Richfield, MN

The Twin Cities metro has a lot of great parks, but more often than not, the area can feel a little like a concrete jungle. One local oasis from the miles and miles of man-made roads, sidewalks, buildings and homes is the Wood Lake Nature Center.

As part of the 2022 Minnesota State Senate Bonding Tour, elected officials from throughout the state toured 150 proposed projects in need of state funds. On Tuesday, January 19, the tour stopped at the Wood Lake Nature Center as the city seeks to replace the original nature center building with one that can meet the needs of the center’s growing number of visitors and students.

A new nature center building will cost approximately $20 million, with the city asking Minnesota’s elected officials for $10 million in funding assistance. The remainder of the needed funds will come from a variety of other sources.

“It is time to reinvest and rebuild one of the Twin Cities greatest assets, the Wood Lake Nature Center,” explained Mayor Maria Regan Gonzalez to the gathered officials. “We live in the middle of a very urban area and for a lot of people access to greater Minnesota and those experiences like the North Shore or one of our state parks is just not a possibility. If you can access nature a lot closer to home, like at Wood Lake, the space becomes that much more important.”

The 150-acre Wood Lake Nature Center was founded in 1971 and over the past five decades has grown into a regional asset for those interested in connecting with nature. The center is dedicated to environmental education, wildlife observation and outdoor recreation.

The Wood Lake Nature Center sees more than 100,000 visitors, annually.

“You would think that the majority of the visitors would be from Richfield, but that is just not the case. Only about 30 percent of our annual visitors are city residents. The other 70,000-plus people come from all over,” explained naturalist Brianna Rodgers. “In just one day, I spoke with visitors from Maple Grove, White Bear Lake, Lakeville and Duluth.”  

One of the pillars of the Wood Lake Nature Center is its commitment to student environmental education. From the day it opened its doors through the present, it has partnered with the Richfield Public Schools to welcome every student from preschool to fifth grade for field trips at least twice a year.

Numerous other schools from around the region also visit Wood Lake on field trips where the center’s naturalists tailor programming to supplement the curriculum they are learning in their classrooms.

“The Wood Lake Nature Center is a critical bridge to the natural world for students throughout the metro area and beyond,” said nature center manager Paul Smithson. “Living in a high-density urban area limits the opportunities for our youth to access nature. At Wood Lake, we act as a refuge for those who want to learn something new and get active, at the same time.”  

Similar to the trend that has been seen throughout the country, more and more people have flocked to natural spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I have seen everything from outdoor yoga to business meetings taking place at the nature center during the pandemic,” said Recreation Services Department Director Amy Markle. “In fact, while we were meeting with the state senators at least two dozen cross country skiers were taking advantage of the warmer weather and great trail conditions.”

Cities looking to undertake major regional infrastructure projects, such as the proposed new building for the Wood Lake Nature Center, have found success in Minnesota Legislative Bonding Tour participation in the past. In 2019, the Richfield-Bloomington 77th Street Underpass Project was part of the tour and received the necessary state funding for construction.

“We sincerely appreciate the senators taking the time to see the need for a new nature center in Richfield,” remarked City Manager Katie Rodriguez. “We believe the project fits the legislature’s funding criteria because of its regional impact, its inclusivity and its sustainability.”

Previously, the Minnesota House of Representatives Bonding Tour visited the center on October 21, 2021, while it was assessing proposed projects under consideration for its bonding bill. 

Wood Lake Nature Center supporters can show their support for the center’s proposed building project by contacting their elected officials and letting them know that they support the City of Richfield’s request for funding. Supporters can find the contact information for their state elected officials by visiting: www.leg.mn.gov.