2026 Annual Member Breakfast Review

On February 10, 2026, members of Mississippi Park Connection gathered along the Mississippi River at the Pool & Yacht Club in St. Paul for our Annual Member Breakfast. While we missed those who were unable to attend, we want to share a recap of the morning’s reflections, updates, and conversations grounded in a shared commitment to the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and the community that surrounds it.

The program was shaped around a simple arc: the past, the present, and the future of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) and Mississippi Park Connection (MPC). What emerged was a clear picture of resilience, partnership, and possibility even in the face of ongoing uncertainty.

Looking Back: A Year Defined by Resilience

Board Chair Ramesh Sairam opened the meeting by acknowledging the importance of gathering and naming the deep connection between MPC and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. He then invited Executive Director Ellen Reed to reflect on the year behind us.

The story of 2025 was not an easy one. The park and its partners navigated hiring freezes, staff losses, project delays, and prolonged uncertainty culminating in the federal government shutdown that disrupted programs and strained already-limited capacity. These challenges were felt by real people and had real consequences for momentum and morale.

And yet, the work never stopped.

Despite extraordinary constraints, the park and MPC continued to show up for the river and for community. Together, MPC and MNRRA supported and hosted more than 130 events across the park corridor, welcoming thousands of people into the national park, many for the very first time. Nearly 1,000 trees were planted in Environmental Justice 40 zones, advancing habitat restoration even when staffing and timelines were uncertain.

Education and access remained central. More than 12,600 students learned about the river through programs like Big River Journey, building relationships with the river that endure long beyond the field trip experience. Through Paddle Share, our self-service kayak program delivered in partnership with the National Park Service, MWM0, cities, and park agencies, over 1,400 people rented kayaks and benefited from this equitable access to water recreation.

In August, MPC and partners launched Float Fest, a celebration of the river from the river. For many participants, it marked their first time on the Mississippi, and sometimes it was the first time on the water for multiple generations within a single family.

Ellen underscored that this progress was only possible because of MPC members. During moments of crisis, members showed up: reaching out to key decision-makers, sharing personal stories about why the park matters, and offering steady financial support. Those actions made a difference—helping unfreeze funding, sustain programs, and remind park staff that their work is valued and supported.

The Present: The State of the National Park

Superintendent Tucker Blythe offered a snapshot of where the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area stands today.

While some of the most acute challenges of 2025 have passed, the park continues to operate in a complex environment marked by ongoing uncertainty. These pressures affect how programs are delivered and how quickly new initiatives can move forward. At the same time, Tucker emphasized the professionalism, creativity, and dedication of National Park Service staff. Through extraordinary circumstances, park staff continued to care for natural and cultural resources, welcome visitors, and adapt how they engage with community.

To highlight that momentum, Tucker invited members of his team to share brief updates on work underway across education, park planning, cultural resources, and interpretation and public programs. Together, these snapshots reflected an ambitious and thoughtful future for the park, one grounded in stewardship, storytelling, and access.

Youth Education

Youth education focuses on ranger-led field trips and virtual class visits throughout the year. This year, the Education team facilitated field trips for 12,600 students, despite reductions in staffing and government shutdowns. One former NPS ranger, Stephen Walker, transitioned to become the Education Specialist at MPC, continuing to serve students and educators in this new position. In 2026, they continue collaboration with Voyageurs Conservancy and Wild Rivers Conservancy to provide a teacher training opportunity that helps educators engage with national park field trips and resources for their students. The Education program is also growing through virtual classroom visits and the return of the River Fellows program.

Park Planning

Park planning efforts focus on major project reviews, technical assistance, and long-range regional coordination. Park staff have been engaged in reviewing federal, state, and local projects, including transportation, mine site projects, and regional park plans. They are also administering funding assistance, monitoring grants, and coordinating closely with partners on future infrastructure and alternative transportation projects throughout the park corridor.

Cultural Resources

Cultural resource work centers on protecting historic and archaeological sites while elevating under-told stories on and around the Mississippi River. This work includes tribal consultation with 22 affiliated Tribes, project reviews, facilitating a long-term seed gathering agreement with tribes at Mni Owe Sni and other sites, and storytelling initiatives that highlight Indigenous histories and influential African American leaders connected to the river corridor.

Interpretation and Public Programs

Interpretation and public programs are growing in scope and diversity, with expanded paddle programs, more riverfront guided hikes, river history cruises, and discovery tables, growing initiatives like Reading with a Ranger, and special events like Park After Dark. The park is increasing community engagement, developing virtual offerings, enhancing winter programming, and broadening outreach efforts through activities such as the Mississippi Gateway Grand Opening, Monarch Festival, and themed night sky programming in partnership with NASA’s Earth to Sky and USFWS. The goal of this work is to develop signature programming that draws people to the park as a destination.

Looking Ahead: MPC and the Park, Together

The final segment of the program focused on the future and on how Mississippi Park Connection is positioning itself to meet the moment. Ellen shared that the MPC Board of Directors approved an updated strategic plan in December, shaped by a year of reflection. The plan sharpens MPC’s focus on work that directly supports the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and aligns closely with the park’s priorities.

At its core, the strategy centers on four objectives:

·       Collaborate with and support the National Park

·       Nurture and build community around the park

·       Protect and restore natural and cultural resources

·       Connect the disconnected to the park

In practice, this means MPC will continue to serve as a reliable funding and capacity-building partner by investing in habitat restoration, education and learning experiences, volunteer engagement, and the operational backbone that allows this work to happen consistently. It also reflects an evolution in how MPC shows up: remaining nimble when the park faces mandates, serving as a public voice for the park, and deepening commitments to accessibility, inclusion, and programs that often serve as a first point of connection particularly for BIPOC and queer community members.

Staying Engaged

As we look ahead, there are several meaningful ways for members to stay connected and involved in the work members heard about during the member breakfast.

 Share your opinion

Members who attended the breakfast were invited to complete an annual member survey, and we warmly extend that invitation to you as well. Your feedback helps guide Mississippi Park Connection’s priorities and strengthens how we support the national park. Whether you’ve been a member for many years or recently joined, your perspective matters and directly informs the programs, partnerships, and advocacy we take on in the year ahead.

Join Us on the River

We’re also excited to invite you to register for Bigger River Journey: A Field Trip for Grown Ups, taking place on May 13th. This special experience builds on the spirit of our youth education programs—like Big River Journey—by offering adults a guided, immersive way to learn on and from the Mississippi River.

Bigger River Journey combines time on the water with interpretation from National Park Service staff and partners, creating space to explore the river’s natural systems, cultural stories, and ongoing stewardship efforts.

Breakfast attendees were offered early access to registration as a member benefit, and we’re pleased to extend that same opportunity to members who couldn’t be with us in person.

Grow the Community

Finally, if the stories and vision shared at the Annual Member Breakfast resonate with you, we invite you to help grow this community by encouraging a friend or colleague to become a member. A strong, engaged membership allows MPC to do more for the park, especially in times of uncertainty.

Thank You

Most of all, the morning served as a reminder that showing up—for the river, for the park, and for one another—matters. Thank you for being part of this community. We look forward to the year ahead and to continuing this work together.

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