Monday, February 14, 2011

Saint Paul’s Como Park Receives $218,000 Grant


Saint Paul’s Como Park Receives $218,000 Grant Restoration work will clean-up and bring environmental education to urban outdoor classroom (Saint Paul) - Restoration work is set to begin on the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. The City of Saint Paul received a $218,000 grant from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund to transform a 17.75-acre woodland located within Como Regional Park into the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. This classroom will provide environmental education and historical interpretation for school children and adults, habitat for native wildlife, and an urban woodland oasis for the inner-city community where local place-based, hands-on environmental learning opportunities are rare. 

Mayor Coleman has long championed Saint Paul’s award winning parks system remarking, "The parks system in Saint Paul is second to none and this grant will allow us to further that tradition of excellence. With the support of the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, our Parks and Recreation Department will transform Como Regional Park by cleaning-up the woodlands and expanding environmental education. This outdoor classroom will become a destination for local families, furthering Saint Paul as a great place to work, live and play." 

Community volunteers have long been involved in removing invasive species from the woodlands within Como Regional Park. This new funding will allow the City to complete invasive species removal within the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom, and develop six study areas representing six unique plant communities found in Minnesota. 

As work begins on constructing the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom, residents and visitors to Como Regional Park will notice some changes. Beginning later this month, Conservation Corps Minnesota will be selectively removing invasive trees per the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom Master Plan. 

Funding to create this rare asset was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the states air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. Currently 40% of net Minnesota State Lottery proceeds are dedicated to building the Trust Fund and ensuring future benefits for Minnesota's environment and natural resources.

Conservation Corps of Minnesota
member cutting down invasive trees