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Meet our Friends Group Partner

Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota is proud to act as the fiscal sponsor for Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

As a fiscal sponsor, we partner to advance their cause and provide the tools and building blocks to run a nonprofit, including receiving, holding and administering funds on behalf of the friends group.

Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods

MN Map NerstrandMission

A community organization devoted to preserving and enhancing the experience of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. This group seeks to:

  • Sustain the natural beauty and ecology of the park
  • Support interpretive and environmental education programs of the park
  • Advocate for the park
  • Promote awareness of the park’s resources
  • Provide volunteers and support when needed

Friends Since

2013

Donate to this Friends Group
Donate to Friends' Land Fund
Friends' Website
Group walking through prairie and looking at plants
The friends help to organize events throughout the year, like this prairie hike
Friends standing by newly installed park bench
The friends work to add visitor amenities like this bench
Wooden sign says

Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Events

Monarch Butterfly Walk

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
August 31, 2024
monarch on milkweed flower

Monarchs and Milkweeds

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
August 24, 2024
yellowish butterfly on yellow flower

Art in the Park

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
July 13, 2024
yellowish butterfly on yellow flower

Wild Flower Ambassadors

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
April 20, 2024

Art in the Park

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
October 21, 2023
monarch on purple aster flowers

Butterfly Talk

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
August 19, 2023
A panoramic shot of the night sky in Minnesota

Universe in the Park

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
August 19, 2023
closeup of understory flower

Art in the Park

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
July 15, 2023

Friends of Nerstrand Annual Meeting

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
September 17, 2023

Ephemeral Wildflowers

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
April 15, 2023
one bright candle with a full moon in the background

Annual candlelight ski and walk

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
January 28, 2023
field of bison

Bison Archaeology

September 18, 2022

Art Time in the Park

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
July 16, 2022
monarch on milkweed flower

Monarchs and Milkweed

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
August 20, 2022

Monarch Butterfly Walk

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
August 27, 2022
Volunteers raking dirt to restore prairie plants

Forum: Exploring ways to reduce barriers to volunteering with MnDNR

Online
April 20, 2022
people snowshoeing while it snows

Nerstrand Big Woods Snowshoe/Walk

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
February 12, 2022
Group walking through prairie and looking at plants

A Walk in the Big Woods

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
September 15, 2021
monarch on milkweed flower

Butterfly Walk

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
August 28, 2021
Scavenger Hunt Banner

2021 Scavenger Hunts

MN Parks
June - Sep. 12, 2021

Webinar: Friends Groups & Nature Play Areas

Online
August 26
Candles along path in snow

Candlelight Ski/Snowshoe/Walk

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
February 1, 2020
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Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

News

a group poses with their newly picked prairie seeds

September 10, 2021

Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods seeks new Board Member

Tree trunks

July 7, 2020

July 2020 Newsletter – Friends of Nerstrand

Volunteers raking dirt to restore prairie plants

April 2, 2020

April Newsletter – Friends of Nertrand Big Woods

volunteers rake pea rock in a campsite

November 25, 2019

Friends help upgrade tent pads at Nerstrand

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Nerstrand Big Woods. By John Rystad

September 20, 2019

Annual Big Woods Gathering on Sep. 22

waterfall

May 22, 2019

3rd Annual Big Woods Photo Contest Launches

a group poses with their newly picked prairie seeds

January 22, 2019

Friends Groups Make an Impact through Grant Program

Natural Playground work 4

May 18, 2018

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

May 4, 2018

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

Retiring park manager Elain Feikema

November 27, 2017

Retirement Open House/Coffee & Cake

closeup of understory flower

October 1, 2016

Getting more people into the woods

waterfalls with sun beams

October 1, 2013

Making friends

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Friends of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Our Partner Grant Project

Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota offers grants to support friends groups' projects.

Meet Another Friends Group