Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in the News
Mayor of Bloomington Proclaims Oct. 8, 2019 Steve Sutter Day
City of Bloomington
Oct. 8, 2019
Steve Sutter is the founder of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and has volunteered countless hours to our organization as well as our Refuge. Read entire proclamation here:
City of Bloomington
Oct. 8, 2019
Steve Sutter is the founder of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and has volunteered countless hours to our organization as well as our Refuge. Read entire proclamation here:
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That's So Minnesota: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
KARE-TV
July 16, 2019
KARE-TV's Ellery McCardie stops by the Refuge and realizes you don't have to go far from the metro to see an abundance of wildlife here.
Residents Criticize Proposed Burnsville Landfill Expansion Near Minnesota River
Star Tribune
July 11, 2019
The proposed landfill expansion would tower 362 feet above the Minnesota River and would be higher than the two tallest ski hills in the area.
Visit These Top Twin Cities Parks
Minnesota Monthly
June 26, 2019
Fort Snelling State Park borders the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, where access to trails, birdwatching and more is just a light rail ride away.
From Superstar to Sewer: The Path of the Minnesota River
Star Tribune
May 3, 2019
The superstar Minnesota River runs through our state, but is quickly being degraded by us.
Wildlife Event Held at Our Refuge
KARE-TV
Oct. 26, 2019
Celebrating Wildlife in the City was the theme at an event held at our Refuge
Currents: Sarena Selbo, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Star Tribune
Sept. 6, 2018
Meet our refuge's newest manager!
Discover Nature App Helps Connect Smartphone Users to Nature's Glory
WCCO-TV
June 26, 2019
Explore our refuge in an exciting new way with the Discover Nature app.
Refuge First in the Midwest to Offer Discover Nature App
KMSP-TV
May 12, 2018
Reporter M.A. Rosko checks out the refuge's new Discover Nature app during the morning show. A big thank you to FOX-9 for giving us permission to post this video!
A Letter from Oscar Hernandez
Hispanic Access Foundation News / August 23rd, 2018
Link to article
Link to article
Thanks to Hispanic Access Foundation, I am able to intern at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, where I focus my work on Urban Outreach. As an Urban Outreach Intern, my goal is connecting communities with the nature that surrounds them. I was given an amazing opportunity with this internship to be able to explore a career path that perfectly fits my education background, my skills, and, most importantly, my interests. It's a job that keeps me excited to come back to the next day and it's one where I really feel like I'm making a difference - not just with the environment, but with the people that I get to work with. So far, I've gotten to work with teenagers from the SEAK (Students Eagerly Acquiring Knowledge) program, kids from the ArtStart Between Water and Sky program, and youth from Urban Ventures. The kids that I've had the pleasure to work with have all been so passionate about the environment and getting to see them get excited about wildlife and nature really makes the work I do worth it.
With the SEAK kids, I was able to be with them for a week while they learned about environmental topics such as water quality, pollinator conservation, and human impact on an ecosystem. It's been very exciting to be able to work with such bright and excited kids and it's great to see just how much they are wanting to learn.
Together we were able to help out the Ecological Services team at the Wildlife Refuge by planting new shrubs and wildflowers near their offices, so that a great pollinator garden will began to grow. It was great to be able to talk with the kids and tell them that human impact on the environment doesn't have to mean that it's a bad thing. When we do restoration projects and continuous conservation, even if it's just in our backyards, we really are making a difference!
Looking to the future with Latino Conservation Week, I am currently planning two camps for Latino youth, one aimed at elementary aged kids and one for high school students. With these camps, my goal is to inspire these kids to take a new look at the nature that's all around them and to really understand that these things have both ecological and cultural value. I want them to know that they can make a difference; that they are that difference.
With the SEAK kids, I was able to be with them for a week while they learned about environmental topics such as water quality, pollinator conservation, and human impact on an ecosystem. It's been very exciting to be able to work with such bright and excited kids and it's great to see just how much they are wanting to learn.
Together we were able to help out the Ecological Services team at the Wildlife Refuge by planting new shrubs and wildflowers near their offices, so that a great pollinator garden will began to grow. It was great to be able to talk with the kids and tell them that human impact on the environment doesn't have to mean that it's a bad thing. When we do restoration projects and continuous conservation, even if it's just in our backyards, we really are making a difference!
Looking to the future with Latino Conservation Week, I am currently planning two camps for Latino youth, one aimed at elementary aged kids and one for high school students. With these camps, my goal is to inspire these kids to take a new look at the nature that's all around them and to really understand that these things have both ecological and cultural value. I want them to know that they can make a difference; that they are that difference.
In the News / September 13th, 2017 / La tierra de 10,000 lagos published in La Prensa MN
written by Layne Warner, RFI
written by Layne Warner, RFI
La tierra de 10 mil lagos
Blog written by Layne Warner, Urban Outreach Coordinator, Refuge Friends, Inc. layne_warner@fws.gov Layne Warner was contracted by Refuge Friends, Inc in April 2017 to connect the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge with the growing Hispanic community in the Twin Cities. Warner is bilingual due to her Peace Corps service in Panama 2013-14, and is passionate about providing environmental education and career opportunities to diverse youth throughout the Twin Cities. Warner works with Urban Ventures every week during the school year, and every 2 weeks throughout the summer, to inspire confidence and instill an environmental ethic with Latinx youth. |
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Did you know that 1 in every 20 Minnesota residents identify as Hispanic? As a group, Hispanics are much younger than Minnesota’s overall population, and an increasing share are native born (MN Compass). Since January 1st, 2017, the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge has been working with Refuge Friends Inc to better serve the Hispanic communities. As a result, Refuge Friends Inc has contracted a bilingual Urban Outreach Coordinator to provide nature-based education and resources to the Hispanic community throughout the Twin Cities.
Through a connection with the Latino Communications Network, Refuge Friends Inc is able to publish and promote our programs directly to the Hispanic audiences! Articles are published bi-weekly in "La Prensa Minnesota" (Minnesota Press). Source: Minnesota Compass, 2014. http://www.mncompass.org/trends/insights/2014-10-02-hispanic-population-trends Pictured left are Oman and Yosmeri, from Urban Ventures, a faith-based non-profit providing a variety of community resources in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. Oman is showcasing his bee house project, made possible by Bee Kind Inc. After-school enrichment sessions focus on a variety of topics and Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge covers science. Programs include snowshoeing, wildlife signs walks through the park, building bird feeders, and more. |
See our latest articles in La Prensa:
El mes de la mariposa monarca: http://www.laprensademn.com/el-mes-de-la-mariposa-monarca/
La tierra de 10 mil lagos: www.laprensademn.com/minnesota-la-tierra-de-10-mil-lagos/
Conoce sus vecinos naturalistas: www.laprensademn.com/conoce-sus-vecinos-naturalistas/
El mes de la mariposa monarca: http://www.laprensademn.com/el-mes-de-la-mariposa-monarca/
La tierra de 10 mil lagos: www.laprensademn.com/minnesota-la-tierra-de-10-mil-lagos/
Conoce sus vecinos naturalistas: www.laprensademn.com/conoce-sus-vecinos-naturalistas/
In the News / August 4, 2017 / Ding Darling Reception hosted at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
written by Jamie Kay Podratz, Kids for Conservation, Inc.
written by Jamie Kay Podratz, Kids for Conservation, Inc.
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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society
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In the News / December 4, 2016 / Minnesota's Best Kept Secret
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Minnesota's Best Kept Secret!
Established in 1976 and designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as 1 of 14 regional priority urban wildlife refuges, Minnesota Valley NWR spans 72 miles along the Minnesota River from Henderson to the Bloomington Education and Visitor Center, which is adjacent to metro bus and light rail transit systems, the Mall of America and just south of Fort Snelling State Park. The Visitor Center provides information on a variety of educational and recreational opportunities designed to bring a connectedness to nature and the Refuge including interpretive exhibits, self-guided tours, walking, hiking, biking and jogging on the many miles of trails, canoeing, hunting, fishing at Bass Ponds — stocked with bass, bluegill, crapple and catfish, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing during the winter season.
Collaborating with local school districts, community leaders and organizations including Refuge Friends, Inc., Wildderness Inquiry – recently designated an USFWS Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, CommonBond Communities and YouthCARE, Refuge staff provide nature-based youth employment opportunities, robust citizen science programs, environmental education training for teachers and a variety of outdoor activities that resonate with Minnesotans of all ages and ethnicities. The Minnesota Valley NWR team has embraced the challenge of connecting these diverse community groups and families to this beautiful parcel of green space with the same enthusiasm 500,000 Minnesotans looked forward to the start of deer hunting season this year. Therefore, it is my hope the lessons learned through Minnesota Valley’s Urban Initiative will serve as a model for other urban/metropolitan wildlife refuges as they explore ways to truly bring people and nature together in a thoughtful, holistic and healthy way.
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In The News / October 7, 2016 - 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
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The Refuge marked its 40th anniversary with a public celebration in October that featured events throughout the day including family-friendly and hands-on activities such as birding, exploration, fishing, hiking and more. We celebrate this urban oasis for nature and animal lovers alike. Come enjoy the Refuge, and learn more about one of Minnesota’s best-kept secrets. It's a natural treasure that connects our urban community to wildlife and wild places, and provides a variety of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, children, and families. An urban oasis, the Refuge is a place for nature lovers to learn, grow and enjoy for generations to come. |
Enjoy this special video created in honor of the 40th Anniversary of the Refuge.
