A large donation from a local nonprofit has strengthened the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s (MPRB) dedication to environmental preservation and natural beauty. According to the MPRB, Friends of the Wildflower Garden donated $95,533 for new fence at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary in honor of their partnership’s nearly 75-year anniversary.
The most recent installation replaced the deteriorating walls along the north and east borders of the garden, which had been the subject of an earlier phase of improvements funded by the MPRB in 2022. A variety of forest and grassland lifeforms call this place home. In collaboration with Friends of the Wildflower Garden, an organization that also addresses the slow emergence of unofficial pathways created by park visitors, local employees and volunteers have been putting forth a lot of effort to restore the natural environment.
In a statement that MPRB was able to receive, MPRBSuperintendent Al Bangoura emphasized the significance of the organization’s support: “The Friends of the Wildflower Garden has been an ardent supporter of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary for decades,”he stated. “We sincerely appreciate their ongoing dedication to the Garden.”
Founded in 1952, the Friends of the Wildflower Garden is dedicated to promoting and conserving the historic sanctuary. This organization has made a substantial contribution to previous projects, according to MPRB, paying over half of the expenses for the building and installation of an award-winning boardwalk in the Garden’s wetland areas—a substantial $150,000 out of pocket during the previous ten years. The donation guarantees the integration of restored land with the Garden for a more engaging visitor experience, and Friends President Jennifer Olson emphasized the link between their restoration efforts and the Sanctuary’s ongoing growth.
Since its establishment in 1907, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary has held the distinction of being the oldest public wildflower garden in the United States. Across 18 acres of forest, swamp, and meadow environments, it displays a vast collection of more than 640 plant species and 130 bird species. Located in the vast Theodore Wirth Regional Park at 1 Theodore Wirth Parkway, it provides free public service from April to October every year.
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