Lop sprouting buckthorn in the river gorge [FULL]

Join us for an evening of working along the beautiful Mississippi River on the Minneapolis side of the river gorge. This event will take place in the sand flats - an area of riverside floodplain forest at the north end of FMR's 36th St. Oak Savanna restoration project.

We will be furthering the process of buckthorn removal at this site. Last year, we cut buckthorn branches to stack into wildlife habitat piles, to provide shelter, nesting, foraging areas and protection from predators for wildlife ranging from amphibians and reptiles to small mammals and birds. While cutting buckthorn in the fall prevented a crop of berries from dropping and spreading this year, the stems have begun to resprout.

To further this restoration project, we will cut back sprouting buckthorn and bag the stems, preventing new branches from starting. We'll take the bags off in the fall as we continue to restore this area.

As usual, all are welcome and no experience is necessary. All volunteers are encouraged to work at their own pace, and all tools, gloves and training will be provided. While the worksite is on relatively flat terrain, access to the site is only by a steep staircase. Due to tools and access, this event is not suitable for small children. 

This event is specifically supported by the local neighborhood group, the Longfellow Community Council, and Longfellow area residents are urged to register! The event is also part of the Gorge Stewards program, which actively engages people throughout the Twin Cities in the stewardship of the national treasure that is the Mississippi River Gorge.

Ready to register?

While this event is full, you can still sign up for the waitlist. Please contact FMR Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Sophie Downey at volunteer@fmr.org, 651.222.2193 x27, or by selecting Sophie by name under "Category" via the FMR contact form. Please include the name of the event, your name, address and phone number and the number in your party. We will contact you if a spot opens up.

Can't Make It?

To receive notices of future volunteer events, contact FMR Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Sophie Downey at volunteer@fmr.org. Or, to receive a twice-a-month e-newsletter including all FMR activities and news, sign up for Mississippi Messages.

What about coronavirus?

Read more about our safety guidelines here. We're watching the CDC and Minnesota Department of Health guidelines closely. If plans change based on their recommendations, FMR Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Sophie Downey will email registrants with event updates. (Be sure to add volunteer@fmr.org to your contacts so updates don't land in spam.) And we'll update this page if anything changes.

At the event, social distancing will be enforced, and masks are required. All tools are sanitized in between events, and all gloves are unused in 2020.