Prairie Seed Collection

Each year, hundreds of volunteers help increase the amount and diversity of seed planted in the nearly 2,000 acres of restored prairie managed by Three Rivers Park District. One-time and ongoing volunteers are welcome.

Seed collecting provides an opportunity to learn about the prairie’s rich history and how to identify many of the plants while helping to restore park land to native prairies. Find a seed collecting event to participate in.

Volunteers collect seeds from August through October. Each season, over 65 different species are collected totaling at least 200 pounds of seed annually. With only fragments of Minnesota’s prairie remaining (less than 1%), these volunteers are critical to maintaining and adding new restoration sites to Three Rivers Park District.

Volunteering

Training is provided at the start of each session. The minimum age for participation is 12. Youth must be accompanied by an adult (one adult/eight youth 12-14 years). A permission form is needed for all participation by minors.

Groups of 10 or more may inquire about arranging a special collection date: Angela.Grill@ThreeRiversParks.org

Registration is required

Choose a collection date(s) and register online. All volunteers, please check the hotline at 763-694-7849 on the day of the collection for any last minute changes or cancellations.

General Volunteer Information

For more information about volunteering for Three Rivers, please visit the Volunteer page or contact the Volunteer Office at 763-559-6706 or volunteer@ThreeRiversParks.org

Donations

You can support our prairie restoration efforts with a donation to wildlife projects.

Related Blog Posts

September 09, 2019

This year, Three Rivers is celebrating 50 years of prairie restoration at Crow-Hassan Park Reserve. Learn how it all began and how managing and restoring prairies has evolved since 1969.

August 22, 2018

Getting collected seeds back onto the prairie is not as simple as you might think. Learn what goes on between seed collection and seed planting.

August 20, 2018

Prairies are the most threatened habitat in Minnesota. Some species that depend on prairies are now on endangered and threatened species lists. Read on to learn about the important role volunteer seed collectors play in saving the prairies and the creatures that inhabit them.