Washington County Parks – East Metro Water

To Bison or to Monet?

By: angiehongmn November 27, 2020November 23, 2020

Partners and Updates, Wildlifebison, featured, habitat restoration, Pine Point Regional Park, Pollinator Friendly Alliance, pollinators, prairie, prairie restoration, Washington Conservation District, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

Washington County Parks is haying the prairie at Pine Point Regional Park to imitate natural processes that would occur if the land were being grazed by bison.

New trails highlight major changes at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

By: angiehongmn November 20, 2020

Buckthorn, Outdoor Adventures, Partners and Updates, Wildlifebuckthorn, cross country skiing, featured, goats, habitat restoration, Lake Elmo Park Reserve, Minnesota trails, oak savanna, parks and trails, prairie, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

This year, Washington County launched a major transformation at Lake Elmo Park Reserve, aided in part by a grant from the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund. The park has added a new parking lot and entrance off of Inwood Ave., created new trails, and began work to restore 166 acres of prairie and oak savanna. On the east side of the park near the Nordic Center, Washington County added 2.2 miles of new ski trails.

Transformation underway at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

By: angiehongmn September 18, 2020

Buckthorn, Partners and Updates, Wildlifefeatured, goats, habitat restoration, Lake Elmo, Lake Elmo Park Reserve, oak savanna, prairie, Washington Conservation District, Washington County, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

Washington County secured funding through the Outdoor Heritage Fund to restore and improve 166 acres of prairie and oak savanna at Lake Elmo Park Reserve around Eagle Point Lake and in the north end of the park.

Celebrate Summer With WaterFest, Explore Your Parks Day, and Lake Fest – June 3

By: angiehongmn May 31, 2017

Outdoor Adventures, Partners and UpdatesForest Lake, ramsey washington metro watershed district, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

On Saturday, June 3, a variety of outdoor and family-friendly activities are scheduled around the east metro to help kick-off the summer. Events include WaterFest at Lake Phalen in Maplewood/St. Paul, Explore Your Parks Day at Washington County Parks, and Lake Fest in Forest Lake.

Safe passage for turtles near Big Marine Lake

By: angiehongmn June 23, 2014

WildlifeBig Marine Park, Blanding's turtle, turtle crossing, turtles, Washington Conservation District, Washington County Parks2 Comments

County Parks and WCD staff expect many kinds of turtles to use the new road crossing at Hwy 4, but local biologists are especially interested in protecting Blanding’s turtles because of their threatened species status.

The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Daphnia

By: angiehongmn August 20, 2010

Aquatic BiologyCarnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District, daphnia, Square Lake, trout, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

Whoâ€™s eating the daphnia in Square Lake? Is it the rainbow trout stocked by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources each spring and fall? Is it the bluegills and sunfish in the lake? Could a fly be to blame? What is a daphnia anyway, and why do I care?