Park Partners volunteer program

If you are interested in lending a hand to help Minnesota State Parks, you're invited to become a Park Partner. Patterned after the Adopt-a-Park idea, Park Partners is designed to encourage businesses, civic groups and individuals to volunteer their time to improve and maintain state parks, monuments, historic sites and trails.

Projects in state parks fall into three categories:

• Building/facility improvement Projects to build picnic tables, trail benches, creative play areas, picnic shelters; and restore hiking trails.
• Resource management projects to improve prairie and forest landscapes. These projects include planting trees, picking prairie seeds, and getting rid of noxious plants.
• Educational/interpretive projects to help park visitors understand the unique ecosystems in the park. Projects include funding for kiosks, interpretive signs, brochures, and slide-AV shows.

Citizens may also contribute to state parks by donating to projects they care about. As a Park Partner, groups and individuals may provide dollars, materials or labor for projects. Typically projects vary in cost from $1,000 to $5,000.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Park Partners program, contact Gloria Bjornsen (651)259-5607.