A fall community event, with a dark blue overlay

Friends of the Mississippi River – Calendar of Events

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Sheridan Memorial Park Raingarden Tending

Thursday, September 10 — 6-8 p.m.
Sheridan Memorial-Above the Falls Regional Park, Northeast Minneapolis

Help maintain the riverfront raingarden in Minneapolis’ newest park. In addition to beautifying this memorial park, the raingarden provides bee, butterfly and bird habitat while reducing the amount of polluted runoff flowing into the Mississippi River.

Learn more and sign up via the event page, or sign up now with Amy at [email protected] or 651-222-2193 x31.

 

Native Wetland & Green Infrastructure Planting

Thursday, September 17 — 6-8 p.m.
Crosby Farm Regional Park, St. Paul

Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, volunteers will work in a raingarden, a runoff-reducing berm and in a demonstration prairie, planting a variety of native plants in each. This “green infrastructure” reduces erosion, filters water pollution and provides much-needed pollinator and wildlife habitat in the urban river corridor.

Learn more and sign up via the event page, or sign up now with Amy at [email protected] or 651-222-2193 x31.

 

Woodland Seedling Tending

Thursday, September 24 — 6-8 p.m.
Whitetail Woods Regional Park, Farmington

Join us in Dakota County’s newest park, 456-acre Whitetail Woods! Working alongside FMR and Dakota County staff, volunteers will install and repair tree tubes to protect seedlings recently planted by local volunteers from Dakota Electric. In addition to protecting the young trees from rabbits and deer, the tubes will shelter the seedlings from high winds and create a sort of microclimate to help them make it through their first winter.

Learn more and sign up via the event page, or sign up now with Amy at [email protected] or 651-222-2193 x31.

 

Community Spirits Night

Thursday, September 24 — 6-9 p.m.
Wander North Distillery, 771 Harding St. N.E., Ste. 150, Minneapolis

FMR is the nonprofit of the night at this new local distillery! Enjoy a tour (8 p.m.), drink raffles and craft libations in the cocktail room. Plus a dollar of every drink sold goes towards FMR, and it’s a great way to introduce friends or family to your favorite local nonprofit. Rusty Taco food truck will also be there. No RSVPs necessary!

 

Seed Collection in the Sand Coulee/Rare Prairie

Saturday, October 3 — 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Sand Coulee Scientific & Natural Area, near Hastings

After a brief training, volunteers will help collect much-needed native prairie seed while enjoying this rare sand-gravel prairie in full fall bloom. All seed will be used for further habitat restoration. Large quantities —— of volunteers and seed alike —— are needed!

Learn more and sign up via the event page, or sign up now with Amy at [email protected] or 651-222-2193 x31.

 

Showy Demonstration Prairie Planting

Thursday, October 8 — 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Ole Olson — Above the Falls Regional Park, Minneapolis

Join us as we break ground on FMR’s newest restoration site in north Minneapolis! Working with FMR Ecologist Alex Roth and Stewardship Coordinator Adam Flett, volunteers will install a demonstration native prairie garden along the bike trail — beautifying the park and providing much-needed pollinator habitat.

Learn more and sign up via the event page, or sign up now with Amy at [email protected] or 651-222-2193 x31.

 

Hayride + Buckthorn Blast — Join one or both!

Saturday, October 17 — 8:30-1 p.m.
3M-Cottage Grove bluff top woodlands and prairie, Cottage Grove

Thanks to community volunteers and a long-term partnership with 3M, FMR has had the privilege of helping to preserve and restore a rare prairie and oak woodlands at 3M’s Cottage Grove facility just above the Mississippi River. Former invasive species thickets are now home to wildflowers and wildlife, and help connect adjacent natural areas to create a green corridor in southern Washington County. Come help celebrate our success and continue this important restoration project!

This special event kicks off with a light breakfast followed by a prairie nature walk and hayride with FMR Lead Ecologist Karen Schik. Next, volunteers are needed to work with FMR Ecologist Alex Roth and River Stewardship Coordinator Adam Flett to help restore the oak woodlands by hauling pre-cut brush, primarily buckthorn, and then enjoy a catered lunch. You can sign up for the walk and hayride (8:30-10:30 a.m.), the buckthorn blast (10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.), or both!

Learn more and sign up via the event page, or sign up now with Amy at [email protected] or 651-222-2193 x31. Don’t forget to let Amy know if you’re planning to join the nature walk and hayride, the buckthorn blast — or both!

 

Restore Habitat at Pine Bend Bluffs

Saturday, October 24 — 9 a.m.-noon
Pine Bend Bluffs, Flint Hills Resources restoration area, Rosemount

Join FMR, Flint Hills Resources and Great River Greening as we return to the Flint Hills property within the Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area along the Mississippi River —— one of the largest and most diverse native ecosystems remaining in the metro area. The site is only accessible to the public for special occasions such as this annual restoration and celebration event.

Learn more and sign up via the event page, or sign up now with Amy at [email protected] or 651-222-2193 x31.