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Would you like to become a Friend of Cullen Nature Preserve?
Connect with us to learn more about volunteer opportunities. |
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When Oh When?
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A question I’m often asked is when will the Preserve be open to the public. The exciting news is that Cullen Nature Preserve now has a draft Master Plan which gets us a step closer to the day when the Preserve opens to the public. The Friends along with the City and consultant, Barr Engineering, worked over the last few years to develop the plan. There was also opportunity for public input, which many of you took advanatage of. The Master Plan features the proposed human uses and design for the Preserve; such features as parking, accessibility, trails, boardwalks, and interpretation. Here’s a link to the draft Master Plan: https://www.minnetonkamatters.com/cullen-nature-preserve-master-plan Please look it over and comment. If you support funding of the master plan you can say so in the comments section of the draft Master Plan and/or you can let your City Council person know In other news, I was asked to present at the annual meeting of the Minnetonka Historical Society. The subject was the history of Ann Cullen Smith and the work the Friends and City have been doing to realize her vision. I enjoyed researching the history of the remarkable Ann Cullen Smith. Here’s a link if you’d like to view the presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k6qTQHX-yk 
Back to the question: “When will the Preserve Open?”. The answer at this point depends on funding. The City applied for an LCCMR grant which was not awarded - 85% increase in applicants this year. There are opportunities that the City could fund through CIP dollars or other programs but it looks unlikely for 2026. Hopefully, funding in 2027 and opening later in the year or in 2028. In the meantime the Friends and City are continuing to work on restoration and achieving impressive results.
Thank you all for your patience in realizing the potential of the Preserve. There are good ways to experience the Preserve in the meantime. In the Spring we publish dates for our bird surveys. You don’t need to be experienced and it’s a great way to see the Preserve and contribute to our research. Other events will also be promoted during the year on our website. Please join us at one of the bird survey events. Thanks for your support and believing in the amazing potential of Cullen Nature Preserve. Jerrold Gershone President, Board of Directors |
2025 Volunteer Opportunities
For all volunteer events, park in the Meadow Park parking lot on Oakland Road.
Please RSVP: email us at [email protected]. All volunteers must sign a city and Friends volunteer waiver (once per year) on the day of their first volunteer event of the year.
Please RSVP: email us at [email protected]. All volunteers must sign a city and Friends volunteer waiver (once per year) on the day of their first volunteer event of the year.
Bird Surveys
DATE |
TIME |
EVENT |
Friday, April 25th |
8:00 to 9:30 am |
Bird Survey |
Saturday, May 3rd |
8:00 to 9:30 am |
Bird Survey |
Saturday, May 10th |
8:00 to 9:30 am |
Bird Survey |
Thursday, May 15th |
8:00 to 9:30 am |
Bird Survey |
Wednesday, May 21st cancelled Rescheduled for Friday, May 23rd |
8:00 to 9:30 am |
Bird Survey |
Saturday, May 31st |
8:00 to 9:30 am |
Bird Survey |
Tuesday, June 3rd |
8:00 to 9:30 am |
Bird Survey |
To participate in the survey, please bring binoculars, sturdy footwear, and install the free Cornell Lab of Ornithology Merlin app on your cell phone.
Garlic Mustard
DATE |
TIME |
EVENT |
Wednesday, May 7th |
10:00 am to 12:00 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
Saturday, May 10th |
10:00 am to 12:00 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
Saturday, May 17th - Canceled |
10:00 am to 12:00 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
Sunday, May 18th - Canceled |
10:00 am to 12:00 pm |
Garlic Mustard |
Please bring a dandelion puller or small trowel, a large bucket or garden trug, gloves, and sturdy footwear.