Donations and Volunteers

The "Living Forests" program assists in the reforesting of 4,200 acres of park land in Washington County by reclaiming woodlands that have previously been developed - largely for agriculture.  Over time, reforestation will restore a small portion of our area to the beautiful condition that greeted the first settlers in the mid-19th century.  It will also provide habitat for wildlife threatened by urban development.

"Living Forests" is an excellent way to honor someone close to you or to remember a special occasion such as the birth of a child, a graduation, wedding, anniversary, or some special achievement.  It is an easy way to give lasting recognition to an employee, a client, supervisor, or volunteer.  When you have a tree planted to mark a special occasion, a commemorative certificate suitable for framing will be sent to the honoree.  You can make a donation to "Living Forests" in one of three categories:

Plant a Tree - For each $15 donation, Washington County staff will plant a young, native tree in a reforestation area for your special person.  That person will receive a certificate noting the tree planting, which will also be recorded in the permanent "Living Forests" log.  Donations will be placed into a tree planting fund used to plant trees each spring.

Recognition Tree - For a donation of $150 to $200, depending on the cost of the tree selected, a donor may select a large mature tree, help select the planting site, and take part in a tree planting ceremony.  The honoree will receive a certificate commemorating the planting of the tree, and the donation will be recorded in the "honor roll" section of the "Living Forests" log.

Landscape Planting Fund - Donations of $200 or more may be made to the "Living Forests" Landscape Planting Fund.   The donor may direct funds to a planting project selected from the Washington County priority list.  The donor will receive a special certificate or a plaque, depending on the size of the donation, and the donation will be recorded in the "special projects" section of the "Living Forests" log.

To make a donation through this program, please contact the Lake Elmo Park Reserve office at (651) 430-8370 or print, complete, and mail the form at the top (right) of this page to Washington County Parks, 1515 Keats Avenue North, Lake Elmo, MN  55042.

The "Gifts for Parks" program assists in the development of quality facilities, programs, and resources throughout the park system.  It allows individuals or groups to donate a variety of items including money, equipment, materials, or time.  Donors may also identify specific programs to receive their donation if they choose.  For example, you may direct your donation to be used to purchase land, develop sites, hire bluegrass festival or nature program performers, or manage projects at any County park.  The possibilities are endless, however, some of the more commonly donated items, along with their cost, follow:

To make a donation through this program, please contact the Lake Elmo Park Reserve office at (651) 430-8370 or print, complete, and mail the form at the top (right) of this page to Washington County Parks, 1515 Keats Avenue North, Lake Elmo, MN  55042.

Washington County Parks has a variety of volunteer opportunities available throughout the park system.  Some of the opportunites are listed below:

Special Projects - Washington County Parks works with a variety of groups on specific projects.  This includes scout groups, school groups, and all ages of church and other community groups.  Some of these types of projects include Eagle Scout projects, litter pick-up, painting projects, nest box installation and monitoring, and many others.  If you are interested in volunteering in one of these areas, or an area that would be more suitable to you, please contact the Park Division Manager at (651) 430-8375.

Random Survey Counts - These volunteers help collect information from park visitors at various places around the County.  During specific 2-hour periods, volunteers count visitors and hand out visitor surveys.  This data helps staff determine park use and visitor preferences.  Volunteers are needed at nearly all parks, including the Hardwood Creek Trail in Hugo / Forest Lake.  If you are interested in being a random survey volunteer, please contact the Park Division Operations Coordinator at (651) 430-8245.

Campground Host - Washington County Parks utilizes campground hosts in the campgrounds at Lake Elmo Park Reserve and St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park.  Campground Hosts are volunteers that live in the campground, in their own camping unit, for a portion of the summer.  In exchange for a free campsite, they are responsible for providing information to campers, registering campers in the spring and fall, cleaning restrooms as necessary (between staff cleanings), and other related tasks.  These positions fill quickly and may not always be available.  If you are interested in learning more about these positions, please contact the Parks Division Operations Coordinator at (651) 430-8245.