Advocates hope to make Minneapolis bird sanctuary more accessible

A neighborhood group is nearing its fundraising objective to assist create a brand new, extra accessible expertise at one of many Twin Cities’ most treasured spots for birding.

The Roberts Hen Sanctuary in Minneapolis spans 31 acres in Lyndale Park, north of Lake Harriet. The spot is particularly cherished among the many Minnesota birding group for the spectacular vary of warblers and different migratory species seen on the sanctuary every spring and fall.

Associates of Roberts Hen Sanctuary, a nonprofit group devoted to the sanctuary’s preservation, is partnering with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board on efforts to enhance accessibility on the web site with out compromising the habitat.

The group is at the moment round $4,000 wanting reaching its $30,000 fundraising objective for a brand new, wood terrace deliberate to be constructed on the east customer’s entrance. 

“It’s a part of an extended dialogue about what to do about entry to the sanctuary,” mentioned Stephen Greenfield, the group’s president.

The terrace designed for the sanctuary is deliberate to exchange the prevailing entrance shelter. In contrast to the present construction, the terrace will supply guests a platform to take a seat and observe the wildlife.

Mark Paller, a longtime Minneapolis resident who visits the sanctuary usually, mentioned that is particularly vital for park customers with disabilities.

Paller, who makes use of a wheelchair, leads guided hen outings within the Twin Cities for folks with a spread of mobility challenges. He recollects as soon as organizing a go to to Veterans Park in Richfield, the place there’s vast, paved trails and loads of accessible parking.

“Half of the folks that got here on our stroll didn’t use any gadgets, simply had problem strolling,” Paller remembers. “To get a little bit greater than 1,000 toes was a problem — no quantity of paving or leveling would assist them.”

Again to the drafting board, Paller got down to as an alternative set up outings to the hen feeders behind the customer’s heart on the Minnesota Valley Nationwide Wildlife Refuge. It’s a stability, he mentioned, between what you’re in a position to see and the trouble it takes to get there. 

On the Roberts Hen Sanctuary, Paller mentioned he’s in a position to navigate the filth path in his wheelchair, however added that no “two wheelchair customers are alike.” For him, the plastic boardwalk masking a portion of the path is a larger concern than the tree roots and different obstacles on the filth path.

“I wouldn’t even attempt it,” he mentioned, including the flood-prone boardwalk is commonly slippery and harmful.

However, pondering of the birders he is met on his guided outings, Paller mentioned he is hopeful the addition of the terrace and viewing platform — and probably extra benches — will go a great distance in the direction of making the sanctuary extra accessible to folks with disabilities. 

Greenfield, with the Associates of Roberts Hen Sanctuary, mentioned they’d wish to see the boardwalk eliminated, however typically oppose paved trails instead. Quite, a boardwalk much like the one on the Eloise Butler Wildflower Backyard is the kind of amenity they covet. 

Robin Smothers, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, mentioned there aren’t any plans to take away the prevailing plastic boardwalk, however putting in one thing much like the walkway at Eloise Butler has been thought of and stays a chance. 

If such a boardwalk have been put in, it will lead guests from the prevailing fundamental path to the wetland space for waterfowl viewing. 

As for pavement, Smothers mentioned there hasn’t been any consideration of paving trails throughout the sanctuary. Quite, trails on the location are deliberate to be both boardwalk or pure surfaces, like agricultural lime or current soils.

To bolster fundraising efforts for the terrace, the Associates of Roberts Hen Sanctuary is holding an artwork public sale, impressed by the Associates of Sax-Zim Lavatory’s “tiny hen” public sale.

By September 25, “tiny wildlife artwork” donations are being collected for an upcoming artwork sale. 

The $30,000 the group is hoping to boost will complement one other $20,000 drawn from the East Harriet Neighborhood park dedication funds.