Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund logo 2020 Main Proposal Project Title: Camp Katharine Parsons Conservation & Environmental Education Initiative I. PROJECT STATEMENT The Phyllis Wheatley Community Center (PWCC) owns Camp Katharine Parsons (The Camp) which was gifted to the organization in 1956. It was in use for over fifty years as a summer camp. PWCC is requesting $200,000 in program support to restore Camp Katharine Parsons and create an ecotourism program for youth from North Minneapolis and the surrounding area. Programming will include environmental education, outdoor recreation, conservation efforts, and STEM projects. Location and Facilities: Camp Katharine Parsons consists of 106 acres of forest (mixed hardwood) property, located just east of Watertown and west of Mound and Lake Minnetonka, in northeast Carver County. The Camp is less than an hour away from the Twin Cities. The property is accessed from Carver County Road 24. The property is comprised mostly of a peninsula that penetrates Oak Lake. The majority of the property is forested except where buildings are present. Numerous cattails and grass marshes extend as fringes into the property from the lake. Conservation Easement: In collaboration with The Minnesota Land Trust, PWCC applied for and were approved for a conservation easement of 83 acres of Camp Katharine Parsons. This easement will permanently restrict development or destruction of the pristine, natural landscape of The Camp. This is a fundamental first step in achieving our preservation goals of this untouched land. It will ensure preservation of this natural habitat for generations to come, and will be the cornerstone of our environmental efforts and educational awareness campaign going forward. Funding support for the easement is not included in this request. Community Engagement: PWCC has been addressing the needs of low-income, diverse families in North Minneapolis and Hennepin County for over 95 years. Despite being only a few minutes from the affluent downtown area, our community faces huge economic and social disparities. The North Minneapolis neighborhood has a complex history of redlining, systemic racism, slum lords, and it has one of the widest academic achievement and opportunity gaps in Minnesota. Our small project proposal will offer a rare opportunity for youth and families, living in dense, urban neighborhoods to experience the natural habitat and outdoor environmental education activities. II. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES Activity 1 Title: Camp Katharine Parsons Conservation Initiative ENRTF Budget: $0 Phase 1: Completion of Camp Katharine Parsons’ conservation easement of 83 acres. Through a strong partnership with The Minnesota Land Trust and, PWCC is about to secure our conservation easement in May 2019. Additional partners are helping us with the environmentally mindful restoration, and minimal impact demolition of existing structures on the property. All building materials that can be salvaged will be upcycled and reclaimed for new structures on the property. Outcome Completion Date 1. Protect open space or critical habitat of Camp Katharine Parsons’ land and natural habitat from development 07-01-2020 2. Safeguard a historically and culturally relevant Camp Katharine Parsons’ location that can contribute to the life-long learning and holistic growth of participants. 07-01-2020 3. Conserve Camp Katharine Parsons’ land that has significant scenic and biodiversity for the outdoor recreation or education of the public 07-01-2020 Activity 2 Title: Camp Katharine Parsons Environmental Education Initiative ENRTF Budget: $200K Phase 2: Restore summer day camp and eco-tourism activities. Once a year-round destination, Camp Katharine Parsons offered its unique, natural landscape in which to provide fun, environmental education, and near-wilderness experiences for the entire community. PWCC is requesting support to help restore The Camp, and provide environmental education enrichment activities. The programming will be two-fold: 1) offer summer day camp programming for youth served from the North Minneapolis and the surrounding area, and 2) offer eco-tourism experiences for the Greater Twin Cities community. Low-income, inner city youth from North Minneapolis rarely get to experience natural habitats, eco-friendly activities/projects, and outdoor wilderness experiences. This subsidized day camp program will meet the needs of low-income families who seek day-long educational, leadership development, and recreational programming opportunities but cannot afford to send their children to camp. Environmental programming will include outdoor recreation activities such as camping, hiking trails and bird watching; conservation studies such as water conservation; and on-going youth STEM projects such as food composting and gardening. The curriculum will help foster a life-long interest in and commitment to environmental conservation. The Camp will open our education opportunities to schools in the Hennepin County area to bring students to learn more about the environment and eco-friendly building practices. For instance, students could gain practical experience with energy and water cycles. Additionally, The Camp will open eco-tourism activities such as bird-watching outings and opening the grounds for hiking. All activities will have a minimal impact on the environment and instruction will be conducted to train visitors on best practices and nature preservation. Currently, The Camp has four buildings on the property that are in disrepair; due to vandalism, poor maintenance, and inadequate funding. All land clean-up and improvements (for instance the addition of essential toilet facilities) will have a minimal impact on the environment, and will be conducted with eco-friendly methods. Budget Costs and Improvements: busing transportation of staff to Camp Katharine Parsons; staff wages and program delivery; repair and clean-up of the single road entrance with gravel - low environmental impact; and creation of essential eco-friendly toilet facility. Outcome Completion Date 1. Furtherance the conservation efforts of Camp Katharine Parsons’ land and natural habit 06-30-2022 1. Provide day camp and camping opportunities to 200 youth annually at The Camp 06-30-2022 2. Provide environmental education and outdoor enrichment activities to an additional 100 youth and families annually from disadvantaged communities in the Greater Twin Cities area 06-30-2022 III. PROJECT PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS: PWCC has many community partners. Our partners and collaborators on this project, include: The Minnesota Land Trust - assisted PWCC in securing our conservation easement, and is developing our habitat management plan for the easement; Larissa Mottl, Ecologist at Stantec - is helping PWCC evaluate our ecological restoration project for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and is developing a customized Habitat Management Plan; Better Futures Minnesota (Minneapolis) - will serve as the project manager, deconstruct existing property structures, and building materials reuse; and Summit Academy - student volunteer program has offered to donate labor to maintain the grounds. IV. LONG-TERM IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING: Fundraising efforts: as part of the conservation easement, PWCC will receive some funding to restore and maintain The Camp. PWCC also receives support from a variety of funding sources including individual donors, private foundations and government entities. Minnesota Land Trust has committed to helping fundraise to support various phases of the project. V. ATTACHED: Project Budget Spreadsheet; Visual Component or Map; Project Manager Qualifications and Organization Description; Letter or Resolution; and Financial Capacity (990 and Audit).