Plant woodland shrubs and wildflowers at Weiss Woods [FULL]

Saturday, May 15, 2021 - 9:00am to 11:00am
Weiss Woods, Hastings
Students from Hastings High School remove invasives at Weiss Woods

This event has reached maximum capacity. Read below for instructions to sign up for the waitlist, and we will contact you if anyone cancels their spot for this event. Or, see our full event calendar to choose a different volunteer opportunity.

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Not normally open to the public, Weiss Woods is located on the bluff overlooking Lake Rebecca and the Mississippi River. It is within the Mississippi River flyway, a globally significant corridor for migratory birds. Roughly 550 bird species, or 60% of the bird species found in North America, migrate by following the Mississippi River, relying on intact natural habitat along the way for resting and feeding.

The 5-acre Weiss Woods has been permanently protected through a conservation easement. FMR has been working with contractors to remove invasive woody plants, and now it's time to install some native shrubs and wildflowers to improve the plant diversity of the site for pollinators and other wildlife. We'll be planting woodland shrubs and wildflowers, such as hazelnut, American Elder, nannyberry, wild geranium, columbine and Virginia waterleaf.

We'll provide the tools and training. All are welcome, however, capacity is limited and registration is required. This event is part of the Vermillion Stewards program, engaging residents to learn about the watershed while working to protect and enhance its unique natural resources.

Before you register

Volunteers will be working on level terrain, and no hike is required to get to the worksite.

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, visit our Events Calendar for our most up-to-date listing of upcoming events. To receive a twice-a-month e-newsletter including all FMR activities and news, sign up for Mississippi Messages.

What about COVID-19?

We've modified our events during the pandemic to be smaller, and allow for individuals to work while safely six feet apart. All tools will be sanitized between events, and all gloves provided are unused in 2020 or 2021. Once registered, volunteers will receive a full list of safety precautions and guidelines. You can read more about our policies 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.

We will offer gloves and hand sanitizer at the event. Volunteers are required to bring and wear their own masks.

Thank you to our partners and funders: 

Thank you to our partners and funders: Marathon Foundation, Hastings High School, RBC Wealth Management, United Way of Hastings and Xcel Energy.

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