Stories
February 2012
Animal Tracks in Winter – Late Febuary Interpretive
tours with Lisa Held
Written and illustrated by Deb Robinson
 Learn
more about Como Woodland’s animals by searching for
their tracks during one of these free one-hour educational
tours. Join Lisa Held, Interpretive Naturalist and Como Woodland
Advisor, on Thursday February 23 at 4PM or Saturday February
25 at 10:30AM at the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom
site in Como Park.
Some woodland animals hibernate during the colder winter
months. But foxes, opposums, deer, and many others are active
throughout the winter – even if you rarely see the animals
themselves, you can learn so much about the critters that
live in this small urban forest by their tracks and the other
signs they leave.
Meet your guide, Ms Held, at the recently restored Kilmer
Memorial Fireplace right off Como Ave between Beulah Lane
and Lexington Pkwy. Tours are free, but reservations are suggested
(25 participate limit). To RSVP and for more tour information,
contact Ms Held at: 651-373-0028.
March 2011
Poet-tree Workshops a success and the Kilmer Fireplace restoration
begins
Update by: Deb Robinson, Como Woodland Advisory Committee
volunteer
Download
full article
In the Fall of 2010, the weather was picture perfect for the
Como Woodland tours leading up to the Poet‐tree Workshops.
Taking the students outdoors to learn about local history
and natural history through poetry helped the kids contextualize
and retain the information that was provided. And, of course,
the kids enjoyed the fresh air and exercise as well.
During their walk to the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom site,
the students were in high spirits ‐ excited to be outside.
The walking tours were designed to acquaint the 139 fifth
and sixth grade students with Como Woodland, Kilmer Memorial
Fireplace, and the many benefits of trees...
Feb. 11, 2011
Saint Paul’s Como Park Receives $218,000
Grant
View
the KSTP feature
Saint Paul’s Como Park Receives $218,000 Grant
Restoration work will clean-up and bring environmental education
to urban outdoor classroom (Saint Paul) - Restoration work
is set to begin on the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. The
City of Saint Paul received a $218,000 grant from the Minnesota
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund to transform
a 17.75-acre woodland located within Como Regional Park into
the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom. This classroom will provide
environmental education and historical interpretation for
school children and adults, habitat for native wildlife, and
an urban woodland oasis for the inner-city community where
local place-based, hands-on environmental learning opportunities
are rare.
Mayor Coleman has long championed Saint Paul’s award winning
parks system remarking, "The parks system in Saint Paul is
second to none and this grant will allow us to further that
tradition of excellence. With the support of the Minnesota
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, our Parks and
Recreation Department will transform Como Regional Park by
cleaning-up the woodlands and expanding environmental education.
This outdoor classroom will become a destination for local
families, furthering Saint Paul as a great place to work,
live and play."
Community volunteers have long been involved in removing invasive
species from the woodlands within Como Regional Park. This
new funding will allow the City to complete invasive species
removal within the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom, and develop
six study areas representing six unique plant communities
found in Minnesota.
As work begins on constructing the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom,
residents and visitors to Como Regional Park will notice some
changes. Beginning later this month, Conservation Corps Minnesota
will be selectively removing invasive trees per the Como Woodland
Outdoor Classroom Master Plan.
Funding to create this rare asset was provided by the Minnesota
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended
by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources
(LCCMR). The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally
established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the
protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of
the states air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural
resources. Currently 40% of net Minnesota State Lottery proceeds
are dedicated to building the Trust Fund and ensuring future
benefits for Minnesota's environment and natural resources.
City press release by Brad Meyer.
July 2010
Joyce Kilmer biographer, John Covell, speaks at July 2010
Advisors’ meeting
Read
the full story by Deb Robinson: PDF 116KB
In the spring of 1936, the WPA built a memorial fireplace
with funds donated by the Joyce Kilmer American Legion Post.
Over time, the fireplace fell into disrepair. Its true name
was largely forgotten and the fireplace became known locally
as the “Dutch Oven.” But Kilmer’s name is
being restored along with the fireplace.
On July 12, 2010, John Covell, Joyce Kilmer biographer, visited
the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Fireplace. Covell had traveled from
Texas to the Como Streetcar Station as the guest speaker for
the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom Advisory meeting . . .
For more information about the events surrounding the rededication
read the full article at the link above and also see:
- Event Calendar / Fireplace Rededication
- Como Park History / Joyce
Kilmer Memorial
- Donate to the events: www.district10comopark.org.
 April
28, 2010
Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom recieves the Sustainable
Saint Paul Award for Green Spaces from Mayor Chris Coleman.
The awards pay tribute to individuals and organizations
that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship
through leadership in their respective categories. These efforts
enhance the City’s quality of life and make Saint Paul
the Most Livable City in America. The Green Spaces Award honors
community groups and residents who replant, restore, and reclaim
the urban environment into opportunities for the social and
physical renewal. See
it all on YouTube.
 May
2008
Spring into summer from May to July - Field Day birding
Read
the full story by Deb Robinson: PDF220k
High school students have been monitoring 14 study plots in
the Como Woodland since the Fall Field Day last October. On
Spring Field Day this May 23, the students returned to their
study plots again to identify species and densities of trees,
forbs, lichen colonies, and earthworms. This is a long-term
study, and the data the students collect will be used to monitor
changes in the woodland during the restoration process. On
this field day a new element was added – a bird survey.
And the number of bird species sighted that morning was a
pleasant surprise . . .
 November
11, 2007
Como Park High School Students Have a Field Day
Read
the full story by Deb Robinson: PDF 82k
Removing piles of invasive buckthorn shrubs from the woods
is hard, but satisfying work.On October 27, over 165 volunteers
came to Como Park to do just that, and most of the volunteers
were teenagers.Como Park High School students are turning
out to be the real local heroes of Como Park’s woodland
restoration efforts, but they are putting in more than one
day a year for the benefit of the park’s woodlands.
The students have embarked on a long-term ecological research
project to measure changes in the Como Woodland during the
restoration process.
View
a Minnesota Bound video segment about the day . . .
October 2007
Como Woodland advisors and volunteers branch out to help with
a Macroinvertebrate Study of Como Lake -
Red
the full story by Deb Robinson: PDF36k
Over the past five months Dr. McKearnan, EcoParnters staff
and interns, and volunteers have been collecting monthly water
samples from five locations along Como Lake’s shore. The
subjects of the study has been the aquatic insects, worms,
leeches, mollusks, and other invertebrates that live at least
part of their life cycle in the waters of Como Lake. The
Final Report is available through this link and is also
found on the Como
Woodland Data page . . .
 November
2006
Como Woodland Restoration Outdoor Classroom Project Begins
Read
the full story by Deb Robinson: PDF 92k
Our cities would be a much poorer place without our public
parks and open spaces. The natural settings they provide are
clearly important to our well-being,but urban forests have
become rare. However, an idea for restoring a little wooded
corner of Como Park and opening it up for educational purposes
has been slowly taking shape in the minds of a small group
of local volunteers. The high spirits of the 65 Como High
School students and Fresh Force servicelearning students was
contagious on the morning of October 28th . . .
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