Take a journey to Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park for a weekend of outdoor exploration and habitat restoration. On Friday, Sept. 10 and Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, volunteers will team up with National Park Service staff to plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers that have cultural and medicinal significance in Ojibwe tradition. This is a chance to help the Park restore wildlife habitat and establish a site for community members and Park visitors to learn about native plant species and their traditional uses.
Everyone is welcome; families are especially encouraged to participate. No experience is necessary. Park staff will provide instruction and tools.
Volunteers will be working primarily at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on the west end of the Park near International Falls. The volunteer weekend is free for those who do not need lodging and meals.
Lodging and meals for the 2010 Rendezvous is provided by Ogichi Daa Kwe on Rainy Lake. Cost for lodging and food for out-of-town guests, Thursday, Sept. 9 - Sunday, Sept. 12, is approximately $160 depending on the accommodations and meals chosen. Local participants are also invited to stay and eat at Ogichi Daa Kwe; call Voyageurs National Park Association for detailed costs.
Join the Fun!
Explore the Park’s pristine lakes and towering boreal forests during evening free time. Celebrate the group’s accomplishments at a special complimentary recognition dinner Saturday night and enjoy a tour of the Park aboard the newest addition to the Park’s fleet, the Voyageur tour boat.
For more information and to register for the event, contact Voyageurs National Park Association (VNPA) at vnpa@voyageurs.org or (612) 333-5424. If you are interested in participating but are unable to attend the whole weekend, VNPA can work with you to accommodate your availability. Please register by Sept. 1, 2010.
Can’t make it this fall but would like to participate next year?
The next Volunteer Rendezvous will be in fall 2011. Contact VNPA to receive details when they become available: vnpa@voyageurs.org or (612) 333-5424.
The Volunteer Rendezvous is organized by Voyageurs National Park Association in partnership with the Friends of Voyageurs National Park and Voyageurs National Park. The project is made possible through funding from the Nash Foundation, Duluth Superior Community Foundation, Patagonia, Inc of St. Paul, and Tourism Cares. Accommodations provided by Ogichi Daa Kwe on Rainy Lake, Minnesota.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
