for this group back in …

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waterfalls with sun beams