Special places

FMR maintains over three dozen habitat restoration and land protection sites in the metro area. Find out more about some of these special places below.

You can also see a map of all of our protection and restoration sites and learn more about our approach and Land Conservation program.

Special places

Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park

March 1, 2021

A forested valley with 100-foot high slopes runs into Ravine Lake at this 515-acre park. We’ve been managing oak savanna and prairie habitat restoration here since 2012. >>

Vermillion Falls Park

February 2, 2021

At the stunning waterfall after which this park is named, the Vermillion River drops 35 feet, then runs through limestone gorge and forest. We've been managing habitat restoration here since 2019. Find out what's special about this place. >>

Nicollet Island

August 1, 2018

The industrial uses that once dominated the northern half of Nicollet Island have given way to a mix of homes, trails and a beloved park where we're restoring pockets of prairie and a forest of maples and climate-adapted tree species — vital habitat for the downtown Minneapolis river corridor. >>

Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area

August 4, 2010

Critical for wildlife, this 1,300-acre corridor of protected lands along dramatic western bluffs of the Mississippi River south of the metro includes Pine Bend Bluffs SNA, an award-winning restoration, and one of our favorite places to bird. Read more