Hidden Houses: Remnants and Ruins at Spring Lake Regional Park

By: Andy Sima

August 15, 2023

Category: History

Every park has a story to tell. Some have signs or historic buildings. Others have ruins and unanswered questions, things left over from the people who lived there before. Whether it’s an educational sign installed recently or a soda can from the 1930s, these artifacts tell us something about history.

About the Author

Andy S. smiles for the camera in front of a tree.

Andy Sima worked as a historical interpreter at The Landing, before moving to Sweden to attend graduate school in Landscape Ecology. His favorite building at The Landing was the old wooden one. He previously worked as a seasonal naturalist at Baker Outdoor Learning Center and at Philmont Scout Ranch. He loves birds and hiking and writing and sometimes enjoys writing about hiking and birds. Sometimes he makes maps. His favorite bird is, currently, the barred owl. 

Three Rivers Honors 2023 Distinguished Volunteers

May 01, 2023

Volunteers are vital to the efforts of Three Rivers Park District. Last year, Three Rivers had more than 817 ongoing volunteers who donated nearly 37,380 hours to programs and services within the park system. In recognition of these outstanding contributions, Three Rivers recognizes a select group of volunteers each year through the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award program.  

In Review: Our Big Year of Birds in Numbers

By: Sam Safran & Steven Hogg & John Moriarty

May 23, 2023

Category: Big Year of Birds

In 2022, the Three Rivers Park District celebrated a Big Year of Birds! You learned more about these amazing creatures by joining us at programs and special events, listening to podcasts, reading our blog, and participating in special birding days where we counted different species within Three Rivers parks.

About the Authors

Sam Safran is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota working with Three Rivers Park District to help assess how wildlife in the parks have responded to habitat restoration and management. His research involves developing new ways to use data from community-science projects (like eBird and iNaturalist) to study how species are responding to environmental change in cities and their surrounding areas. Sam loves birding, exploring streams and gardening with native plants in his backyard.

profile picture of steven holding an osprey

Steven Hogg is the Wildlife Supervisor at Three Rivers Park District and has been working for the Park District for 13 years. After graduating from the University of Alberta with a degree in Environmental and Conservation Biology, he moved to Minnesota to marry his beautiful Minnesota bride. Steven has always had a passion and dedication for wildlife, even when he was young. This passion is what lead him into a career where he strives for the proper orchestration of research, management, and politics to ensure natural resources and wildlife are given a voice. In his spare time, which there is little of with his three kids, Steven likes to farm, hunt, and fish.

 a man in a hat and tan collared shirt holding a turtle upside down and pointing to it's underbelly.

John Moriarty is the Senior Manager of Wildlife at Three Rivers Park District and has been with the Park District for 15 years. He has been involved in many of the wildlife restoration efforts and initiated the snake and butterfly efforts. John has led several projects to increase prairie habitat in the Park District. John likes exploring natural areas and looking for all types of plants and animals, but especially turtles.

A Fresh Air Retreat: A History of Summer Camp at Silverwood Park

By: Andy Sima

June 29, 2023

Category: History

Long days, clear skies and bright sunshine always mean one thing: summertime. More hours of daylight combined with warmer weather make perfect conditions for splashing in a lake, tromping through the woods or picnicking with friends — which are also key components of summer camps.

About the Author

Andy S. smiles for the camera in front of a tree.

Andy Sima worked as a historical interpreter at The Landing, before moving to Sweden to attend graduate school in Landscape Ecology. His favorite building at The Landing was the old wooden one. He previously worked as a seasonal naturalist at Baker Outdoor Learning Center and at Philmont Scout Ranch. He loves birds and hiking and writing and sometimes enjoys writing about hiking and birds. Sometimes he makes maps. His favorite bird is, currently, the barred owl. 

Gale Woods Farm Visits Twin Cities Live

April 20, 2023

Three Rivers Farm Supervisor Tim Reese stopped by Twin Cities Live, bringing some of the farm babies to the studio. Learn more about the most recent arrivals — as well as the different activities and programs — at Gale Woods Farm.

KSTP-TV Covers the History of Grimm Alfalfa

April 17, 2023

In this KSTP-TV segment, learn about a Carver County farmer who revolutionized agriculture. Bill Walker, historical programs supervisor at Three Rivers Park District, sat down with KSTP-TV at the Grimm Farm Historic Site to share about Wendelin Grimm.

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