FRIENDS OF MINNETONKA PARKS
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Join the Friends of Minnetonka Parks for an evening of socializing, light refreshments, and a featured presentation highlighting oak ecosystems, fire, and climate change in Minnetonka by pollinator conservationist and author, Heather Holm.
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Oaks, Fire, and Climate Change in Minnetonka
Restoring Historical Oak Ecosystems for Future Climate Resiliency
Minnetonka's iconic oak trees are a symbol of the once diverse natural landscapes of the city, but activities such as Euro-American settlement, logging, invasive species, and fire suppression have drastically altered these ecosystems. Join the Friends of Minnetonka Parks to learn about Minnetonka's past, present, and future oak ecosystems and the historical role of Native Americans managing and influencing their composition through the regular use of fire.
We’ll explore future climate modeling, and identify the most resilient and functional landscapes and why these seemingly historical landscapes excel at carbon sequestration. Lastly, we’ll showcase how the Friends of Minnetonka Parks and city staff are collaborating on various park restoration projects to achieve these outcomes. By understanding the factors that influenced the ecological conditions of Minnetonka's oak ecosystems today and working together to restore them, we can create a more climate-resilient future for our community.
Proceeds from the event will help fund further restoration and volunteer efforts in Minnetonka Parks.
Restoring Historical Oak Ecosystems for Future Climate Resiliency
Minnetonka's iconic oak trees are a symbol of the once diverse natural landscapes of the city, but activities such as Euro-American settlement, logging, invasive species, and fire suppression have drastically altered these ecosystems. Join the Friends of Minnetonka Parks to learn about Minnetonka's past, present, and future oak ecosystems and the historical role of Native Americans managing and influencing their composition through the regular use of fire.
We’ll explore future climate modeling, and identify the most resilient and functional landscapes and why these seemingly historical landscapes excel at carbon sequestration. Lastly, we’ll showcase how the Friends of Minnetonka Parks and city staff are collaborating on various park restoration projects to achieve these outcomes. By understanding the factors that influenced the ecological conditions of Minnetonka's oak ecosystems today and working together to restore them, we can create a more climate-resilient future for our community.
Proceeds from the event will help fund further restoration and volunteer efforts in Minnetonka Parks.
SPRING VOLUNTEER EVENTSVolunteer to help manage buckthorn and garlic mustard in our parks this spring. Please click on this link to register for any or all of these upcoming events.
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PARK |
DATE |
TIME |
EVENT |
Meadow Park North |
Saturday, April 1st |
9 am - 11:30 am |
Buckthorn |
Saturday, April 8th |
1 pm - 3:30 pm |
Buckthorn |
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Wednesday, April 12th |
1:30 - 3 pm |
Buckthorn |
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Saturday, April 15th |
9 - 11 am |
Buckthorn |
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Meadow Park South |
Sunday, April 16th |
10 am - 12 pm |
Buckthorn |
Wednesday, April 26th |
1:30 - 3 pm |
Buckthorn |
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Saturday, April 29th |
12 pm - 3 pm |
Buckthorn |
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Saturday, May 6th |
9 am - 11:30 am |
Garlic Mustard |
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Sunday, May 7th |
10 am - 12:30 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
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Wednesday, May 10th |
4 pm - 6 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
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Saturday, May 13th |
8:30 am - 10:30 am |
Garlic Mustard |
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Saturday, May 20th |
9 am - 11:30 am |
Garlic Mustard |
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Sunday, May 21st |
12 pm - 3 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
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Saturday, May 27th |
9 am - 11 am |
Garlic Mustard |
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Saturday, June 3rd |
9 am - 12 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
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Sunday, June 4th |
9 am - 12 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
Our latest video features the new city forestry mower.
Thanks to the city of Minnetonka for investing in this new restoration equipment!
2022 by the numbers
We had an eventful year and produced significant results restoring high-priority areas within our parks in collaboration with the City of Minnetonka. FoMP strives to be a catalyst of positive change in the community, playing an integral role in reversing the trends of environmental degradation in our park system. We are creating a verdant and vibrant community in which ecological stewardship, and community connectedness and partnerships thrive. Read more in our 2022 Annual Report. |
Invasive Plants
We're building a website resources section and just published a page on common invasive plants.
Click here to learn more about why invasive plants cause ecological harm and how to identify them.
Click here to learn more about why invasive plants cause ecological harm and how to identify them.