Friends Groups
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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Cleaning up at the Gateway State Trail
On August 5th, a group of volunteers gathered at Rotary Park in North Saint Paul to clear out an overgrown stretch of the Gateway State Trail. This event was the opening act in a project led by the Gateway Brown's Creek Trail Association and funded ...
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Restoring tree cover at Frontenac State Park
Emerald Ash Borer has devastated the tree canopy across Minnesota, and Frontenac State Park is no exception. Over the last few years, park staff have been forced to remove more than 250 ash trees from the area, with 30 more projected to be removed in …
The Friends of Lashbrook make space for the bees
Did you know Minnesota has a state bee? The Rusty Patched Bumblebee (B. affinis) is a charismatic little insect with a band of coppery fur on its abdomen. But it's facing some steep challenges due to habitat loss, and is currently listed as endangered in the United ...
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Looking Back At 2022: A Friends Group Impact Report
Our Friends Group Partners make many significant contributions on behalf of Minnesota's parks and trails every year. While some of it gets highlighted in emails and newsletters, much of it flies under the radar, despite its incredible value to the park and/or trail in question. ...
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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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New Tracks at Belmont County Park
From Friends of the Jackson County Trails Single-tracks, also known as off-road trails, are one to four-foot wide unpaved trails that wind through outdoor spaces. Belmont County Park located eight miles from the City of Jackson and twelve miles from the City of Lakefield, has ...
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Engaging youth service organizations: A Friends Group Partner Primer
Building volunteer capacity is a consistent concern for many Friends Groups. Habitat restoration, event planning, invasives removal, and information gathering can all require many hands on deck, and sometimes, it can be helpful to call on your wider community for assistance. Youth engagement is a ...
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Four Friends Groups receive funding for habitat restoration in 2023
Parks & Trails Council is proud to announce the recipients of our 2023 Friends Group Partners Grants. P&TC works closely with these volunteer-based groups, who are important partners for the stewardship of our state's parks and trails. Each of this year's awardees put forward compelling ...
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Intro to Winter Activities at Savanna Portage State Park
From Friends of Savanna Portage If you happen to be in the vicinity of Savanna Portage State Park this winter, you might discover a variety of frost-friendly activities to take part in, courtesy of the newly-formed Friends of Savanna Portage State Park. Coming soon: you ...
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Planning a Candlelight Event: A Friends Group Partner Primer
The winter nights are long and dark, but you can put a little light back into your life – and the lives of your neighbors - by holding a candlelight event! These popular events involve setting up candles or electric luminaries along pre-arranged pathways so ...
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Friends of Savanna Portage State Park
Parks & Trails Council is proud to partner with this independent friends group.Parks & Trails Council cannot accept donations on behalf of this friends group. Friends of Savanna Portage State Park Mission The mission of the Friends of Savanna Portage State Park is to support ...
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2023 Habitat Restoration Grants: An Overview
Details Hear from Phoebe Ward, Friends Group Program Manager, as she goes over the 2023 Habitat Restoration grant program, including updated application deadlines, eligible restoration activities, and questions to ask during the planning process. More Webinar Recordings
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Webinar: Heritage Interpretation 101
Details Melissa Peterson, Interpretive Programs Manager for the Minnesota Historical Society, provides an overview of the theory surrounding heritage interpretation. More Webinar Recordings
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