Volunteer Events

Taking place just off of West River Parkway, this cleanup has become an Earth Day tradition in the Minneapolis River Gorge. The orignially scheduled April 21st event was postponed due to our delayed spring but now we're ready to get out, get our hands dirty and cleanup this beautiful spot along the river.

Join us for an evening of distributing native savanna seed and removing invasive plants in the restored oak savanna bordering the south branch of the Vermillion River, a cold prairie stream in the heart of Dakota County and a major tributary of the Mississippi.

Orvin "Ole" Olson Park in North Minneapolis is known for its top-notch walking and biking trails and stunning skyline views, but we want it to be recognized for even more. Join FMR as we return to this riverfront park to tend an important native demonstration prairie garden along the bike trail. These showy flowers and grasses not only beautify the park but provide much-needed bee, butterfly and bird habitat. And, with deep root systems that act like filters, they help reduce the amount of run-off and pollution flowing into the Mississippi River.

Grey Cloud Dunes SNA is one of those places you can hardly believe is in a metro area. Located in Cottage Grove, this highly protected Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) features two sandy terraces along the river. The first rises 40 to 60 feet above river-level with remarkable crescents and blowouts sculpted by southwesterly winds. The second, 110 feet above the Mississippi, has a dramatic cut face. Dunes on both terraces rise in waves, cresting 10 to 20 feet above the swales.

Thank you for your interest in the Riverside Park bird hike. We've reached capacity and are no longer accepting registrations. Please consider joining us for a different event. To be notified of future hikes, tours, or birding outings, contact FMR Volunteer Coordinator Amy Kilgore at akilgore@fmr.org.

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Take a morning stroll through Riverside Park while enjoying a birding tour lead by Karen Schik, FMR's senior ecologist.

Thank you for your interest in this event however, we've reached capacity and registrations are no longer being accepted. Please consider joining us at another restoration event.

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Located just 20 minutes south of St. Paul, Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) is home to some of the best views of the Upper Mississippi River and is a welcome respite from the bustle of the cities.

Hampton Woods is the largest continuous oak forest in southern Dakota County, providing critical habitat for forest-dwelling animals, especially birds. This site is especially important because much of the surrounding area is farmland.

Thanks to an FMR partnership with Dakota County, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and local landowners, 191 acres of Hampton Woods are permanently protected as a Wildlife Management Area. We're returning to the site for the first volunteer work night there since 2019. Register to be a part of the restoration of this impressive site!

Join Friends of the Mississippi River staff and volunteers for a morning furthering restoration work at the William H. Houlton Conservation Area (or Houlton Farm). The William H. Houlton Conservation Area is a 335-acre property located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Elk rivers and is one of the largest undeveloped riverfront properties between the cities of Elk River and Hastings.