Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails

04/28/2026

Our Spring Shrub giveaway was a great success on Sunday April 26th. We gave away 120 pollinator shrubs. We had close to 70 attendees. The giveaway started at 1:00pm and they were all gone within about 30 minutes. We hope to provide more next year. Juneberry was the most popular, so we will provide more of this shrub.
Thanks,
Lisa Philippi
President of Scandia Parks and Trails

04/13/2026

Join us!

07/08/2025

Hey all,

The Gateway Trail into Scandia is in jeopardy. As you may already know Scandia received LCCMR funding several years ago to start the Gateway Trail extension from Scandia City Center to Oakhill road and building a tunnel under Oakhill. Then phase 2 funding would complete the trail into William O’Brien State Park. Eventually the Gateway trail will go through William O’Brien State park and connect with the Gateway Trail that currently ends at Pine Point Park. The engineering of the project is complete and final bids for the project will begin this fall. Then completion of the trail will be completed in 2026.

Scandia City Council is looking at the project due to some possible cost overruns, which is not definite until the final construction bids come in this fall. If there are cost overruns the plan was to complete as much of the trail as we can with funds allocated from LCCMR and then the DNR would submit for more funding in the future to complete the trail to William O’Brien. Another concern was the cost of the tunnel which the DNR requires of a State trail for safety reasons, so there is no way around this. If the council decides not to move forward with this project, the funds would be sent back to LCCMR and Scandia would not receive any future funding any time soon. Please keep in mind the funding from LCCMR came from lottery money, so no Scandia resident is paying for this in their property taxes. This is a state trail and the DNR is responsible for the maintenance and future progress of this trail.

The Council would like to hear from Scandia residents that are in support of this trail. So please e-mail the City at [email protected] and tell them that you are in favor of the Gateway Trail into Scandia. The City office will forward your comments to the city council.

Thanks so much for your help. I would hate to lose the chance for this great recreational opportunities for families in and around Scandia.

Lisa Philippi
President of Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails
cell 612-419-9528

Thanks so much,
LIsa Philippi
President of Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails
cell 612-419-9528

07/01/2025

02/24/2025

Running like a firehose

11/25/2024

https://bluethumb.org/lawns-to-legumes/

Apply for a cost-share grant to install pollinator habitat with native plants. Protect the rusty patched bumble bee and the monarch butterfly.

11/23/2024

Forb seeding at Liten Park

11/19/2024

Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails received a grant to restore the prairie at Liten Park in Scandia. Prairie Restoration started the drill seeding of grasses on Monday. On Saturday we have a volunteer group seeding the forbes.

10/29/2024

In September Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails took a trip to Northern Minnesota to see Big Bog and the Lost 40. It was truly amazing.

05/04/2022

More ways to help the bees and save time for you
You’ll save gas and fertilizer.
As long as your grass is growing, your number of flowers will, too.
It increases bee presence.

04/06/2022

Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails FREE Pollinator Shrub give away
Sunday May 1 2-4 at the Lion’s Shelter in Scandia

Create a habitat that supports pollinators with free bee friendly shrubs.
The Friends group is here to help you choose the right shrub that will attract early bees.

Bees are one of the most well known pollinators and they are in trouble. There is up to a 50% decline in native and honeybees. Pollinator populations are threatened by pesticides loss of biodiverse habitat and climate change.

Planting bee loving shrubs will make your yard friendly for bees and attract other pollinators

We have 6 bee loving shrubs available for free:
Hazel nut, Common chokecherry, Common Ninebark, Nannyberry, Wild Plum and Juneberry.

Before deciding which plant to select, ask yourself a few questions.

How large will it grow?
What growing conditions are best?
Does it have more than one season of beauty?

There will be “Friends” there to help you choose the right kind of plant for your habitat.

It’s a first come first serve; so the early bird will get 2 shrubs of their choice.

Celebrate the spring season and welcome the bees
and the bees in turn will nourish your gardens.