Nature lovers can explore forests, prairies, wetlands, and shoreline habitat all within the City of Roseville’s 680 acres of parks and open space.
That’s by design! Parks and city leaders have prioritized habitat restoration and preservation for more than a decade.
Now, Roseville Parks and Recreation has been recognized for its Natural Resources Management Plan with an award and a grant to continue work.
The Minnesota Recreation and Park Association honored Roseville with an Award of Excellence in the Management Strategies category. Separately, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has awarded Roseville a $500,000 Conservation Partners Legacy grant to further improve some of Roseville’s prairies, forests, and wilderness spaces.
The award recognizes the city's effective use of long-term planning, strong community collaboration, strategic funding approaches, and the plan’s potential for lasting environmental impact.
“Roseville’s commitment to intentional, planful, and community-driven natural resources management over the past decades has made a tremendous impact throughout our park system,” said Roseville Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Johnson.
“It’s certainly nice to be recognized by our peers, but we are most looking forward to continuing to improve our natural spaces so residents can experience the many documented physical and emotional benefits that a connection to nature provides.”
The City Council approved the Natural Resources Management Plan in 2024, which calls for the preservation and restoration of forested areas, wetlands, and prairie including oak savanna in Roseville’s parks and open space.
The purpose of the plan is to ensure that our parks remain healthy, beautiful, and biologically diverse spaces for all residents to enjoy.
Staff, volunteers, and contractors have already completed hundreds of preservation and restoration projects laid out in the city’s earlier 2013 Natural Resources Management Plan.