Thanks to generous grants from the Opus Foundation and an anonymous family foundation, we’re launching a new youth initiative to inspire kids and students to care for Minnesota’s land and water.

The initiative – Future Stewards – will teach youth the science of restoration and the benefits of spending time in nature.  Through hands-on nature-based learning at their schools, Future Stewards will increase participation in outdoor activities that drive student success in school, at home, and in their communities.

 Our Approach

Students will work alongside our ecologists to design, install, and maintain pollinator gardens on school grounds or adjacent property. This includes soil sampling, selecting plants, coordinating other students to plant/water/weed, budgeting, and monitoring the overall garden health. Because students are so heavily involved in the process, they’ll learn important project management, time management, and leadership skills. They’ll also understand the importance of environmental stewardship and their role in restoring healthy land and clean water.

 “Future Stewards is unique because it combines science, a love of nature, and community all in a beautiful pollinator garden. Students learn about plants and wildlife in a very hands-on way, which supports their classroom learning and encourages them to spend time in nature.”

 – Kateri Routh, Interim Executive Director

Partnering Schools

We’ll partner with three schools: Minneapolis South High School (All Nations Program), Garlough Environmental Magnet in West St. Paul, and Two Rivers High School in West St. Paul. The student populations at each are largely low-income and youth of color, two groups that are historically and systemically excluded from outdoor experiences. We hope to expand Future Stewards to additional schools in 2022 after a rigorous evaluation and pilot period.

 Future Stewards kicks off January 1, 2022 with planning meetings at each school. The next step? Students will meet with our team to research native plant options, design the garden layouts, and learn about pollinator trends and issues.

Want to support Future Stewards?

Make a gift today to support our next generation of environmental stewards.