Friends of Minnetonka Parks Educational and Social EventWednesday, June 12th from 6:30 - 8:30 pm
|
Join Friends of Minnetonka Parks at the Minnetonka Community Center for an evening of socializing, light refreshments, and a featured presentation highlighting restoration success stories, bison reintroductions, and human integration into restored parks.
Integrating People Into Natural Community EcologyExamples from Dakota County, Minnesota
Once a rich tapestry of prairie, savanna, woodland, and forest, Dakota County teemed with thousands of plant and animal species. However, due to fire suppression, buckthorn invasion, and other factors, many wooded areas in Dakota County parks (and Minnetonka parks) are dense landscapes lacking in diversity. Woodland and savanna habitats support thirty-six wildlife species of greatest conservation need including red-headed woodpeckers, Bell’s vireos, brown thrashers, skinks, and milk snakes. Leading the team effort to restore these vital ecosystems is Senior Ecologist Joe Walton. Through his presentation, we'll gain insight into Dakota County's natural resource management strategies, long-range planning, and the growing emphasis on restoring and preserving the park's natural resources. Joe will highlight ongoing restoration initiatives, wildlife reintroduction programs including bison, natural features monitoring, and an exploration of the county's planning process that thoughtfully integrates people into high-quality biodiverse parks. More information |
|
Visit a Park
Friends of Minnetonka Parks Recipient of Conservation Award
The Friends of Minnetonka Parks was honored with the Bush Lake Commitment to Conservation Award at the Bush Lake Chapter - Izaak Walton League Of America's annual meeting on September 16th. The award is given to an individual or organization inside or outside of the organization that has contributed to restoration, habitat, and conservation in Minnesota. |
2024 Spring Volunteer Restoration Events
Volunteers Wanted!
Volunteer to help manage garlic mustard in our parks this spring. Please click on this link to register for any or all of these upcoming events.
Volunteer to help manage garlic mustard in our parks this spring. Please click on this link to register for any or all of these upcoming events.
|
We had another eventful year and produced significant results restoring high-priority areas within our parks in collaboration with the City of Minnetonka. FoMP strives to be a catalyst of positive change in the community, playing an integral role in reversing the trends of environmental degradation in our park system. We are creating a verdant and vibrant community in which ecological stewardship, and community connectedness and partnerships thrive.
|
|
Invasive Plants
We're building a website resources section and just published a page on common invasive plants.
Click here to learn more about why invasive plants cause ecological harm and how to identify them.
Click here to learn more about why invasive plants cause ecological harm and how to identify them.