The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has received a $95,533 donation from the nonprofit Friends of the Wildflower Garden to support the recent installation of new fencing at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. This work follows fencing upgrades funded by the MPRB in 2022.
The fencing replaced this fall is along the north and east sides of the Wildflower Garden. The areas between the old and new fencing include woodland and meadow habitat that is being restored by MPRB staff and volunteers, in partnership with the Friends; as well as areas with unofficial trails developed over time by pedestrians in Theodore Wirth Regional Park.
“The Friends of the Wildflower Garden has been an ardent supporter of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary for decades,” said MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura. “We sincerely appreciate their ongoing dedication to the Garden.”
About the Friends of the Wildflower Garden
The Friends of the Wildflower Garden was formed in 1952 to “preserve and promote the interests of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary.” The Friends group has been instrumental in assisting the MPRB to implement projects at the Wildflower Garden that serve the interests of the public and enhance the Garden’s plant collection and infrastructure in sustainable and sensitive ways.
The Friends have also provided substantial donations for Garden projects over their 72-year partnership with the MPRB. For example, within the last decade, Friends donations totaling approximately $150,000 supported about 50% of the costs to construct and install the award-winning boardwalk within the Garden’s wetland area .
“The Garden is a place of sanctuary. Friends’ volunteers have been restoring its surroundings to diverse native plant communities for almost 20 years,” said Friends of the Wildflower Garden President Jennifer Olson.
“We are delighted that a generous swath of this restored land will be incorporated into the Garden, improving its expansive views and open spaces.”
About Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary
Founded in 1907, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary Garden is the oldest public wildflower garden in the United States. With more than 18 acres of managed plant collections within woodland, wetland, and meadow garden areas, this diverse and abundant array of native plants and wildlife includes more than 640 plant species and 130 bird species.
The Wildflower Garden is located at 1 Theodore Wirth Parkway, in Theodore Wirth Regional Park. It is open to the public from April through October annually and there is no admission fee.