Upcoming FMR events span urban raingardens to preserved bluffs

Event and volunteer season is in full swing here at Friends of the Mississippi River. In the next few weeks, there are excellent urban volunteer restoration opportunities as well as several events at high quality natural areas a little further out, roughly 20 minutes from St. Paul, but feel hundreds of miles away.

Learn how to reduce runoff and pollution in your own backyard

• Saturday, June 13, 10:30 am-12:30 pm
  Join Friends of the Mississippi River and the Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) for a tour of several raingardens in St. Paul's "Garden District," Como neighborhood. The tour will involve walking on paved park trails and sidewalks for approximately 2 miles over a two-hour time period. The tour is free and open to all, but capacity is limited to maintain a quality experience and pre-registration is required, and early registration highly encouraged. (The meeting place will be emailed to registrants only.)

Help restore urban gems

• Wednesday, June 3, 6:00-8:30 pm
  At this time, there are still spots in the Old Wagon Road Trail Woodland Planting, along East River Road in St. Paul!
• Wednesday, June 10, 6:00-8:00 pm
  Dozens of volunteers are needed to help tend the demonstration native prairie that helps filter polluted runoff water before it enters the river in Crosby Park in St. Paul.
• Saturday, June 27, 9:30-11:30 am
  Volunteers will learn about a rare urban oak savanna in South Minneapolis and work with an expert local ecologist to help protect its native species, so important for wildlife and watershed health.

Off-trail opportunities

There are two different upcoming volunteer opportunities in the beautiful Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area, one of the highest quality natural areas in the region and home to the best views of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, plus one at the rare dry prairie coulee just south of Hastings.

• Thursday, June 18, 6-8:30 pm
  Led by ecologist Karen Schik, a small group will work to remove an invasive species, spotted knapweed, in the Pine Bend Scientific and Natural Area - the most-protected part of the bluffs, preserved for cultural and ecological integrity.
• Saturday , June 20, 8:30 am-12:30 pm
  Volunteers are needed for the Pine Bend Bluffs Restoration Extravaganza. At this high-energy event, some 100 volunteers will help remove buckthorn, an invasive species threatening an oak forest section of the bluffs, and then enjoy free prizes, refreshments and more to celebrate a decade of award-winning restoration work in this important area.
• Thursday, June 25, 6-8:30 pm
  30 volunteers are needed to help protect the rare dry prairie of the Sand Coulee Scientific and Natural Area just south of Hastings. This prairie is home to 13 rare plant and animal species, but these important wildflowers, birds and other animals are threatened by the invasive species cow vetch and spotted knapweed. Without volunteer removal events such as this, these species would take over, forming a dense canopy over the native plants to block out their sun and sending toxins through their roots to kill their native plant neighbors. Join ecologist Karen Schik as we remove cow vetch and spotted knapweed to protect this dry sand prairie and the wildlife that depend upon it.