Join Friends of the Mississippi River ecologist Karen Schik and Washington Conservation District's Angie Hong to explore Ravine Lake and the wetlands of Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park. You'll learn about the plant life in and around the wetlands — aquatic, amphibious, and terrestrial — and the important role these plants play as they provide habitat and filter pollutants from our waters. We'll also use dip nets to get a closer look at macroinvertebrates living in the marsh, and discuss what these tiny creatures reveal about the impacts of water pollution!

Participants will also learn about the restoration of this beautiful area, including fall volunteer opportunities at the site. Photos from last year's tour are available here.

Centered around one of the most impressive landscape features in southern Washington County, Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park totals nearly 600 acres. The ravine for which it is named is approximately a half-mile wide with 80- to 100-foot slopes, and bisects the park north to south before ending in Ravine Lake. Known as a "tunnel valley," the ravine was carved by a subglacial drainageway that carried large volumes of water, eroding the valley.

Find registration info here.