Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvements A project to identify and implement sanctuary renovations and improvements which build on the approved Management Plan and the existing volunteer stewardship foundation.

Project Location

Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Regional Park
Southwest
Minneapolis, MN

Location Map

Project Manager

Tyler Pederson
Phone: 612-499-9084
Email: tpederson@minneapolisparks.org

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Language Resources

Correo Electrónico: preguntas@minneapolisparks.org

Email: suaalo@minneapolisparks.org

 

Key Documents

Management Plan [Board Resolution]

Community Engagement Plan [PDF]

Draft Habitat Assessment Report [PDF]

Survey Results [PDF]

Status

Current Phase: Research & Development
Construction: TBD

What's New

Update #10

What’s Happened Since Update #9: Met Council Environmental Services has agreed to help with funding a portion of the west entry improvements.  The amount of funding and the extent of […]

Update #9

What’s Happened in the Past Four Weeks: The website has been updated. Initiation of a conversation with Met Council Environmental Services addressing west entry. SW Journal article written by Michelle […]

Final Public Meeting – Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvement Project

You are invited to the final Roberts Bird Sanctuary Improvements Project public meeting. The meeting will be held at Lyndale Farmstead Park Recreation Center, 3900 Bryant Ave S., 7-8:30 pm, Wednesday […]

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Timeline

Project Milestones

Summer 2015

  • Community Engagement for the Revitalization Project to begin

Spring 2015

  • Met Council sewer work complete and Bossen Lane Tree and Shrub Restoration to begin

Project History

August 10, 2016 

March 30, 2016

February 18, 2016

January 21, 2015

  • MPRB adopts the 2015-2025 Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary Management Plan

September 11, 2014

  • Public meeting on-site to discuss restoration and planning at Roberts

May 8, 2014

  • Public meeting update at Linden Hills Recreation Center

March 27, 2014

  • Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Public Hearing for MCES Watershed Permit

March 7, 2014

  • Update meeting with public at MPRB Headquarters

October 2, 2013

  • Temporary and permanent easements are approved by the MPRB for 1-MN-341

September 30, 2013

  • Public comments on the Management Plan closed

September 12, 2013 – Public Meeting

August 13, 2013

  • Public info meeting to discuss draft sewer rehab plans through William Berry Parkway, Lyndale Park, Roberts Bird Sanctuary, and Kings Highway at the Lyndale Farmstead Recreation Center

August 3, 2013

  • On-site meeting with the Friends of Roberts Group

January 30, 2013

  • Public info meeting to introduce sewer rehab work through William Berry Parkway, Lyndale Park, Roberts Bird Sanctuary, and Kings Highway at the VOA Southwest Senior Center

2011-2012

  • We conducted an assessment of the vegetation structure, function, and value of the Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary urban forest.  Data from 30 field plots located throughout the Bird Sanctuary were analyzed using the i-Tree Eco model developed by the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station

Fall 2012

  • We met with representatives of Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis (ACM) and adjacent neighborhood organizations to develop a vision statement, needs, and management goals for the Sanctuary

Winter 2011

  • We developed a management plan that made recommendations for improvements based on: an inventory of the natural resources of the site, existing infrastructure within the area, and information from ACM gathered at the community meetings

Summer 2010

  • Representatives of ACM and the surrounding neighborhood associations held community input meetings and implemented surveys to identify opportunities and priorities for the Sanctuary

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Community Engagement

View the Community Engagement Plan [PDF]

Past Meetings and Open Houses

August 10, 2016 – Public Open House #3 Summary

March 30, 2016 – Public Meeting #2 Summary: Draft Concept Presentation Meeting

February 18, 2016 – Public Meeting #1 Summary: Kick-Off Meeting

Upcoming Meetings

There are currently no meetings scheduled. Check back or enter your email address above to subscribe and get notified of new meetings.

Background

Located adjacent to the Lyndale Park Peace Garden and just north of Lake Harriet, the Bird Sanctuary consists of 31 acres of woodlands and wetlands. The area was designated as a Bird Sanctuary in 1936 by Superintendent Christian Bossen. In 1947, at the request of the Twin City Bird Club, the Sanctuary was renamed to the Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary. This action was to honor Dr. Roberts who was a University of Minnesota professor of ornithology and Director of the Museum of Natural History at the University of Minnesota.

Over the years, Roberts Bird Sanctuary has been altered by exotic and invasive species, historical uses of the land and catastrophic windstorm damage. Fortunately, some of the original native plant community, its wildflowers and shrubs remain.

Land of Lakes Bird Alliance (Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis), through a volunteer partnership with the MPRB, has led bird walks and invasive species removal events in the Sanctuary. For more information about the LLBA visit www.LandOfLakesBirdAlliance.org.

Park History

Roberts Bird Sanctuary History [PDF] (Part of Lyndale Park)

Park Board Announcements

There are no announcements at this time. Please check back soon.