Conservation
Supporting Sustainable Land Management and Conservation
Conservation, habitat protection, and community giving are core pillars of Northland Arboretum’s mission to keep nature available and accessible to everyone. Everything we do—from education to recreation and event rentals—relies on sustainable land management to keep our natural space in good condition.
The 400 acres that make up the arboretum include miles of protected habitats, including some of the rarest and most vulnerable landscapes in Minnesota. We’re proud to partner with top conservation organizations like the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and the Crow Wing Water and Soil District to develop and implement conservation best practices and sustainable land management strategies.
Protected Habitats at Northland Arboretum
Northland Arboretum owns 400 acres of sustainably managed, natural Minnesota landscape, including restored prairie a Red Pine Plantation, Whiskey Creek, and Jack Pine Savannah—one of only five in Minnesota. These habitats each feature a unique ecosystem and are packed to the brim with Minnesota plants and wildlife. The Whiskey Creek, for example, is an excellent place to find otters, beavers, ducks, and other aquatic mammals—while the Red Pine Plantation is the perfect spot to catch some nesting bald eagles. No matter which protected habitat you explore, you’re sure to find something to pique your interest.
Giving Gardens
While most of our 400 acres are kept in their natural state, a small portion of our land is cultivated by volunteer gardeners. There are several sustainably managed gardens scattered throughout the arboretum, including our Rain, Memorial, Gazebo, and Pollinator Gardens. Each volunteer garden represents a small, easily digestible snapshot of nature—allowing visitors to experience a variety of landscapes during a short visit.
In addition to providing a place for recreation, many of our volunteer gardens serve a specific function. Our Rain Garden, located just outside the Visitor Center, filters rainwater through its soil before it reaches the Whiskey Creek, while our Vegetable Garden produces food for local food shelves.
Explore Our Jack Pine Savannah
Northland is proud to feature a native Jack Pine Savannah habitat. The Jack Pine Savannah is unique in that it is formed through the interaction of two other habitats—the jack pine forest and Minnesota’s famous prairie.
Because it exists at the crossroads of multiple habitats, the Jack Pine Savannah has unique conservational needs. For example, jack pine seeds usually sprout after wildfires as part of a long-term evolutionary strategy, but frequent large wildfires could potentially damage prairie grasses.
Northland Arboretum works closely with our partners at The Nature Conservancy to balance the needs of the jack pine forest with those of the prairie to maintain the integrity of one of the rarest habitats in Minnesota.
Become a Northland Arboretum Volunteer Gardener
All our gardens are tended by volunteers and arboretum members. If you’re interested in volunteering at Northland Arboretum, contact us and a member of our staff will get back to you.
Birding
Northland Arboretum’s miles of protected habitat make us an attractive spot for birding enthusiasts across Minnesota and beyond. Each habitat supports different native bird populations—including woodpeckers, bluebirds, blackbirds, and even bald eagles. Because these protected habitats are relatively close together, birders can see a diverse range of birds without traveling long distances.
Northland Arboretum is designated by the State of Minnesota as an Important Bird Area (IBA). As part of our commitment to protecting our IBA, our staff continuously monitor our bird habitats and take concrete steps to protect them from degradation and erosion.
Other Conservation Projects at Northland
Giving Garden
Established in 2020, the Northland Arboretum Community Giving Garden is tended to by Crow Wing County Master Gardeners (CWMG). The Giving Garden grows thousands of pounds of produce annually and distributes it to the community through local food shelves. The Giving Garden is the largest managed by the CWMG and produces most of the food they donate—over 15,600 pounds of food since it opened.
Bee Boxes
Several bee boxes are scattered about Northland’s 400 acres to provide shelter for the critical bee population. The boxes not only protect and preserve the bees that make our Arboretum what it is, but they are also an excellent place to snap some photos of the gorgeous pollinators in action. That said, we ask that visitors do not approach or tamper with our bee boxes.
Plantsoon
We’ve added a new feature to our botanical gardens! Plantsoon connects people with plant knowledge through the power of QR codes. By scanning a simple tag, users instantly access information about the plant, it’s favored growing conditions, bloom time & colors. Keep an eye out in our gardens, near each plant there is a QR code that you can scan with the camera on your phone. Then follow the link to learn more about the plant.
Pollinator Garden
The Northland Arboretum Pollinator Garden provides safe refuge for the pollinators that keep our habitats thriving—including bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and more. Not only does this garden help maintain the integrity of our natural, protected habitat, but they also promote biodiversity in the Arboretum.
Prairie Restoration
The original 40-acre site that once housed the Brainerd Landfill is now the center of our prairie restoration project. Thanks to the hard work of Northland Arboretum volunteers, the site is now packed full of native prairie plants and wildlife.
Get Involved
In addition to our professional partnerships, Northland Arboretum offers our guests the opportunity to contribute to our research and conservation programs through the iNaturalist platform.
The iNaturalist program is an online data collection platform that allows users to upload photos and videos of the plants and wildlife they encounter in the Arboretum. Users can share these photos with each other and discuss a range of topics related to nature and conservation. Eventually, these photos and videos are added to a scientific repository that professional natural scientists can access for use in their research.
Check out the platform at https://www.inaturalist.org/.
Contact Us
At Northland Arboretum, we’re constantly working to improve our services and keep nature accessible to as many people as possible. If you have questions or concerns or just want to leave feedback on your experience with us, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Simply submit the contact form below and we’ll get back to you within seven business days.