Above the Falls River Stewards

Volunteers work in the riverside prairie at Ole Olson Park

Upstream of downtown, in North and Northeast Minneapolis, the Above the Falls riverfront is in flux. Characterized by low banks interspersed with parks and heavy industrial activity, much of this oft-neglected stretch of the prairie river awaits improved public access and restoration. However, many parks and trail improvements are in the works as part of the award-winning Minneapolis Above the Falls Master Plan, created by the Above the Falls Community Advisory Committee (on which FMR served).

Through the Above the Falls River Stewards program, FMR provides opportunities for education, access and hands-on restoration to further this urban river revival.

Activities include:

Public habitat restoration and youth and group events, where local residents and businesses can support healthier ecosystems and exceptional riverfront parks (learn more about them below)
River-friendly homes and gardens workshops to improve the health of our local waters from our own backyards

To receive notices of upcoming Above the Falls educational and volunteer events, contact us at volunteer@fmr.org or 651.477.0925.

Parks we work in

Volunteers began the work of planting a demonstration rain garden at Sheridan Memorial Park in June 2014. (Photo by Rich Wahls for FMR)

Volunteers from Fair State Brewing Cooperative joined together to tend the rain garden in 2018.

Two youth with FMR's Youth Empowerment Program (YEP), a forerunner of our current Environmental Stewardship Institute, organized volunteers to tend the rain garden in 2019.

Volunteers with the Sheridan Neighborhood Organization began regularly tending the rain garden in 2022, with their efforts supported by funding from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization in 2023.

Sheridan Memorial Park

In the summer of 2014 FMR volunteers installed numerous native plants in a strategically planned raingarden in one of what was then Northeast Minneapolis's newest parks, Sheridan Memorial.

Raingardens help to filter runoff pollution from nearby roads, parking lots and industrial sites while also creating much-needed bird, butterfly and bee habitat.

FMR has been pleased to support dozens of volunteers who've tended the raingarden over the years, helping it to grow and flourish. We're also proud to partner with Sheridan Neighborhood Organization, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and other local agencies at this important site.

Ole Olson Park

Although a small urban site, Ole Olson is home to a surprising diversity of landscapes, including riverfront shoreline, woodland terrace and grassland slopes.

With volunteers and the city parks department, we've been helping to transform the park into a habitat oasis — returning willows to the shoreline, wildflowers to the slopes and oaks to the terraces.

Located just off the bike trail along Broadway and the river, the demonstration prairie at Ole Olson is home to showy flowers and grasses that beautify the park while providing habitat for pollinators.

With their deep root systems, prairie plants also improve water quality by filtering pollution and holding soil that would otherwise flow into the river.

Nicollet Island

FMR has been working with the city parks department, watershed management organization, community organizations and dozens of volunteers to expand and restore natural areas on the northern half of Nicollet Island since 2017.

Goals include removing invasive plant species and improving degraded forest areas through increasing diversity and adding climate-adapted tree and shrub species. We also aim to create new, diverse native prairie habitat, tackle erosion projects and re-create the pocket of maple forest historically present on the island.

This work will grow pollinator and wildlife habitat, increase climate resiliency, improve recreation, and help to reduce sedimentation and nutrient transfer, improving water quality.

Additional locations

FMR also works with youth and neighborhood groups at James Rice Park, Bassett's Creek Park and other local parks. Thanks to our involved partners and funders we are actively growing the Above the Falls program and look forward to developing plans for further educational and hands-on restoration events at additional locations

Youth and group events

Students from 21st Century Academy stenciling a storm drain

Youth from 21st Century Academy stencil storm drains in the Above the Falls area.

FMR partners with local schools, youth groups, churches, businesses, corporate volunteer groups and community organizations to stencil storm drains in their community, organize cleanups and participate in local habitat restoration projects such as invasive species removals. If you know of a local youth, church or scout group, or a summer or after-school program in need of an active and educational outing that serves the river, please let us know!

Stay in touch!

If you'd like to be notified of future events Above the Falls in North and Northeast Minneapolis, please let us know! Contact us at volunteer@fmr.org, 651.477.0925. Thanks and we look forward to being in touch!

Above the Falls River Stewards — N & NE Minneapolis