Welcome to our annual review of the past year’s accomplishments. The highlights from 2024 encompass all facets of our work: land acquisition, research and policy, and community engagement.

In 2024, our land acquisition efforts added land that completes a vital section of the Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail. We also transferred ownership of a parcel to become part of Tettegouche State Park, marking the final step in the often-lengthy process of land conservation for parks and trails. We held this parcel in trust for five years before successfully transferring it to the MNDNR in June 2024. Our capacity for long-term project work distinguishes P&TC and is essential for conserving land for Minnesota’s parks and trails.

The 2024 Minnesota legislative session was marked by chaos and contention. The primary focus was on passing a bonding bill, which ultimately failed. Fortunately, thanks to the historic investment levels from the 2023 session, this outcome was less painful. Besides the bonding bill, P&TC supported other key funding initiatives that succeeded, including a major grant from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund to bolster our land acquisition efforts. Our research team was instrumental in advancing our policy goals.

Our collaborations with Friends Groups remained strong in 2024, with grants awarded for habitat projects at three parks. We are proud to work with these volunteer-led groups.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the generous support of our members and supporters, who help us fulfill our mission. We are fortunate to have a community of park and trail enthusiasts in Minnesota. Thank you for your support. Together, we are people conserving special places!