- Max Trip Size: 25 people
Help increase the beauty and diversity of Three Rivers Park District’s nearly 2,000 acres of restored prairie by participating in this Minnesota Rovers Conservation Event to collect native prairie seeds!
With less than 1% of Minnesota’s prairie remaining, volunteers (that’s awesome us!) are critical to maintaining and adding new restoration sites to the Three Rivers Park District. Volunteers will learn about the prairie’s rich history and how to identify many of the plants while helping to restore park land to native prairies.
More information about this Three Rivers prairie seed collection is available at https://www.threeriversparks.org/page/prairie-seed-collection. See the Seed Collection Information Packet for a map to the meeting location at Murphy-Hanrehan (located near Savage). Directions are also included below.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the group size is limited to 25 or less. If you plan to participate, you must contact me and reserve a space at least a week before, 9/12/2020. It may fill up, so let me know ASAP.
Please call the hotline (763.694.7849) the morning of 9/19. The event will be cancelled in the event of wet conditions/bad weather.
This event starts at 10:30 a.m. and will end at approximately 1:30 p.m. Arrive on time or a little early. Come prepared for the weather and bring something to drink, a snack/lunch, mosquito repellent, and sunscreen. Light garden gloves and hand clippers are recommended as you will be collecting seed by hand. Bring your own gloves, hand sanitizer, and a mask. You will be able to remove the mask when you are collecting the seed and can be 6’ apart from others. Water and restroom facilities will require a hike or drive. The minimum age for participation is 12; a permission form (at the link above) is needed for participation by all minors.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, carpooling is only allowed for people who live in the same household. We will observe state, MN Rovers, and Three Rivers COVID-19 requirements, including masks when in close contact with others and the use of hand sanitizer. However, prairie seed collecting involves people spreading out on the prairie, so you’ll be able to take your mask off once there is enough distance between you and others.
DIRECTIONS:
MURPHY-HANREHAN PARK RESERVE is located near Savage. Murphy-Hanrehan-west side (Murphy Lake). Prairie seed collectors should enter through the red gate and park in the mowed area about ¼ mile south of the boat launch on County Road 75 (Murphy Lake Boulevard). (A map is included in the link above.)
To get there:
From Interstate 35W: Take County Road 42 west 2 miles, turn south on Burnsville Parkway (will turn into Hanrehan Lake Boulevard when it crosses Scott County line), turn south on County Road 75 (Murphy Lake Boulevard).
**Continue south past the trailhead, bear right at the intersection with Sunset Lake Boulevard. Continue past the boat access ¼ mile to a red gate on the left (across from Webster Court). Enter through the red gate and park in the mowed area.
From Highway 169: Take County Road 18 south to County Road 42. Go east on 42 to County Road 27. Turn south on County Road 27, then east on 154th Street, and south on County Road 75 (Murphy Lake Boulevard).
**Follow directions above to meeting location.