Carver

CARVER PRESERVE RESTORATION UPDATE 2022-2024

Natural resources restoration work began this week at Maplewood’s Applewood Neighborhood Preserve. The City of Maplewood’s Applewood and Carver Preserves were included in a grant awarded to Friends of the Mississippi River, with the goal of restoring prairie areas for pollinators in the Mississippi River Corridor.  

Gradual encroachment of woody plants eventually converts open prairie areas to woodland. We are “hitting reset” to bring the prairie areas back into compliance with the original Preserve Master Plan and enhance it with native flowering plants that will support all life stages of the declining Monarch Butterfly and the Federally Endangered Rusty-Patched Bumblebee. Brush removal will also limit the presence of house sparrows and other birds that destroy bluebird nests, enabling re-installation of bluebird houses. Other grassland birds will also benefit from the restoration.  

Trails may be temporarily closed during removal occurring near trails. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Questions? Please contact Natural Resources Coordinator Carole Gernes: (651) 249-2416 or carole.gernes@maplewoodmn.gov.

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About Carver Preserve

At Maplewood’s Carver Preserve, rolling hills and long views over the Mississippi River Valley set the stage. After European settlement, the site was used for agriculture, primarily as pasture. Today, open pasture graces the eastern half of the preserve, with waves of grass and even a tiny patch of native prairie. If you hike west of the grassland, you can see natural succession of pasture to woodland in progress. Early successional trees like aspen and box elder have moved in here and are providing shade.

There are no maintained trails at the preserve and few foot paths. Enjoy the adventure of wandering through the grasses, but be warned, few can resist doing a Sound-of-Music twirl through the meadow. On a hot summer day, be sure to stop in the cooling shade of the conifer grove.

Visiting

Terrain & Trails

The site has a steep slope and no maintained trails, so hikers will need stamina.

Acreage

27 acres

Location

The preserve is located in southern Maplewood at the northwest corner of Carver and Sterling. The closest roads are Schadt Drive on the north, Sterling Street on the east, Carver on the south, and Dorland on the west.

Entrances

There are entrances at Sterling and Carver.

Parking

Street parking is available on Sterling.

Facilities

There are no restrooms or drinking water at the preserve.