Mississippi Park Connection

MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION STRENGTHENS THE ENDURING CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY ENRICHING THE LIFE OF THE RIVER AND THE LIVES OF ALL WHO EXPERIENCE OUR NATIONAL PARK, THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA.

YOUTH EDUCATION:WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT LONG-STANDING PROGRAMS THAT GIVE URBAN YOUTH A NATIONAL PARK EXPERIENCE AND INTRODUCE THEM TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. TAKE ME TO THE RIVER, CANOEMOBILE, JOURNEY TO THE FALLS, AND BIG RIVER JOURNEY TOGETHER WITH OUR YOUTH SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS, SERVE MORE THAN 18,000 3RD-12TH GRADERS FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL METROPOLITAN AREA EACH YEAR. WITH CUTBACKS IN SCHOOL FUNDING FOR FIELD TRIPS, OUR "TICKET TO RIDE" SCHOLARSHIP FUND PROVIDES IMPACTFUL FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR OUR EXISTING EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WHILE OUR YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS EXPERIENCED A LOT OF DISRUPTION DURING THE PANDEMIC, 2022 SAW THE RETURN OF IN-PERSON FIELD TRIPS. THAT SAID, MANY OF THE ONLINE TOOLS THAT WERE DEVELOPED WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ESPECIALLY AS "PRE AND POST" MODULES WITH THE IN-PERSON FIELD TRIPS. ONLINE RESOURCES WILL BE A TOOL TO STRENGTHEN LEARNING THAT HAPPENS AT THE RIVER. MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT PARKCONNECTION.ORG/LEARN.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP:WE REACHED A MAJOR MILESTONE IN 2021 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DOZENS OF PARTNERS, AND THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS: COMPLETING OUR PLANT FOR THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN TO PLANT 15,000 TREES AND SHRUBS IN THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA! THIS CAMPAIGN STARTED AS A CONVERSATION WITH LAND MANAGERS, RIVER ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN 2017. WE HEARD ABOUT DRAMATIC LOSS OF TREE CANOPY DUE TO THE EMERALD ASH BORER, AND ISSUES WITH COTTONWOOD REGENERATION. TOGETHER WE SET OUT TO NOT ONLY BEGIN FILLING IN THESE GAPS WITH NEW TREES BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WE PLANTED A COMPILATION OF SPECIES THAT WOULD INCREASE BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE WITHIN THESE URBAN FORESTS AND GREEN SPACES. IN 2022, WE CONTINUED TO PLANT MANY TREES AS FOR PHASE TWO OF THE CAMPAIGN BUT ALSO FOCUSED ON CARING FOR AND MONITORING THE TREES THAT WE HAVE PLANTED SINCE 2017. PLANT FOR THE FUTURE IS SUPPORTED BY OUR MISSISSIPPI RIVER CREW, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONSERVATION CORPS OF MINNESOTA AND IOWA. THE PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES MEANINGFUL, HANDS-ON CONSERVATION PROJECTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DURING THE SPRING AND FALL. THE CREW IS LED YEAR- ROUND BY YOUTH CORPS MEMBERS WHO ARE 18 TO 25 YEARS OLD. IN ADDITION TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER CREW, MUCH OF THE WORK OF THE PLANT FOR THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE USE OF GENEROUS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. IN 2022, 4,000 VOLUNTEERS WERE A CRUCIAL COMPONENT IN MANY AREAS OF OUR WORK. THIS YEAR WE ALSO CONTINUED ONE OF OUR MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECTS TO DATE: THE ADAPTIVE SILVICULTURE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE (ASCC) STUDY AT CROSBY FARM REGIONAL PARK. THE PROJECT STEMS FROM THE DIFFICULT TRUTH THAT WE ARE LOSING SIGNIFICANT TREE CANOPY DUE TO THE EMERALD ASH BORER. IN RESPONSE, WITH OUR PROJECT PARTNERS, WE CREATED 24 RESEARCH PLOTS THROUGHOUT THE PARK, EACH HOSTING 50 TREES. SOME, LIKE COTTONWOODS, ARE FAMILIAR FRIENDS IN THE FLOODPLAIN, WHILE OTHERS, LIKE SOUTHERN PINE OAKS AND SYCAMORES, ARE NEWER ARRIVALS PROJECTED TO DO WELL IN A WARMER AND WETTER MINNESOTA.BORN OUT OF COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL LAND MANAGERS, SCIENTISTS, AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES, ASCC IS A TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE RESILIENT WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. THE WORK DOES NOT END NOW THAT THESE 1,200 TREES ARE PLANTED, EITHER. TODAY, VOLUNTEERS MAINTAIN FENCING, COLLECT DATA, AND CONNECT WITH OTHER PARK VISITORS EVERY WEEK. WHILE WE WAIT TO DISCOVER WHICH TREES WILL THRIVE HERE IN THE FUTURE, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BECOME CHAMPIONS OF THE PARK.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A LEADER IN HELPING PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THE NATIONAL PARK. PUBLIC PROGRAMS BUILD RELEVANCY FOR THE PARK AND ACT AS THE BEST WAY TO ENGAGE LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN OUR WORK. AS A VISIBLE PARTNER IN PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, WE ARE BUILDING A CONSTITUENCY FOR FUTURE VOLUNTEERS, DONORS, AND PARK LOVERS. UPPER SAINT ANTHONY FALLS LOCK VISITOR CENTER:SINCE 2016, MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION HAS HELPED THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OPERATE A SUMMER VISITOR CENTER AT THE LOCK AND DAM. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FUNDS TO NPS FOR SEASONAL RANGERS, MPC ALSO PROVIDES ITS OWN STAFF TO ASSIST WITH DAILY OPERATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS. MPC PLAYS A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON MANY SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE LOCK FOR THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING ORGANIZING MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS TO ACTIVATE THE SPACE. LAST YEAR, WE SERVED MORE THAN 30,000 VISITORS.BIPOC IN THE OUTDOORS:BIPOC IN THE OUTDOORS IS AN EMERGING MOVEMENT THAT CENTERS THE EXPERIENCES OF BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE, LAND, AND EACH OTHER. THE PROGRAMS PROVIDE INTENTIONAL SPACES FOR BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENGAGE WITH PARKS IN WAYS THAT ARE EMPOWERING, RESTORATIVE, AND JOYOUS. MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION BUILDS CAPACITY FOR BIPOC IN THE OUTDOORS BY INVESTING IN A FULL-TIME PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND BIPOC EVENT LEADERS WHO CREATE STEWARDSHIP, RECREATIONAL, AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA. WE DESIGN THIS PROGRAM WITH A COMMUNITY CO-CREATION MODEL THAT ALIGNS WITH THE NEEDS AND REQUESTS OF BIPOC OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS IN THE TWIN CITIES.EVENTS IN 2022 INCLUDED BIKE MAINTENANCE WORKSHOPS, GROUP BIKE RIDES, HIKES, TREE PLANTINGS, KAYAKING, MUSHROOM FORAGING ALONG THE RIVER, AND MORE. LOOKING AHEAD, WE ARE EXCITED TO STRENGTHEN THE PROGRAM BY INCREASING PARTICIPATION, CONTINUING TO STEWARD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.IN 2022, MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION HOSTED 21 BIPOC EVENTS FOR MORE THAN 350 PARTICIPANTS. 99% OF BIPOC PARTICIPANTS THAT WE SURVEYED EXPRESSED THEY FELT MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, THE RIVER, AND MORE CONNECTED TO NATURE.IN ADDITION TO BIPOC SPECIFIC EVENTS, MPC HAS BEEN HOSTING A SUMMER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR EIGHT YEARS. EACH SUMMER, THREE FELLOWS HAVE A 10 WEEK, PAID EXPERIENCE THAT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIVERSE AND UNDERREPRESENTED YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18 TO 25 TO EXPLORE CAREER FIELDS WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND OTHER OUTDOOR FOCUSED GROUPS IN THE TWIN CITIES. MORE THAN 25 PEOPLE HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM. EXAMPLES OF WORK INCLUDE: SUPPORTING HABITAT RESTORATION EVENTS LEADING EDUCATION ACTIVITIES CONDUCTING WILDLIFE SURVEYS STAFFING VISITOR CENTERS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS IN THE PARK