Friends of Minnetonka Parks

Friends of Minnetonka Parks We are a 100% Volunteer organization!

Our mission is to work with the City of Minnetonka to ensure that all park visitors can experience high quality, biodiverse places that provide a multitude of positive nature-based interactions, thereby improving the quality of life and the sustainability and ecological resiliency of our parks, park system and community.

​We will accomplished this by:

* investing in the restoration of our parks

and preserving the park system’s ecologically-significant areas because natural landscapes in a suburban context require ongoing management to maintain their ecological quality,
​* transforming degraded landscapes to high-quality, biodiverse ecological plant communities,
* conducting nature-based research to inform our positions and recommendations,
* educating park visitors that the investment in and restoration of our natural resources provides the community with a distinctive amenity,
* growing the size and involvement of friends groups to assist with research, education, restoration and preservation activities,​
* helping to streamline communication with the city to coordinate and manage volunteer restoration activities, and celebrating the outcomes. Values

We value a park system that:

* is inclusive for all residents,
* is sustainable both financially and environmentally,
* anticipates, funds, and plans for climate change effects,
* provides both active and passive recreational opportunities,
facilitates a long-term investment in the restoration, management and preservation of our natural resources as a defining and distinctive characteristic of our city, and
* communicates, monitors and enforces clear expectations and rules for use so that everyone is respectful and feels safe and welcome.

​We consider our natural landscapes to be an amenity that can be enjoyed and appreciated by everyone, and also needs to be protected from negligence, misuse, overuse, and overt or benign degradation. Each park and/or preserve in the city may have its own unique, natural, biodiverse features and should have its own unique restoration management plan and guidelines for use guided by a comprehensive, city-wide vision and plan for our park system.

12/13/2025
11/02/2025
11/02/2025

Eight volunteers removed buckthorn, brush, and prickly ash near the fen. (One volunteer not pictured). Thank you, volunteers!

After three years, the Victoria-Evergreen crew reached the top of the hill.
11/02/2025

After three years, the Victoria-Evergreen crew reached the top of the hill.

Please help us reach our Give to the Max 2025 Goal of $5,000. Friends of Minnetonka Parks needs another $1,000 to reach...
10/30/2025

Please help us reach our Give to the Max 2025 Goal of $5,000.

Friends of Minnetonka Parks needs another $1,000 to reach and maintain our $15,000 balance to qualify for matching grants. The additional $4,000 will allow us to continue supplemental seed and vegetation purchases in addition to resources provided by the City of Minnetonka to restore areas recently cleared of invasive species. These funds will also allow us to continue meeting our educational goals.

Effective November 1, 2025, at 12:00 a.m. CST, donors may complete their gifts through GiveMN.org to count toward Give to the Max. Early Gifts will be transacted at the time the gift is made by the donor.

Early Gifts will be counted toward Give to the Max prize incentives and giving day totals.

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Friends-Of-Minnetonka-Parks

Please help us reach our Give to the Max 2025 Goal of $5,000.  Friends of Minnetonka Parks needs another $1,000 to reach and maintain our $15,000 balance to qualify for matching grants.  The additional $4,000 will allow us to continue supplementing seed and vegetation pro...

On Friday the city dropped off six small understory trees and our volunteers planted three witch hazels and three blue b...
10/25/2025

On Friday the city dropped off six small understory trees and our volunteers planted three witch hazels and three blue beech plus a few nannyberries and a p***y willow provided by John the park steward.

Today the drizzly morning allowed us to pull small buckthorn saplings, roots and all, in preparation for fall seeding of buckthorn replacement mix.

Over 300 volunteer hours have transformed the Dominick entrance to Shady Oak Park.

Join us at Minnetonka's Spooktacular from 5 to 7:30.We have candy and tree leaf rubbings for the kids.
10/24/2025

Join us at Minnetonka's Spooktacular from 5 to 7:30.

We have candy and tree leaf rubbings for the kids.

10/12/2025

A beautiful fall morning for restoration work. We made good progress clearing nasty plants from both sides of the main trail. Thank you, Hilloway volunteers! (3 volunteers not pictured).

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Minnetonka, MN

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