Author: Lisa Filter
Field trip brings students to plant native seeds on the Gitchi Gami Trail
Earlier this spring, 37 students from Cook County Public Schools stepped out of their school, hopped on their bicycles, and peddled the Gitchi Gami State Trail, where they helped restore native landscaping. The field trip was a hands-on event that brought together bicycle safety, natural ...
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Great River Ridge State Trail extension one step closer
Land Project Update Anyone who has traveled on the Great River Ridge State Trail in southern Minnesota has likely wondered why the trail abruptly ends at a cornfield along County Road 9. Across the road, a rusty railroad track reveals the corridor’s original use, but ...
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Webinar: Geology and Scenery of Minnesota’s North Shore
About this webinar What makes natural scenery beautiful? There are many answers to that question, but geology is often part of the answer. In this presentation on Minnesota’s scenic North Shore, Dr. Fitz will share ideas and photographs of how the geology of the region …
Testifying for Trail Maintenance at Minnesota Capitol
We are grateful to have had the opportunity to testify at the Minnesota Senate Capital Investment Committee this week. Andrew Oftedal, P&TC’s research and policy manager, presented our State of the Trails Report, which categorized the condition of every mile of trail. Our analysis shows …
Outdoor clubs: An antidote to loneliness, political divisions, and more
Solitude in nature is precious—just you, the birds, and the trees—there’s nothing else like it. But, sometimes, the fellowship that comes from sharing the outdoors brings another kind of benefit. Unfortunately, busy schedules and competing demands make it challenging to connect with others. Cue in ...
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Special Places Winter 2023
From the President | Land Update | Legislative Agenda | Outdoor Clubs | Research Project | Camden State Park highlight
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In memory of parks champion Dave Durenberger
Memorial service to be live streamed Feb. 7 at 10 am. As the tributes to Senator Dave Durenberger continue to pour in following his passing on Jan. 31 at the age of 88, there is a common thread that runs through all of them. Sen. …
Former farm cleanup underway at future William O’Brien addition
February 1, 2023 Cleaning up a century-old farm takes time. They have a tendency to collect more than just memories. Stuff abounds, from the long-forgotten broken tractors to the more recent refrigerators--not to mention personal items in the house. So, when Parks & Trails Council ...
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List of outdoor clubs in Minnesota
Getting outdoors with other people is so beneficial on so many levels. Check out our list of clubs to help you get out there. Go to List
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Our latest research initiative reveals user profiles at 3 mountain bike trail systems
Last summer, Parks & Trails Council worked with Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) to conduct visitor surveys, and user counts at three mountain bike areas across the state: Lake County Split Rock Wilds, Winona Bluffs Traverse, and Tioga Recreation Area. The reports detailing the results of this research were published in November 2022.
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How climate change affects Minnesota and our parks and trails
According to Dr. Kenny Blumenfeld, a climatologist with the Minnesota State Climatology Office and the guest speaker on our Dec. 7 webinar, our state is already warmer and wetter, and this change is expected to become more pronounced in the coming decades.
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Parks & Trails Council assumes official ownership of former Boy Scout Camp along Lake Shetek
On Oct. 31, two years after being the highest bidder during a live auction, Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota (P&TC) assumed ownership of an 80-year-old former Boy Scout camp on the wooded shores of Lake Shetek in southwest Minnesota. Patience and diligence proved essential in this deal, which ultimately protected the land from being subdivided into five private estates.
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FAQs on our Lake Shetek Project
Who owns the land now? On October 31, 2022, P&TC became the official owner of the land. Why did it take so long after the auction for P&TC to become the landowners? On October 24, 2020, Parks & Trails Council secured this land with the ...
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Special Places Autumn 2022
From the President | Grant: Pollinator Habitat | Reuel Harmon Award to Sen. Carrie Ruud | Land Project for Checkerboard Park | Nature Play Areas | Whitewater State Park and its friends
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