And learn about --
WHO ARE THE FRIENDS OF BIRCH ISLAND WOODS?
In October 2003, The McKnight Foundation’s Embrace Open Space
Campaign honored Friends of Birch Island Woods as a Champion of Open
Space. We’re volunteers who successfully campaigned to protect
a 32-acre section of the woods that had been owned by Hennepin County.
We kept the bulldozers out of a highly valued, natural sanctuary and
are currently working to save another 4 acres of the woods.
Friends of Birch Island Woods sponsors history and bike tours, litter
pickups, buckthorn removal workshops and pulls, open space seminars,
family hikes, a fund raising plant sale at the Picha Heritage Farm
in May and a “Haunted Woods Walk” during Halloween. We
also publish Guide to the Southwest
Regional Trail which is available for free from this web site.
We partner with local governments and residents of Eden Prairie and
Minnetonka, Picha Heritage Farm, Friendship Ventures and other businesses
and organizations to steward and promote the resources and character
of the Birch Island - Glen Lake district. We also support open space
protection initiatives such as Chanhassen’s Seminary Fen and
the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Most of our energies are currently dedicated to saving approximately
4, unprotected-acres of BIW woods from development.
HOW CAN I DONATE MONEY TO THE WOODS?
You can send donations to one of two funds; each will help Birch
Island Woods:
Birch Island Woods Expansion Fund
Donations to help acquire and add a 4-acre property on Birch Island
Road to Birch Island Woods Conservation Area are being handled by
the Eden Prairie Foundation. A total of $800,000 will make it happen.
Make a pledge or donation to the Birch
Island Woods Expansion Fund
FBIW Stewardship Fund
Donations to the FBIW Stewardship Fund will help support our efforts
to protect and promote the cluster of scenic, rural, environmental,
recreational and human service resources in the Birch Island and Glen
Lake area.
Download the form to join
FBIW or make a donation to the Stewardship Fund
HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER?
OUTDOOR PROJECTS, BUCKTHORN AND TRAIL PROJECTS
Friends of Birch Island Woods encourages people to volunteer in the
direct stewardship of public natural areas but only on projects approved
by relevent public agencies.
Learn
how you and your group or neighbors can join or begin a project to
help “Ma Nature” in Birch Island Woods or other Eden Prairie
parks and conservation areas.
SPECIAL EVENTS & CAMPAIGNS
Friends of Birch Island Woods greatly appreciates help in running
some of its events including its hiking and bike tours, its buckthorn
workshops and nature seminars. For more information email a query
to fbiw@birchislandwoods.org or call Vicky Miller at 952-934-5656
PICHA HERITAGE FARM
See the events calendar for information on volunteer opportunities
at the farm for such events as The Picha Farm Pot Planting Party in
April, the Birch Island Woods Plant Sale in May and the Haunted Woods
Walk in October.
HOW CAN I TELL OFFICIALS AND THE NEWSPAPERS
WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE WOODS?
It's easy. Just click on Speak Out
to find out how.
HOW CAN I GET "WOODS' NEWS VIA E-MAIL?
The FBIW web site runs a discussion / e-mail service which sends
the latest news and enables people on its list to share thoughts.
FBIW maintains a discussion e-mail list which transmits news and
announcements about the woods and other matters of interest. To subscribe,
send an e-mail to "majordomo@birchislandwoods.org"
and then type "subscribe forum" in the body of the message.
You can unsubscribe by mailing to the same address with "unsubscribe
forum" written in the body of the message. It is that simple.
Mail sent to forum@birchislandwoods.org is distributed to the entire
list.
Friends of Friends of Birch Island Woods
| Dr.
Jean L. Harris 1931-2001
Mayor of Eden Prairie
Friend of Birch Island Woods
Pioneering African-American
Distinguished Public Servant
Counselor, Wife and Mother. |
|
The following groups have, in one way or another, given FBIW a pat
on the back, valuable advice and moral support. Links to their homes
on the world wide web are provided below.
Land Stewardship Project
http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/
Sierra Club, North
Star Chapter
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/
National Audubon Society,
Minnesota River Valley Chapter
http://home.attbi.com/~mrvac/
Eden Wood Center
http://www.friendshipventures.org
Minnesota Society of Arboriculture
http://www.isa-msa.org/
Friends of Eagan Core
Greenway
http://www.EaganCoreGreenway.org/
Embrace Open Space Campaign
http://www.EmbraceOpenSpace.org
Minnesota Land Trust
http://www.mnland.org
1000 Friends of Minnesota
http://www.1000fom.org/index.htm
North Star Ski Touring Club
http://www.north-stars.org
Eden
Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission
http://www.edenprairie.org/a1/servlet/visit?path=A1x66x1y1xf69x1y1xfc2x1y1x6cfx1y1xa8dx1x78
Minnetonka Historical
Society
http://www.minnetonka-history.org
Hopkins
Historical Society
http://www.hopkinsmn.com/communityfacilities/historicalsociety.htm
Writers Rising Up (To Defend
Place, Natural Habitat, Wetlands)
http://www.writersrisingup.com
Friends of the Wayzata
Big Woods
http://www.wayzatabigwoods.org/
Minnehaha Oaks Association -The
Oaks Folks of Hopkins
http://www.oaksfolks.org/
Minnesota Native
Plant Society
http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/biology/mnps/
Minnesota Bike Trails and Rides
http://www.MnBikeTrails.com
American
Lands / Minnesota Office
http://www.americanlands.org/CAMPAIGN/member.htm
Eden Prairie Lions
Club
http://www.eplions.org/
Eden Prairie Volunteers
http://www.edenprairievolunteers.org/
And ...
Picha Heritage Farm / Picha Nurseries, Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie Historical Society
Minnesota Coalition of Bicyclists
Glenshire Conservation Group, Eden Prairie
Edenvale Conservation Group, Eden Prairie
East Minnetonka Citizens' Association
Bailey Properties, Minnetonka
The Depot Coffee House, Hopkins
