Conserving Then, Now, and Forever

Written by: Emma Vanhdy, Mississippi Park Connection, Volunteer Coordinator

A cloudy Saturday morning welcomed National Public Lands Day, and while the forecast the Friday before predicted looming thunderstorms for the day, the clouds were clearing and some blue was peaking into the horizon. With the threat of storms gone for the morning, it was a green light for the event! The first wave of volunteers arrived bright and ready at Harriet Island Regional Park around 8:15 AM, and eventually, all 100 volunteers, ranging from families, civic youth groups, friends, and independent individuals were boarded on the Padelford riverboat by 9:00 AM.

The riverboat traveled down the Mississippi River, where geese, gulls, herons, and eagles flew past us and welcomed everyone to Pig’s Eye Island Scientific and Natural Area, an island that was given its Scientific and Natural Area status from its large heron rookery that is now abandoned. Once volunteers navigated the grasses lining the island with their bags, trash grabbers, and bright yellow visits, the island quickly opened up to a floodplain forest with silver maples, cottonwoods, and green ashes in the canopy, and the understory hosting nettle and litter washed up from the river scattered on the forest floor. Everyone scattered throughout the island searching for trash and a small football that staff found earlier in the week and announced as a part of the challenge. After an hour the boat blew its horn to announce to everyone to return back to the boat. Volunteers celebrated the work done with lunch on the boat, visited the interactive booths hosted by park rangers, and connected on their shared love of the river. In total, volunteers cleared up 30 trash bags, including bottles, tires, and the small football!

National Public Lands Day began in 1994 by the National Environmental Education Foundation, with the overarching goal of encouraging volunteerism and engagement with America’s public lands. This last month’s National Public Lands Day theme was 30 Years of Care and Community. Throughout the years, Mississippi Park Connection and the National Park Service celebrated and stewarded the park with tree plantings and trash cleanups, and are open to all ages from the public. My first experience celebrating National Public Lands Day was in 2022. I was nervous and excited as I started my current role as MPC’s volunteer coordinator a few weeks before, and it was my first time staffing BIPOC in the Outdoors and working alongside the City of Saint Paul to clean up Hidden Falls Regional Park. I was surprised by the enthusiasm of everyone to spend their morning picking up litter left by others, and I left the park feeling rejuvenated in my work and hopeful that our lands will continue to be cherished by everyone.

While National Public Lands Day occurs once a year, our public lands should be appreciated and conserved every day. If you are searching for opportunities to steward our lands, visit our Volunteer Events page for upcoming events to join recurring crews, participate in special events, or other ways to engage with the public and share about how our lands impact you!

Emma Vanhdy is Mississippi Park Connection’s Volunteer Coordinator. For questions related to volunteering as an individual, or group habitat restoration events contact evanhdy@parkconnection.org.

Thank you to our partners: