Parks and trails quarterly newsletter

In this issue

Winter camping, Boo at the Zoo, a note from the bear, and more...

In this issue

Meet our new zoo residents, learn about remote camping, and is the Jackalope real?

In this issue

Meet our seasonal staff, learn about fireflies and our free summer entertainment, plus much more.

In this issue

Meet our new parks manager for Chester Woods, Employers of Olmsted Light Festival, dirt piles, and much more.

In this issue

New playgrounds, reforestation projects, and a volunteer with an even bigger smile.

In this issue

Learn more about summer park experiences, Bear at Zollman Zoo, summer interns and much more.

In this issue

In this issue

Chester Woods Park is turning 30 years old, Meet our new naturalist, a burning issue, and much more....

In this issue

Winter wildlife adaptions, National Public Land Day, invasive species controlled by goats, and more...

In this issue

Finding nature appreciation, meet the newest parks manager and our seasonal workers, butterflies and more...

In this issue

Chester Woods Amphitheater, False spring, Zollman Zoo's new bear, and more...

In this issue

Minnesota weather, Broad-winged hawk, winter recreation, and more...

In this issue

Fall foliage, Zumbro Stream water monitoring, winter recreation, Soil Day, and more...

In this issue

The Summer of Faces of Chester Woods Parks, Master Naturalist Program, Buckthorn Trees, Bluffland Trail Bridge, and more...

In this Issue:

Maple Syrup Harvesting, Bluebird Boxes, Volunteer Week, Bringing in the Trees, and more...

Bringing in the Trees!

by: Celeste Lewis

Olmsted County Park staff and volunteers have been busy continuing with the tree work that is being done in the campground at Chester Woods Park.  As written in the previous newsletter, many black walnut and ash trees were removed from the campground which was just the beginning of the work.

In this Issue:

Nature for Health, Volunteer & Employee Spotlight, Watercraft Rentals, and more...

In this Issue:

What happens at Chester Woods in the Winter, Fall Volunteer Groups, Prairie Seed Collection and more...

Fall Volunteer Groups

by Jaide Ryks

In this Issue:

Self-Service Watercrafts, The State of Bats, Meet the Interns & Seasonal Staff and more...

Chester Woods Park 2022 Seasonal Staff

by Celeste Lewis

In this Issue:

Maple Syruping, Woodworking Projects, Mechanical Resource Management, and more...

Mechanical Resource Management

by Celeste Lewis

When reading the words “resource management,” what comes to mind?  Here in the parks department, we would pre-requisite those words with the word “natural.”  Natural resource management involves a wide range of ideas as well, and the term is very broad.  According to Wikipedia the definition is as follows:

In this Issue:

Donation for Good Deeds, Bee Research, Winter Trails, Thank You Team Red and more...

Winter Trails

by Celeste Lewis

In this Issue:

The effects of Covid, The Big Year, Control of Invasive Plants, Outdoor Apps and more...

Eagle Scout Projects

by Celeste Lewis

The Olmsted County Parks have always attracted several interested young men looking to fulfill their Eagle Scout award for Boy Scouts. To achieve this, there is a lot of work that the individual must do. The young men must come up with a project that will benefit the organization of their choosing, propose the project to the organization, as well as the scout council.

In this Issue:

Increased interest in camping this year, meet the seasonals & interns and get an update on the new Oxbow Park Nature Center.

Volume 7, Issue 2

In this Issue:

Retirement Road for a long time Public Works employee, Buckthorn Management, Re-Use of Natural Resources, and Watercraft Rentals

Re-Use of Natural Resources

by: Tim Buri

Volume 7, Issue 1

In this Issue:

Campfires at Chester Woods, Volunteer Spotlight, Oxbow Bridge Work, and Critter Catch-Up

Special Points of Interest

Hiking trails remain open at all parks all year.

Zollman Zoo remains open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, and Easter.

Thank you to all campers for a safe and successful summer!