[mou] Springbrook Nature Center

[Jean Junghans]

I'm sure many birders, myself included, remember Springbrook Nature Center
as a place where we got fabulous looks at a Boreal Owl a few years ago.
Consider taking a look at today's Metro section of the Star Tribune (Thurs
June 19) for an article regarding the current situation at Springbrook
Nature Center.  The City of Fridley is proposing to close the doors for good
on December 31 due to budget cuts.

Springbrook is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and animals,
including some that are classified as threatened species.  The Minnesota DNR
Conservation Volunteer magazine listed Springbrook as one of thirteen "hot
spots" to view wildlife in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area.

Minnesota Parent magazine readers voted Springbrook as the #1 Nature Park to
bring their families to.  More than 500 students participate in the summer
camp program, and more than 150,000 people used the nature center last year.
The guest book shows visitors from all 50 states and more than 60 foreign
countries.  Springbrook has an environmental education outreach program in
the Fridley Public Schools; every K-8 student attends at least one science
field investigation study at the nature center each year.

Note: In the Star Tribune article, the city manager states that the park's
hiking trails could be kept open even with the nature center exhibit
building closed.  What the article fails to mention is that the city council
has already hired a golf course developer to do a cost/benefit analysis of
the land.

-Jean Junghans, Ramsey MN