The work cities do at the local level can have some of the greatest impact on people’s lives. Local governments are essential to environmental protection, conservation, climate resilience, and outdoor recreation efforts. That’s why we give out the Blazing Star Award and host the annual Environment Commissions Conference.
Conservation Minnesota partners with GreenStep Cities & Tribal Nations to bring together volunteers from across the state who serve on city environment, sustainability, natural resource, and parks & recreation advisory commissions. Our goal is to help foster connection and provide information about issues that are important to their work. Each year, we host a statewide virtual conference in the fall and a tour and social hour in the Twin Cities metro area in the spring.
This spring, we toured Seidl’s Lake Park in Inver Grove Heights to learn more about the restoration work and unique partnerships that have turned the park into something special. Situated on the edge of Inver Grove Heights and South Saint Paul, the 37-acre park is going through major restoration efforts, including shoreline restoration work, removal of invasive species, establishing native vegetation, permanent signage, and trail reconstruction. They are also improving water quality in the park with hydrodynamic separators, raingardens, iron enhanced sand filters, and tree trenches near Seidl’s Lake.
Much of this work is being done in partnership with the cities of Inver Grove Heights and South Saint Paul, Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR), and the Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization (LMRWMO). They utilized the Metropolitan Council Stormwater Grant, Department of Natural Resource’s Conservation Partners Legacy Grant, City-County Conservation Collaborative funding and own matching funds to make the project happen.
Over 20 volunteer commissioners and city staff gathered to hear from tour guides Joe Barten, (LMRWMO, Administrator and Dakota County SWCD, Program Management Supervisor) and Logan Olson (FMR, Restoration Project Manager) who showed us through the park to view this work firsthand.
We look forward to continuing these tours to provide more opportunities for city staff and volunteer commissioners to connect, share, and learn through the Environment Commissions Conference.