Park Stewards
The Park Stewards Program
allows community members the opportunity to actively volunteer in the
restoration, maintenance and beautification of beloved Minneapolis
neighborhood and regional parks. Whether planting and caring for garden
beds, mulching and watering trees, keeping a lake shore litter-free or
removing invasive plants from natural areas, Stewardship groups
support and strengthen the work of MPRB staff.
Stewardship group leaders work closely with a designated MPRB staff
contact to set goals and activities for the season. The Stewardship
group leader is responsible for overseeing the group’s work and
communicating with the MPRB staff contact about group achievements or
concerns.
The Park Stewards program is replacing the previous MPRB Adopt-a-Park program. We are excited about the changes as the new program will allow for more customized projects that serve to balance the interests of the volunteer group with the various needs of the park system. The Park Stewards program is appropriate for groups who are interested in making a long-term commitment to the care of a park space. While Stewardship agreements are renewed on an annual basis, we anticipate that most groups will work within their park space for an average of 3-5 years. Most Stewardship groups are active from April through November and work on a weekly basis. Interested in forming a Stewardship group for a park near you? Please contact: Michelle Kellogg Coordinator of Volunteers & Community Partnerships mkellogg@minneapolisparks.org 612-313-7778 Park Stewards Program FAQs 1. How large a group is required to join the Park Steward Program? Virtually any size group can participate; we have small groups of 1 or 2 people to organizations of 30+, though most groups report having a core group of 5-10 regular volunteers. It is paramount to match the time commitment of the Stewardship group to the needs and available activities of the park. 2. What types of activities do Stewardship groups complete? Stewardship activities are specific to the park location and the interests of the group. Common tasks include:
Volunteers are asked to provide basic tools (garden/work gloves, rakes, trowels, etc). Loaner tools may be available for specialized tasks; consult your MPRB contact for more information. 4. I am interested in forming a Stewardship Agreement but can’t commit to working weekly; I had in mind a couple of work sessions per year. Can I still join this program? The Park Steward Program is specifically meant for individuals or groups who are able to work on a frequent, regular basis in a particular park space. Please contact the MPRB Volunteer Coordinator and we will gladly connect you with an existing Stewardship group that can use additional volunteer support or find other opportunities that match your interests and availability. 5. What are the responsibilities of the Stewardship Group Leader? The Stewardship Group Leader serves as the liaison between the MPRB and the volunteer group. The leader works with the MPRB to set goals and activities for the season and ensures that goals are met in a timely fashion. The leader is primarily responsible for organizing and supervising the group’s volunteer projects, securing project tools and recording and reporting volunteer hours for the season. 6. What materials and support will I receive as a Stewardship Leader? Stewardship leaders receive a Park Stewards Toolkit containing their agreement paperwork and goal setting worksheet, the MPRB Volunteer Handbook and safety information and more (Comp plan, Invasive Species information). Stewardship Leaders are invited to participate in training sessions and will receive regular contact from the Volunteer Department regarding trainings and topics of interest. We recognize and thank our Stewardship leaders through program t-shirts and other volunteer appreciation efforts. |
Corporate/Group
The MPRB welcomes a variety
of groups interested in improving the parks through volunteer service.
Each year, corporate, non-profit, school, community and neighborhood
groups contribute thousands of volunteer hours to improving Minneapolis
parks. We are grateful for the dedication and commitment of these
community partners!
The majority of group projects take place between April-October, and
involve tasks such as planting, weeding, mulching both flowers and
trees, invasive plant removal, playground cleanups (sifting and raking
playground sand), and trash pickups.
We can easily accommodate groups of up to 35 volunteers. For groups ranging from 36-75, we will likely ask you to split your group in two and work at different project areas. For groups of 75 or more volunteers, funding will likely be required to purchase the materials needed to complete the project. As our beloved parks are heavily utilized on weekends, the vast majority of projects are scheduled on weekday mornings (9am-noon) or early afternoon hours (12:30-2:30pm), and last 2-3 hours. If you are interested in a weekend or evening project, please consider volunteering for one of our large, annual community events such as the Earth Day Watershed Cleanup in April, and the Minneapolis Bike Tour, held in September. For a list of these special events, please visit the Volunteer tab at www.minneapolisparks.org. We will need a minimum of 3-4 week notice to organize a volunteer project for your group in order to coordinate staff members, order materials, and to ensure that your project won’t conflict with other work scheduled in the area. Youth Volunteer Groups We do schedule projects for junior high and high school-aged youth. These groups must provide a 1:10 ratio of adult supervisors to youth volunteers. We understand that even small hands want to be busy in the parks! For younger volunteer groups, we recommend Steward Little - a program for elementary school-aged students that introduces participants to environmental stewardship. There is a fee associated with these programs- for more information, please contact MaryLynn Pulscher, Environmental Education Coordinator at 612-313-7784 or mpulscher@minneapolisparks.org. Preparing to Volunteer Volunteer projects do take place in the rain, however, we will cancel projects for severe weather- please notify your group of this in advance and come dressed for the weather! While projects such as a trash pickup can be easily re-scheduled, more complex group projects (mulching, planting) will need to be completed as soon as possible, as materials have been delivered and the work site prepared for the project. It is important that your group arrive on time and with the approximate number of people committed during the planning of the event as we plan for materials and staff to fit the project. If timing or attendance may be a concern for your group, please make us aware of this during planning discussions. All volunteers sign a waiver of liability before participating in volunteer service. For safety reasons, volunteers are not allowed to use power tools, motor vehicles or hazardous materials/chemicals. For most outdoor projects, we suggest wearing long pants and closed-toed shoes, and encourage volunteers to bring bug spray, sun protection (sun screen, a hat), a water bottle, and if you have them, work gloves. Dress for the weather; wearing layers will allow you to adjust for comfort. Express your interest Please send answers to the questions below to Sue McGrath at smcgrath@minneapolisparks.org. Should you have questions, please call 612-313-7779 or 612-313-7778. MPRB VOLUNTEER GROUP PROJECT – INTEREST FORM Organization/Group name: Contact person: Contact’s phone number(s): Contact’s email address: Approximate number of volunteers in your group: The approximate date/timeframe preferred for your group project; please list preferences: ex: “Tuesday, August 11”, or “A weekday morning in late July or early August”. Is there a preferred area of Minneapolis that works best for your group or are you flexible regarding location? Is there anything we should know about your group or their interest in volunteering? Thank you for your interest in volunteering! We’ll respond promptly upon receiving your completed form. Please contact Sue McGrath, 612-313-7779 or at smcgrath@minneapolisparks.org if you need additional information. |
