Visit the nature center to walk the trails, attend a program or event, volunteer, and in the winter, you can rent snowshoes.  

View the interpretive exhibits (fun for kids and interesting for adults) inside the visitor center and outdoors as well.  Children can play on bridges, boulders, stepping stones, and logs in the outdoor natural play area. 

Demonstration Gardens include rainwater gardens, woodland wildflower and prairie butterfly gardens and a small section of no-mow grass adjacent to the parking lot.  

Trees are an important part of our mission and have great value!  Enjoy a picnic under large old oak at the nature center, take a self-guided tour of the trees on the trail, or learn more about the city's tree rebate program, planting trees, and more. New Tree Quest, now with GPS coordinates!

The Nature Center is a resource, too!  At the visitor center, use our nature library to identify a bird, or browse through the informational handouts to learn more about buckthorn removal and native landscaping.  See our earth machine composting bin, which will be for sale at the upcoming composting classes this summer.

Join the Friends - click on "donate" on the left. Your contribution helps support environmental projects and programs that benefit Maplewood nature.  See the Friends blog: www.maplewoodnature.blogspot.com for projects, updates and more information.

The Friends 2011 Calendar Order Form

The Friends 2012 Calendar Order Form

The Nature Center is the home base for the Neighborhood Preserves.

Maplewood has 14 beautiful open space sites scattered all around Maplewood, find the one nearest you!

These nature preserves are great sanctuaries and getaways to hike, relax, and enjoy nature.

To enhance awareness and understanding of land, water and wildlife resources; to empower the community to become stewards of the environment. 

The Nature Center participates in Sustainability Projects for the City of Maplewood, including Sustainable Maplewood Project 2050, the Environmental Insert for the City's Newsletter and Maplewood's City Staff 'Green Team'.

Trail Hours at Nature Center and Preserves is 1/2 hour before Dawn to 1/2 hour after Dusk every day of the year.

 

Most visitors to the nature center are families and adults who come to hike the trails, watch birds and photograph wildlife. The nature center trails have been renovated with visitor safety and enjoyment in mind.

The trail improvements incorporate sustainable trail design concepts. This includes strategies to reduce erosion and lessen negative environmental impacts. For example, the trail is routed along the contour of a slope rather that straight downhill. Stretches of trail subject to spring flooding and erosion have been rerouted to drier land.

The nature center is fortunate to have many partners on this project.  Community partners include St. Paul Audubon and Century College ecology students.  This project was supported by the City of Maplewood and by a Federal Park and Recreational Trails grant.

The Maplewood Nature Center is now on Facebook!