GREAT RIVER GREENING'S RIVER STEWARD PROGRAM
In 1992 nationally renowned architect Ben Thompson imagined a revitalized Mississippi River valley, lush with shade trees, that attracted a vibrant mix of people, commerce and wildlife. That vision inspired a community-wide, volunteer-based project to create a 1,200-acre "park," including plantings of trees and shrubs native to the area interspersed with businesses and housing, on the banks of the river near downtown Saint Paul. The planting has been completed, businesses are thriving, and residents express pride in the urban park they helped build.
The River Steward program was created to help landowners manage the native plantings of the Greening the Great River Park project. (This original project led to the creation of Great River Greening, which is now conducting restoration activities in a 147,000-acre project area along the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers in the Twin Cities.) Monitoring by Great River Greening's River Steward program helps identify potential threats to the plantings, such as pest outbreaks, salt stress and drought. Greening then uses this information to advise landowners on the best way to manage plantings. When necessary, the River Steward program mitigates lost plantings.
The River Steward program provides:
- A semi-annual newsletter to landowners.
- Technical assistance to private landowners and the city of Saint Paul.
- Recognition of private landowners who have been excellent stewards of their plantings.
- Outreach to riverfront development stakeholders.
- Mitigation activities.
Funding for the River Steward program is provided by
The Saint Paul Foundation, the
F.R. Bigelow Foundation, the
Katherine B. Andersen Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation, the
city of Saint Paul and the
Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources.
For more information, contact:
Deborah Karasov
Assistant Director
Great River Greening
dkarasov@greatrivergreening.org
651/665-9500, ext. 14
