Join Brown’s Creek Watershed District to learn about turf alternatives such as low mow lawns and other native plantings that benefit our local pollinators! This is an outdoor event, hosted by BCWD Board President, Klay Eckles as he opens his yard to show what he has learned.
Visit spectacular gardens designed, created and maintained by volunteers with the Washington County Master Gardener Volunteer Program. Volunteers will be stationed at each garden to answer your questions.
Meet us at the Washington County Fair! We’ll be in Building A, across from the milk shake booth.
Stop by to play with our new interactive stormwater model and get information about free site visits, native plants, workshops, grants, invasive species, and more.
Join Angie and Franconia staff for a walk along Franconia's 43 acres of trails, to learn about the sculptures in the park and the growing movement to restore native landscapes. Stick around for an author talk and book signing behind the Franconia Commons building.
Angie has been a WCD nature educator since 2006 and is author of Exploring the St. Croix River Valley: Adventures on and off the Water.
Join the Washington Water Consortium for a driving tour by bus to visit three innovative examples of conservation development and permanent land protection in Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, and May Township.
Learn more and register at https://tinyurl.com/stcroixconservtour.
Join local authors Angie Hong and Tom Anderson for a Book Reading and Q & A at North Branch Area Library. This will be the final event for the We Are Water MN exhibit in Chisago County, which will close on Aug. 12.
Bring on the butterflies while you enjoy a pint at Dual Citizen Brewing! Your yard can help to support songbirds, pollinators, wildlife — AND look beautiful. During this happy-hour workshop with WCD nature educator Angie Hong, we'll talk about what to plant, how to get started, where to buy native plants in Minnesota and western Wisconsin and where to find additional support for planting projects. Learn about native gardens, bee lawns, prairies and flowering trees and shrubs. This event is hosted by Friends of the Mississippi River.
Buzzing for information on everything pollinators? Join us for the Buzzin’ Backyards native plant and pollinator festival. This FREE event runs 12-4 PM and will feature local organizations, speakers, and activities for all ages highlighting our native plant and pollinator communities.
At the Carpenter Nature Center Wisconsin Campus.
Join Brown’s Creek Watershed District to learn about the restoration work being completed along Brown's Creek at Brown's Creek Park in Stillwater.
Meet us at the Minnesota State Fair or volunteer to help at Adopt-a-Drain (Eco Experience building - indoors) or Blue Thumb – Planting for Clean Water (Eco Experience - outdoor garden area).
Bring on the butterflies while you enjoy a pint at Dual Citizen Brewing! Your yard can help to support songbirds, pollinators, wildlife — AND look beautiful. During this happy-hour workshop with WCD nature educator Angie Hong, we'll talk about what to plant, how to get started, where to buy native plants in Minnesota and western Wisconsin and where to find additional support for planting projects. Learn about native gardens, bee lawns, prairies and flowering trees and shrubs. This event is hosted by Friends of the Mississippi River.
Join us for this FREE, fun, family friendly nature event hosted by the Brown’s Creek Watershed District and Sustainable Stillwater MN.
The annual festival is produced for 4th grade students in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area and is held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Registration for school groups opens on Feb. 15. Or, volunteer to help with this event!
There is also a virtual festival with resource and learning modules available to be used year-round: https://metrocwf.org/festival/#virtual
Learn strategies for protecting lakes, rivers, and wildlife habitat in small communities and rural areas of the Lower St. Croix Watershed. During this workshop, local leaders will learn about tools available to help small communities guide where and how development happens, as well as strategies for promoting conservation in rural and agricultural areas.
Learn more and register at https://tinyurl.com/stcroixwowland.
Long Lake in Stillwater has already been impaired by salts, but there is a lot we can do to prevent it from getting worse. Learn how our lakes and streams are impacted by salts and what we can do to prevent it.
This MPCA Smart Salting for Roads Certification Training class offers more efficient winter maintenance best practices for plowing, de-icing and anti-icing application, storage, and more. The new chloride requirements in the recently released MS4 permit will also be covered. Participants will learn how to integrate science with practical winter maintenance on roads while minimizing impacts on the environment. Learn more and register.
Join us aboard St. Croix River Cruises’ Grand Duchess on Monday, June 24 for our 16th Annual St. Croix River Workshop on the Water (WOW). This event is specifically designed for local leaders such as city councils, planning commissions, township boards, county commissioners, SWCD boards, and watershed boards.
This year’s workshop will focus on actions local communities can take to protect their shorelines, strategies for dealing with sticky issues and variance requests, and Better Site Design for development and redevelopment projects.
Your ticket includes dinner and a cash bar. $30 per person. Register today.
This free, family festival on Lake Phalen is filled with activities, such as canoeing, kayaking, fishing, face-painting, live music, food trucks, art and activity stations, and a native plant giveaway.
Market: Purchase MN native plants from multiple growers. No systemic insecticides.
Expo: Learn to select and grow native plants for pollinators, wildlife, and water quality. Visit with educators and experts from conservation and environmental organizations. Get your landscaping questions answered.
Join the East Metro Water Resource Education Partnership (EMWREP) and local experts to learn how to help your HOA both save money and protect local water resources through environmentally-friendly practices. This will be a great opportunity to access brand-new education resources for HOAs, learn about topics like stormwater ponds, managing native plants, and budgeting for maintenance, and network with other local HOA leaders to share experiences and resources. A light lunch will be provided. Full agenda to come.
Sign up here.
Join Belwin Conservancy, Washington Conservation District, Minnesota DNR, and Washington County Master Gardeners for a walk in the woods during this fun, interactive workshop about caring for trees and woodlands.
FREE well water screening clinic – Tuesday, May 21 (1-6pm) at the Hardwood Creek Library in Forest Lake. Bring a sample of water from your home to be tested for nitrate and chloride. This clinic is free and open to everyone, regardless of what city, county or state you live in.
Shop for a wide array of annuals and perennials, native and prairie plants, monarch and pollinator plants, grasses, shade plants, heirloom tomatoes, herbs and vegetables on May 18 at the Washington County Fairground.
This beloved annual event features the release of the 2024 Northstar Bison herd onto Belwin’s Bison Prairie. In addition to the release, visitors can also enjoy fun activities for all ages, such as live music, eco-arts, and food trucks. Washington Conservation District will host an activity table with info about native plantings.
The Ramsey County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale offers a vibrant array of native plants for sun and shade, perennials, annuals, herbs, and vegetables.
Shop from a selection of perennials, annuals, herbs and vegetables. Club members will be available to help with plant selection.
Join WCD and Sustainable Stillwater’s Adopt-A-Raingarden program to help cleanup raingardens in Stillwater.
Why do fish chase after one lure but ignore the next one? Do they see every color, certain colors, or none at all? We will be talking about and looking at a wide variety of gadgets and lures, as well as giving you a chance to make your own to take home and try out. All the supplies and materials are provided, just bring your creativity.
This is a Family Fun Night, hosted by Comfort Lake - Forest Lake Watershed District.
Buying Lakeshore Property 101 is a great free virtual workshop for anyone looking to buy a cabin, lake property, or even new lake residents.
Pollinators are in big trouble - let's lend a helping hand. On May 4th, we will planting a pollinator sanctuary along Eagle Point Lake trail with over 1,000 native plants and interseed the prairie near the old barn. Learn about pollinators and pollinator habitat during mini demo talks, and in our usual Pollinator-friendly approach - we make it fun and there will be snacks and give-aways.
Monarch butterflies are beautiful and truly amazing. Learn why milkweed and nectar plants are essential to their lifecycle and explore their migration journey. You will also learn about the threats and challenges that monarchs face in their migration and survival, and what you can do to help them. This class is suitable for anyone who loves nature and wants to make a positive impact on the environment.
Pick-up pre-ordered trees at the Washington County Fairground. You will receive a postcard with detailed instructions.
Pollinators are critical to a healthy environment and many native species are in jeopardy. Learn what you can do at home to create healthy habitats for native bees and butterflies in this class at Oakdale Library.
Learn how to conduct a shoreline site assessment and plan a project to beautify and stabilize your shoreline property. Sponsored by the Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water Partnership, Rice Creek Watershed District, and Vadnais Lakes Watershed Management Organization. Register here. $15.
Learn tips and techniques for landscaping around an existing or new septic system. Participants will receive a native plant book and several native plant prizes will be given away.
Learn about the tools and safety protocols used to conduct prescribed fires at Washington County Parks, watch a live fire demo, talk to experts, and find resources to help you restore native habitat on your own land.
Join Comfort Lake - Forest Lake Watershed District to learn about lawn alternatives that are more environmentally friendly and will keep your backyard buzzing.
Learn about the steps to converting a traditional turfgrass monoculture lawn into a beautiful, flowering bee lawn. The workshop will also cover other turf alternatives that promote pollinator health, water quality, and natural resource conservation. The live presentation is followed by a Q&A session.
Sponsored by the Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water Partnership and Rice Creek Watershed District. Register here. $15.
Do you have a hot garden spot that normally bakes and dries out with the summer sun? Are you tired of watering day after day to keep your garden healthy and growing? Learn about native prairie plants that thrive in the full sun and dry soils.
Participants will receive a native plant book and several native plant prizes will be given away.
Learn how to build and maintain a compost pile including troubleshooting tips as well as how to use the completed compost in your yard or garden.
Share your thoughts about the St. Croix River + local lakes & streams!
The Middle St. Watershed Management Organization (MSCWMO) wants to hear from people who live, work and recreate in our area to help shape our 2026–2035 Watershed Management Plan. This plan will guide the work of the MSCWMO and will identify priority projects, programs, issues, and water resources.
Open House - Tue., Mar 19, 5-7pm Stillwater Library: Margaret Rivers Rm B (224 3rd St N, Stillwater)
Share your thoughts in this quick 10-question survey: tinyurl.com/2024mscwmo
Join St. Paul Audubon for a storytelling event, led by Hope Flanagan. In-person and zoom options available.
Hope Flanagan is an elder who has taught and worked in the Twin Cities Native Community since the late 1970s. She teaches about plants and wild plant gathering and is also an Urban Bird Collective walk leader.
Hosted by our neighbors to the west at Vadnais Lakes Watershed Management Organization.
Learn about raingardens and if one is right for your yard. The workshop will cover topics including raingarden planning, planting strategies, maintenance, and resources to get started.
This MPCA Smart Salting Certification Training is an opportunity to learn more efficient winter maintenance best practices (BMPs) while taking a comprehensive look at the many aspects for managing snow & ice on parking lots and sidewalks. The training will also cover the new chloride requirements in the recently released MS4 permit, as well as resources available to help you reduce your salt use.
Does your yard need a refresh or a complete overhaul? Are you looking to create a habitat for pollinators and wildlife? Get a jump on the upcoming planting season with this free workshop about gardening with native plants.
Choose from a wide variety of morning and afternoon classes on topics ranging from seed saving to mushrooms to backyard greenhouses.
Keynote Speaker, Dan Shaw, from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, will talk about the statewide Lawns to Legumes program at 10:30-11:30am. EMWREP Educator Barbara Heitkamp will talk about gardening with native plants from 2-3pm.
