The number of Twin Citians passionate about the Mississippi River never ceases to amaze us. In 2016, over 3,700 people pitched in at 98 FMR volunteer events. It was an honor to work with each of you.

Whether you spent a couple of hours picking up trash with us on Earth Day, hauled brush on a Saturday morning, took the "pledge to pull" this spring, or earned full FMR SuperVolunteer status participating in several events throughout the year, thank you!

And please enjoy a few of our favorite photos from the 2016 event season. 

This year, youth from throughout the metro river corridor helped us educate Twin Citians about the connection between our homes and streets to the river, restore important natural areas, and research what works best for local ecological restoration projects. Despite all the thunderstorms, 2016 was a fantastic year for FMR youth programs and accomplishments.

A key species of floodplain forests, Eastern Cottonwood trees aren't regenerating naturally in the floodplains. FMR ecologists and volunteers are using cottonwood cuttings or live stakes to re-establish a floodplain forest in Hastings.

FMR would like to thank the South St. Paul City Council and celebrate their recent decision to preserve a city-owned 5-acre site as open space. The site is located near the Mississippi River and adjacent to the Mississippi River Trail scheduled to be constructed in 2017. The council rejected a push to change the largely tree-covered site into a paved industrial railroad storage area.

This is a big win that maintains the city’s commitment to a more public and green riverfront for future generations!