Stewardship & Education

Over a thousand metro residents help restore and learn about the health of our metro Mississippi River through FMR events and outings.

We share upcoming public volunteer events to protect and restore natural areas and riverfront parks on our events calendar. We also offer education and volunteer opportunities for youth and educators.

Here's what our stewardship and outreach staff are currently working on behind the scenes, plus more information from program participants and partners.

Follow us on social media (FacebookInstagram and Twitter) and sign up for our Mississippi Messages e-newsletter to stay current on our work.

POSTS

Play river gorge bingo
Joining us for our Earth Day cleanup? Find signs of spring and signs of habitat restoration as you volunteer! Read more
Bloodroot plus text: River Gorge Bingo Spring Edition
Paddling with the river we love: Why FMR is steering toward more on-water programming
To foster more chances for Twin Cities youth to deepen their own relationships with the water, we'll be adding more on-water experiences to our programming. Read more
Tip of a canoe in the river by forested area
Educators, sign up for updates!
Sign up and we'll email you when we have new opportunities and resources for teachers and classrooms. Read more
Students work with a watershed model
Earth Day and beyond: Celebrate and steward the river this spring!
Join us for the annual Earth Day cleanup, or get outside with FMR this spring to steward the river! Read more
A family of volunteers at the 2022 Earth Day cleanup
Five things we learned from stream monitoring in 2023
Three teams of volunteers pulled hundreds of samples from streams in 2023, detailing insects and crustaceans present — a key to analyzing stream health over time. Here are five takeaways from our work. Read more
Person in waders samples a stream
Position announcement: Stewardship & Education Program Associate (now closed)
Join our team to support FMR’s volunteer stewardship and habitat restoration events and environmental education programs! Read more
Thank you to our 2023 volunteers and youth participants!
We're celebrating the accomplishments of our 1,889 volunteers and 1,081 youth participants this year! See some of our favorite photos and highlights. Read more
Volunteer and youth clean up, water plants and save seeds
FMR's new Stewardship & Education Program Director
We're excited that paddler, writer and river-lover Natalie Warren joined our staff in November to lead our Stewardship & Education program. Welcome, Natalie! Read more
Natalie Warren in a canoe on the Mississippi River
Now available: FMR's enhanced Cultural Landscapes lesson
Our education program teaches hundreds of youth yearly about watersheds, pollution, ecosystems and more. Recently, we updated our cultural connections curriculum to be more engaging, inclusive and user-friendly for educators. Read more
Advisory council listens to a speaker about their cultural river connection
Reflections on the recent youth & climate change ruling
A landmark decision for the first constitutional climate trial in the U.S. is about more than climate change. It's about considering the full impact of our actions today, and the power youth have to fight climate change in the courts — and win. Read more
Two young people hold a sign in the river gorge that reads "Protect our future"

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Upcoming Events

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Friends of the Mississippi River office in St. Paul
This school year
In your classroom or outside