Friends of Maplewood Nature Center

Your gift today strengthens the Maplewood Nature Center and Neighborhood Preserves

JOIN THE FRIENDS!

Become a Friend of Maplewood Nature! Your gift today supports the Maplewood Nature Center & Preserves -- vital community resources available to you and your family every day. 

Anyone can be a member. You do not have to live in Maplewood to be a member. 

HOW DOES MY GIFT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

The Friends of Maplewood Nature provide financial and volunteer support to strengthen the Maplewood Nature Center and Preserves. Your gift today supports:

• advocacy to preserve and maintain the natural spaces you and your family enjoy
• green spaces where the community connects with nature
• environmental education that empowers the community to become stewards of the environment

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• The Friends and the City of Maplewood are working together to bring back programming to the nature center and preserves. Click here for current offerings: 
• During the past four years, we have been a key partner in the effort to preserve the 77.8 acre grassland next to Battle Creek Park.    Grassland Link
• We organized the third annual Gnome Challenge, sparking additional interest in the nature center during the usually quiet winter months.
• We partnered with the city to obtain grants to improve the bird and pollinator gardens around the nature center, and to organize public participation in the planting and maintenance.
• We are working with the city and the developer of the former Ponds golf course to mitigate the environmental impact of the proposed housing development and preserve as much of wildlife habitat as possible, especially for the rusty-patched bumble bee.
• We are partnering with the ISD 622 Education Foundation to provide mini-grants to teachers for projects that support and improve the environment and/or student's experiences in nature.
• We produced four environmental education videos.  
• Tree Trek signs were developed, produced and installed on the nature center grounds.·       
• We funded a new bird feeding station which was planned and constructed by a local Eagle Scout. The birdfeeders generate additional public interest in nature observation and appreciation.

ABOUT THE FRIENDS

The Friends of Maplewood Nature was established in 2007 as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For the benefit of the community, Friends of Maplewood Nature complements tax dollars spent on management of these natural areas and the Nature Center's educational programs. Maplewood Nature Center (MNC) was created in 1979 because citizens recognized the need for green space within a busy community. Since its beginning, MNC has provided environmental programs to educate school children and the public. In 1993, the Center expanded its mission when the citizens of Maplewood overwhelmingly voted for a five-million-dollar referendum to purchase open spaces identified by the Open Space Committee. The Neighborhood Preserve system now has 14 sites.

MISSION: To support and advocate for the preservation, maintenance and environmental programming of the Maplewood Nature Center and Preserves, to support the health of our regional environment, to increase awareness of nature, and to provide a means for the community to connect with nature.

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

To learn more, visit the Friends website at https://friendsofmaplewoodnature.com/.

If you prefer, you can mail your donation to:

Friends of Maplewood Nature

PO Box 28442

Oakdale, MN 55128

Email: maplewoodnature@gmail.com