Tag Archives: Nature

Hudson & North Hudson River Cleanup

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The annual River Cleanup is a core activity of Hudson’s St. Croix RiverFest. Community volunteers get out on the riverbank collecting trash and working to help clean up the river (trash bags will be provided). While the goal of RiverFest is to get people out to enjoy the river, the River Cleanup is the “purpose” for the RiverFest celebration.

Program Sponsor:    

Families and individuals are encouraged to join the Cleanup. Please view the River Cleanup Guidelines for instructions and details.

Meet at the Bandshell for the Lakefront Park area clean-up. View a map of Cleanup locations.

Business or organizations please contact Buck Malick at 715-386-7010 to pre-register and receive your cleanup locations.

Drop off the trash collected during the River Cleanup from 11am to 12pm at Picnic Point (south end of Lakefront Park).

Following the Cleanup, RiverFest will host a picnic lunch for the Cleanup volunteers at Picnic Point (south end of Lakefront Park).

Thank you to our lunch sponsors: County Market, Erbert & Gerberts, Kwik Trip and Ember and Bean Roasting Co.

Invasive Species Control on the St. Croix River – Demonstration & Information

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The Minnesota DNR and the Wisconsin DNR are teaming up to stop the spread of Invasive Fish Species such as Silver and Bighead Carp in the upper Mississippi River basin, including the St. Croix River. Come and see the Minnesota DNR’s Electrofishing Boat demonstration (water conditions permitting).

There will also be display booths at the Beach House Pavilion. You will have the opportunity to meet the Aquatics and Fisheries Biologists who are working hard to stop these large and voracious fish from out competing our native fish. These agencies will also have display booths with with an aquarium setup to view the fish, technology demonstrations and printed materials. Information on controlling other aquatic and terrestrial invasive species will be available.

Watch a video of the 2024 Hudson St. Croix RiverFest Invasive Species Control on the St. Croix. Thank you to River Channel for sharing this video.

The mission of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is to work with Minnesotans to conserve and manage the state’s natural resources, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and to provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life.

Minnesota DNR’s invasive carp program takes an integrated approach to invasive carp prevention and management, focusing on actions that the DNR and partners can take to slow the spread of invasive carp, minimize their impact, and reduce the chance of invasive carp reproducing in Minnesota waters. Those actions include monitoring invasive carp in ways that enable us to respond, prevention and deterrence, response preparation, management and control, and communication, outreach, and coordination. Among other activities, our program tags and tracks invasive carp to learn about their movement patterns, monitors for evidence of reproduction, contracts commercial fishers to capture invasive carp, and works with partners to develop better ways to target invasive carp in Minnesota waters. More info on our invasive carp program is available online at: mndnr.gov/invasivecarp.

Foraging Walk at Bluebird Hill Homestead

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Join local forager Russ Lake at Bluebird Hill Homestead for an evening walk to connect with nature and lean about the variety of edible plants growing on the homestead property, as well as in your own backyard.

This event is most appropriate for adults/teens. Any children attending must be supervised. Dogs are not allowed.

This is a FREE event, but space is limited and reservations required.
Tickets available on Eventbrite.

Let’s Go Paddling!

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Meet at 10am SHARP at the Willow River boat launch Willow River State Park, 1034 County Road A, Hudson

Registration is required as spots are limited. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/LetsPaddleWillow

In honor of RiverFest week, join our naturalists on a scenic kayaking trip up to the beautiful Willow Falls, before peacefully floating back down the Willow River. This is a great activity to enjoy individually, with a friend, or as a family! Children ages 10 and up, with a parent/guardian and capable of operating their own kayak are welcome to join! Please dress for the weather and bring along a lifejacket (or wear one of ours) waterproof shoes, drinking water, sunscreen and bug spray.

This event costs $25/kayak. Vehicle admission into the park is a separate and required fee.

All outdoor events are weather-dependent.
Questions? Email: naturecenter@willowkinnifriends.org