Embracing Changes on the River
Our organization is much like a river, ever-flowing and always changing. This flexibility enables us to meet the needs of our national park partner and the broader community, whether that’s creating an online learning portal for schools or hosting healing programs by the river.
In 2022, thanks to this incredible community, nearly 18,000 students experienced the Mississippi River’s only national park; we planted more than 3,500 trees, shrubs and native plants alongside partners; and 10 young adults gained important career experiences alongside national park rangers. In 2022, we also completed the first phase of design for a new Mississippi River Learning Center and National Park Service Headquarters. We are looking forward to a new chapter in leadership and will soon introduce you to a new Executive Director at Mississippi Park Connection. With this transition, we anticipate new growth and exciting opportunities for the community to become more involved along the Mississippi River for years to come.
There are plenty of aspects of our work that aren’t changing at all—our robust partnership with the National Park Service and our gratitude for the thousands of volunteers and donors who love the river as much as we do. We are excited to share all that we accomplished in 2022 in the following annual report. We are proud of all that we have accomplished together. Thank you!
Barry Clegg
Board Chair
Katie Nyberg
Executive Director
M. Tucker Blythe
Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
A NEW HOME FOR PARK PROGRAMMING IS TAKING SHAPE
The City of Saint Paul and Great River Passage Conservancy, in partnership with Mississippi Park Connection, the National Park Service, Your Boat Club, and Wilderness Inquiry worked with W Architecture & Landscape Architecture to complete schematic design last fall for the Mississippi River Learning Center. Schematic design includes site analysis, exploring design concepts, providing a general overview of the basic features and programming, and getting a general idea of the look and feel of the project.
Following months of community engagement, we were excited to present the final schematic design.
The 12-minute video below explains it all.
“The new Mississippi River Learning Center/National Park Service Headquarters will create access to public spaces and opportunities for residents and visitors to connect with the Mississippi River and promote both the physical and mental health of our communities, which is vital to the future of Saint Paul. We are fortunate to partner with organizations like Mississippi Park Connection and the National Park Service to advance our collective focus of strengthening connections to the Mississippi river.”
Mystery on the Mississippi
Written in partnership with local playwrights from Fearless Comedy with the 49-foot lock wall as its backdrop, 390 playgoers attended this year’s Mystery on the Mississippi River, a fictional play set in 1963 - the year the lock wall opened.
“This year marked the fourth season of Mystery on the Mississippi and our first season on the Upper St. Anthony Falls! What an incredible opportunity - to create a unique experience that taught audience members about the history of the lock while they were also trying to solve a murder mystery. It is a lot of fun creating these interactive mysteries that give audiences a chance to figure out who the culprit is while teaching them something about the history of the river. We look forward to many more years working with Mississippi Park Connection to create these entertaining and educational experiences!”
BIPOC in the Outdoors
In its third year, BIPOC in the Outdoors has expanded to include a multi-organizational network and serves as a program incubator with over 2,000 BIPOC community members who participate, collaborate, and lead events. BIPOC in the Outdoors events include intentional gatherings for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to engage with parks in ways that are restorative and joyous. Mississippi Park Connection hosted 25 events in 2022, which included activities such as hiking, paddling on the Mississippi River, learning about native plants and fauna, and identifying tree species. Through the BIPOC in the Outdoors program we focus on empowering community members to lead and share what they know about the outdoors to help expand narratives about our relationships to water and land.
“Nature is one of the most potent examples of expression. To artistically be in union with her allows the mind, body, and soul of BIPOC to gently drift between the seen and unseen, draw from the river of that which transcends the flesh. Events like poetry/storytelling are opportunities to explore the ancestral melodies of oneness that are an extension of Love. As a host, I simply act as a conductor and try to align the idiosyncratic manifestations of beingness. The sacred gift is watching and hearing participants surrender to their truth as they deliver their relative expressive potency.”
Thank you to the program partners and hosts:
Patagonia Saint Paul
Friends of the Mississippi River
Lower Phalen Creek Project
Macalester College
Mississippi Gateway Regional Park
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation
The Bell Museum
Urban Bird Collective
Thank you to Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and Bigelow Foundation and to Hennepin County for supporting this program through the Green Partners Grant program. Thank you also to Mississippi River Network for its support.
Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) Network Study
Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) Network Study
In 2018, Mississippi Park Connection launched its Plant for the Future Campaign to plant climate-adapted trees to protect the health of the Mississippi River floodplain. In partnership with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the National Park Service, and the University of Minnesota, we evaluated where to plant new trees by assessing risk of erosion, loss of ash trees to Emerald Ash Borer, displaced species encroachment, and the impact of climate change. Nearly 2,500 acres of ash-elm-mixed-hardwood forest emerged as the primary area of concern for wildlife habitat loss. These areas, as well as areas beside bicycle and walking paths where dead and dying ash trees pose a risk to park visitors, became our primary focus areas to plant trees and support the 25 cities, 5 counties, 2 state agencies, and tribal community and nation partners that share our park’s geography.
After assessing where the greatest risk in the floodplain was, we then began to ask: what should we be planting here given the risk of an increasingly unstable climate? To answer that question, in 2020, thanks to support of hundreds of volunteers, we planted 1,200 trees in partnership with the City of Saint Paul, the University of Minnesota, the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, and the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change Network (ASCC Network). In addition, a partnership with Lower Phalen Creek Project illuminated traditional Dakota and Anishinaabe knowledge of the trees planted as a part of the study and will inform future recommendations.
Today, we are monitoring those trees and will soon have early data to determine their establishment.
“Over the past 3 years, teams of researchers and volunteers have been measuring the survival and growth of the 1,100 seedlings planted within the ASCC study. Some of these individuals are growing out of their seedling status and reaching heights over 15 ft tall and increasing in diameter. We are excited to continue working on the analysis of these first 3 years with our partners at Mississippi Park Connection to provide initial information for future restoration efforts along the river - which is a rapidly changing environment due to increased flooding and climate change.”
A community science effort to better understand the floodplain forest’s most industrious mammal
In addition to studying trees, in 2022, the National Park Service with support from volunteers began to take baseline monitoring measurements to assess the populations of beaver in the park. As river engineers, we know that beavers are both beneficial to the health of the river and can also girdle grandmother trees that are the protectors of the floodplain forest ecosystem. Over the next three years, these initial data will inform a better understanding of beaver interactions in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Through a partnership with Professor Joe Bump at the University of Minnesota and the natural resources department at the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, we hope to provide a written series of best management practices for land stewards to protect both the beaver and old growth trees that live along the Mississippi River.
YEAR-ROUND FIELD TRIPS FOR TWIN CITIES STUDENTS
The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area offers students a chance to experience the park’s natural wonders in winter through the Winter River field trip experience that explores the themes of recreation, adaptation, and habitats. Students learn to appreciate cold weather recreation and natural surroundings while rotating through four stations filled with fun and engaging activities including tree identification, snowshoeing, animal adaptation game play, and stuffed animal hunting. Students leave with a greater appreciation and understanding of the park, its natural habitats, and the organisms that live there.
Winter River is just one example of field trips that occur in all four seasons on the Mississippi River with students in grades 3-12. Last year, nearly 18,000 students interacted with the Mississippi River through Ranger-led field trips.
“It is a great honor and privilege to collaborate with Mississippi Park Connection and the National Park Service at Fort Snelling State Park. The curriculums brought by both organizations to teach hundreds of young students at the state park is essential to Minnesota’s environmental programs. Over the years our joint programs have expanded to reach not just public, private, or home school students but also community organizations of low income youth. Curriculum-based field trips such as Winter River, Big River Journey, and others are the front line to future river stewardship.”
Mississippi River Fellowship
Justine Wulff
Originally from the Twin Cities, Justine graduated from Como Park Senior High school. She is now a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying environmental engineering with a sustainability minor.
“I hope to apply my knowledge from this fellowship to include not just from a scientific perspective but also to include a cultural viewpoint as I continue my studies.”
Javi is a senior at the University of Minnesota - Crookston studying environmental science and biology and is working toward a minor in sustainability. Javi was born in the Twin Cities in Minnesota and still lives in the metro area.
“Even when it got hot and humid - or the wind would whip at us - I got an opportunity of a lifetime [in the Mississippi River fellowship], and it really shaped what I want to do in the future. Being in this program is a really great way for me to give back to the river and the communities surrounding it.”
Javi Xiong
Zoë Riordan
Zoë Riordan is from Minneapolis where she grew up around lakes and the Mississippi River. She is a freshman at Michigan Technological University studying applied ecology and environmental science.
“I loved talking to people and connecting the park to their stories. The fellowship gave me many opportunities to meet and work with different specialists in the National Park Service. Helping and learning about pollinators, bats, dragonflies, and beavers was not only incredibly enriching, but impacted my goals and ambitions regarding careers in national parks.”
Mississippi River Crew
(Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa)
In 2022, the Mississippi River Crew made many substantial improvements to the floodplain forests of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The Mississippi River Crew consists of 30 paid high school youth and up to 6 AmeriCorps youth (age 18-25). Each week, the youth received training related to careers in natural resources, cultural connections to the Mississippi River, and technical skills building.
For example, all of the AmeriCorps members received training in chainsaw, herbicide application, and back country first aid. The Mississippi River Crew also supported the MISS Volunteers-in-Parks Program by providing on-the-ground support for volunteer groups by preparing sites and doing follow up and maintenance of tree and shrub plantings.
Hear more about the crew from former Mississippi River Crew member Becca Hanson
In total, the Mississippi River Crew spent 2,939.5 hours in service to the Mississippi River. The crew supported 4 tree nurseries, including one at the Science Museum of Minnesota where the National Park Service's visitor center is. 95 hours were spent at Crosby Farm Regional Park on activities such as fence repair, mowing of stinging nettle around paths, and data collection. In total, 76 acres were restored as displaced plants were removed. 3,136 trees, shrubs, and native plants were installed with support from the Crew and the MISS Volunteer-In-Parks Program. The Crew also engaged with dozens of partners in the community.
Farewell from Executive Director Katie Nyberg
I reflect with so much pride on what we have accomplished together over the years, from creating a joint volunteer program with NPS to starting the Canoemobile program with Wilderness Inquiry to offering Mississippi River Paddle Share - the first kayak-sharing program in a national park! More recently, the creation of BIPOC in the Outdoors and our work to offer affinity recreation programming for individuals with disabilities and veterans has been particularly transformational for our communities. And let’s not forget putting on large-scale events like Winter Trails Day, Mystery on the Mississippi River, and Illuminate the Lock – all of which have inspired new connections at the river’s edge.
While it’s time for me to take on new adventures, I’m not going anywhere. My family is rooted here and the river will remain part of my daily life. I will also be staying on for a time as a contractor to support the development of the future Mississippi River Learning Center and National Park Service headquarters at Crosby Farm Regional Park, including creating programs for the new space.
I want to thank you for your dedication to the organization and partnership over the last 16 years, and I hope you stay deeply involved with Mississippi Park Connection as it embarks on an exciting new chapter of leadership. I am grateful for everything we have accomplished together.
Katie Nyberg
Executive Director
FINANCIALS 2022
– October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 –
*Some funds that were raised in 2022 will be used for 2023 program expenses.
Board Members
Mangala Acharya
Barry Clegg, Board Chair, Attorney, Gray Plant Mooty
John B. Driscoll
James Eastman
Peter Ebnet, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, Office of Mayor Frey, City of Minneapolis
Kevion Ellis, Vice President of Business and Talent Development, Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce
Dianne Hickok, Board Treasurer, CPA
Sam Holsen, Team Lead, Social Investments, Xcel Energy
Cathy Jordan, Associate Director for Leadership & Education, Institute on the Environment; Associate Professor, Pediatrics and Extension, University of Minnesota Consulting Research Director, Children and Nature Network
Isadora Korak, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Winnebago Industries
Leslie Kinsman, Vice Chair, Business Director, Andersen Corporation
Scott Parkin, Senior Supply Chain Manager, Stratasys
Kristin Rasmussen, Board Secretary, Panacetacea
Andy Rodriguez, Director, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, Office of Mayor Carter, City of Saint Paul
Ramesh Sairam, Geriatric Psychiatrist, Allina Mental Health
Mark Sullivan, Global Marketing Communications Director, 3M
Amanda Wigen, Wigen Consulting LLC; Friends of the Falls
Mississippi Park Connection Staff
Lisa Ferguson, Bookkeeping Services
Tamara Few, Program Coordinator
David Kappelhoff, Education Coordinator
Jessica Miller, Visitor Services Specialist
Katie Nyberg, Executive Director
Lily Jones, Communications & Marketing Coordinator
Karen Solas, Stewardship Director
Ze Thao Sengsoulichanh, Development Coordinator
Emma Vanhdy, Volunteer Coordinator
Anna Waugh, Development & Communications Director
AmeriCorps Service Members
Alanna Elder, AmeriCorps GreenCorps Member
Kaisy Jo Nuñez, AmeriCorps ForestryCorps Member
Maricio Madrigal, Saint Paul Right-Track Intern
We extend our gratitude to the following BIPOC in the Outdoors Leaders
Mishaila Bowman (she/her)
Monica Bryand (she/her)
Sophie Downey (she/her)
Tracy Few (she/her)
Romeo Gomes (he/him)
Quentin Ikuta (he/him)
John Jamison II (he/they)
Kalen Keir (he/him)
Alphonso Le (he/him)
Laura Mann Hill (she/her)
Aldric Martinez-Olson (he/him)
Ashley O'Neill Prado (they/them)
Asha Shoffner (she/her)
Keeli Siyaka (she/her/wíƞyaƞ)
Lee Vue (she/her)
Rose Whipple (she/her/wíƞyaƞ)
Murata Wolldeyohannes (he/him)
Urban Bird Collective Leaders
Mississippi River Educators
Jean Buckley
Elizabeth Carls
Cathy Eiss
Mark Lex
Lora Pedersen
Erin Tone
Mississippi River Fellows
Javi Xiong
Zoë Riordan
Justine Wulff
Mississippi River Crew (Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa)
Eric Anderson
Duke Iverson
Jessica Herbrand
Jen Isham
Thank you, Contributors
– October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 –
Contributions of $100,000+
Contributions of $25,000-$49,999
Butler Family Foundation
Contributions of $10,000-$24,999
Contributions of $5,000-$9,999
Anonymous
Jay and Page Cowles Giving Fund
David Winton Bell Foundation
First Congregational Church of Minnesota
Krahl-Thacker Family Fund
Eric Michael and Josh Hillger
The Jones Family Fund
Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary
-
1 Mississippi
The Alces Trust
Boston Scientific
Laurel Bruno
Barry Clegg and Roberta Swanson
Dangerous Man Brewing
John and Kirsten Driscoll
Judith Fawcett
Sandy Fuller
Cline and Dianne Hickok
The Karuna Fund
Leslie Kinsman
Cynthia Kriha and James P Eastman
Sally McLean
Bob Milligan
Minnesota Environmental Fund
National Parks Conservation Association
Katie and Jeff Nyberg
Sarah Risser and Nathan Zietlow in honor of Henry Zietlow
Mary and Adam Sellke
Summit Trust
Tennant Company
Lee Vue
Milly McLean and Daniel Waugh
-
Harish and Mangala Acharya
Andersen Windows and Doors
Denny and Cindy Appleman
Lisa Bain
Marcia and Brad Ballinger
Tucker and Sandy Blythe
Nick Boreen in honor of the Bridge Run
Terry Borzcik and Andrew Rabins
Raymond Chiu and Stephanie Wang
Nathan and Julia Cross
Deloitte Consulting
Emmons & Olivier Resources, Inc.
Tim Carl and Jean Garbarini
Cynthia Gillett and Dan Sadoff
Edward Heimel and Christine Klejbuk
Catherine Jordan and Fred Dulles
Laura Juergens
Jodi and Patrick Massey
Tony and Pat McLean
Mark and Katie Mortenson
The Nature Conservancy
Joan and Richard Newmark
Amanda Wigen and Connor O'Meara
Jeff and Angela Parsons
David Schmidt and Sara Klasky
Jesse Scott
Rattana Sengsoulichanh and Ze Thao Sengsoulichanh
Jim Stensvold and Sarah Kline-Stensvold
Mark and Julie Sullivan
Les and Karen Suzukamo
Alan and Lynn Wyman
John Zakelj
-
John Anfinson
Marie Asgian
Bio-Techne
Robert Bruininks and Susan Hagstrum
Michael Dorn
Jeff Kinney and Jeff Dow
Dan and Ariel Dressler
Ronald Edlund in memory of Cate Edlund
Nancy Feldman
Meg Forney
Karen Franzmeier
Wilma Gitchel
Brian Goodspeed
Leo Timmons and Kate Havelin
Sonja Jenko
Lisa Lundsten
JoAnne Funk and Steven Marking
Medtronic
Chris Mortenson and Nathalie Salas Gonzalez
Pat Nunnally
Scott Parkin
Suzanne and Rick Pepin
Lori Ramirez in honor of Jim Hill
Marcia and Gary Richter
Smith Team at Keller Williams
Paul and Joan Thomas
Pirkko Vanska
Stacy Walts
Jeanette and Tim Woessner
-
Ameriprise Financial
Jane Andrews
Anonymous
Jake and Kim Austin
Josh Bergeron
Thelma Boeder
Leslie Brandt and Andrew Barry
Corey Butler and Barb Hawes
Christa Byler
Whitney and Sarah Clark
Jeannette Cleland and Timothy Schumann
Barbara Coffin and Dan Engstrom
Bennie and Kathy Cohen
David Colwell
Killian Commers
Sharon and Rick Cornejo
Andrew Crawford
Jim Davnie
Mary deLaittre
Steve Dietz and Janet Malotky
Hollis Emery
Pohlad Family Foundation
William and Sue Fletcher
Susan Flynn
Nicholas Friedl in honor of Quentin Ikuta
Wini Froelich
Bruce and Laurel Gaard
Gannett Foundation
Charles Brian Godfrey
Mary and Peter Gove
Mary Hammes
Elizabeth Hixson
Stan and Mary Hunter
Holly Jett
Steve and Debbie Johnson
Jeffrey Jones
Nick Karasch
Lisa Keitel
Ellen Kluz
Peggy Korsmo-Kennon in honor of the flora and fauna of the Mississippi River environs
Bill and Jeanne Kosfeld
JoAnn Kyral
Sue and Paul Labovitz
Dorothy and Lee Larson
Pat Larson
Dru Larson
Tyler Larson and Amber McCoy
Sabrina Lau
Barb Lehn
Steve and Lynn Lewis
Lixin Lightner
Marti Lybeck
Margaret Lynch
Margaret A. Cargill Foundation
Don and Abby Marier
Paul Markwardt
Douglas and Therese Moore
Chuck Nelson and Jean Urman
Scott and Sarah Nyberg
Kyle Oglesby
Bill Schwen
Penelope Scialla
Asha Shoffner
Steve Simon
Russ Stark and Katherine Murray
David Stevens
Paula and Lucas Swingley
Lauren and Joe Thunstrom
Justin Tweet
Lon Otto
Jamie Perez
Jennifer Plombon and Steven Haines
Thomas Rasmussen
Judith and Pierre Regnier
Alan Robbins-Fenger
Jim Roe
Annamarie and Michelle Rutledge
Carissa Scanlan
Dwaine Schense
June Schifsky
Wade Schmelzer
Guff Van Vooren and Vicki Raport
Grace Van Til
Linda and John Van Arsdale
Crystal Vang
Anna Waugh and Cyrus Butler
Casey Wells and Doug Throckmorton
Karen Westphall
-
Nancy Abernethy
Towfique A Akond
Christine Allmann and Gill Creel
Michael and Rebecca Amidon
Dean and Janet Anderson
Anonymous
Sheila Ashcraft
Nahom Assefa
Amy and Mitch Bakken
John Bartlett
Malcolm and Mary Ann Bastron
Linda Baumeister in memory of Alan William Griffin
Andrea Bengston
Bonita Benson
Susan Binkley
Simba Blood
Barbara Brockley
Jeff and Gini Brooks
Amanda Budde
Susan and Paul Burggraff
Karima Bushwell
Jenny Campos
Janeth Campos Mendoza
Aymen Chalbi
Peggy Chien
Arielle Courtney
Laurel Cutright
Carol and Jeff Decaire
Sheril Doughman
Nancy Duncan
Trudy Dunham
Scott Erickson
Tom Evans
Deborah Fellows
William and Helen Few
Becky Fillinger
John Francis, Jr.
Sam Frankel
Reidan Fredstrom in honor of Sue Fredstrom
Sue Fredstrom
Debra Giddings in memory of Dick Brown
Mark Gilbert
Patricia Griffin
Larry Hampel and Mary Kopet
Cory Hanscom
Craig Hansen
Pauline Harmon
Christina Hausman Rhode
Pamela Heilman
Cheryl Heitkamp
Mary Henke-Haney
Norma Herther and Kevin Loneyand Dean Van Hoever
James Hollnagel and Pod Nancy Gay
Lisa Hondros
Susan Horn
Beth Hvass
Thomas Irvine
Jeffrey Isaacson
Kristen Jackson
Mary James
Beverly Jones Heydinger
Ramya Kamath and Raghuveera Bhat
Mary Kay Conway
Samara Khan
Jane Kilgriff
Glenn Klapperich
Vernese Lathrop
Rubin Latz
Tim Law
Joan Lentz
Deborah Lewis
Ed and Paul Lubinski
Christine Lunde in honor of Nick Boreen and The Bridge Run
Jay Lyons
Sumbal Mahmud
Amanda Maier
Joseph McCullough
David Mclernon and Keila Cortes
Lauren Melcher
Sara Meyer
Jessica Miller
Kristin Morris
Marceleen Mosher
Jessica and Zach Nelson
Network for Good
Sharon Olson
Roger Otstot
Reid Peifer
Rhonda Perron
Sarah Peters
Madeline Peterson
Vince Platon
Kay Pollard
Todd Richard Prado
Jacalyn Prentice
Margaret Purcell-Alberg and Robert Alberg
Linda Quammen
Anderson and Andrea Quanbeck
Peggy and Matthew Radford
Mary Radtke and Emma Schaper
Bridget Rau
Gayle Raymond
Debby Reisinger
Suzanne Rhees
Linda Rosaaen and Hans Cederblad
Callie Sacarelos
Zane Sacarelos
Colleen Salinas
Marie Samarron
Darryl and Diane Sannes
Ellen and Dana Schnobrich
Thomas and Barb Schommer
Dan Seiter
Shelley Shreffler
Betty and Anna Skajaand
John and Jeanie Snell
Trista Soave
Mark Staba
Diane Steen-Hinderlie and John Olson
Laurel Stiebler
Chuck Stupca
Dana Suttles
Mikaela Swanlund
Kathy Swenson and Daniel Burbank
Kinnell Tackett
Frank Tilotta
Joanne Trygestad
Daniel Wattenhofer and Victoria Housewright
Jill Weese and Steven Vincent
Elizabeth Wielinski
Carolyn Will
David Woods
May Yang-Lee
John Zielinski
The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) was established in 1998 when voters approved a constitutional amendment to secure permanent funds from Minnesota State Lottery proceeds and investment income.
The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) is a coalition of senators, representatives, governors, and citizens, that reviews and recommends projects to receive ENRTF funding. Once recommended, the projects are presented to the Minnesota Legislature for approval. We are grateful to the LCCMR and for the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund that approved funding to support beaver research and the adaptive silviculture for climate change study mentioned in this report.
