RICHFIELD
COMMUNITY GUIDE | 2024
Connecting residents and visitors with nature
Having served as a resource for connecting residents and visitors with nature for more than five decades , Wood Lake Nature center is working to meet the needs of the future .
A regional resource for environmental education , wildlife observation and outdoor recreation , the nature preserve is located in the heart of the city and offers a quiet oasis from its urban surroundings . The 150-acre natural area features three miles of trails , plentiful wildlife , boardwalks and a 4,000-square-foot interpretive center .
The central building greets visitors as they enter the grounds , with exhibits and venues for a variety of nature-focused classes aimed at children and adults . Organized activities include book clubs , birding hikes , archery , honey harvesting and dozens of classes and camps for children .
Providing ample space for visitors to stretch their legs , Wood Lake ’ s outermost trail traces a 1.8-mile loop . Visitors can venture out to the preserve ’ s network of trails on their own , taking advantage of the crushed limestone walking paths , groomed cross-country ski trails in winter and the iconic floating boardwalk .
Students from local schools begin visiting Wood Lake early in their academic careers . Richfield Public Schools
students take trips to the Nature Center twice per year as part of their elementary school science curriculum . The longstanding partnership between the Nature Center and the Richfield School District dates back to 1971 .
Now , about 72,000 people visit the preserve each year , while the Friends of Wood Lake advocacy group works to maintain and promote the resource .
With 50 years of usage , city leaders are looking at plans for the construction of a new home for staff and visitors at the park . Fifteen million dollars of state and federal funding has been dedicated to the new project , with voters considering the use of a local sales tax to fund the remainder this fall .
The nature center is free to visit and includes many free programs and events throughout the year . To keep Wood Lake ’ s natural beauty intact , visitors are asked to stay on the trails and refrain from picking plants , riding bikes or bringing their pets onto the grounds .
Wood Lake Nature Center 6710 Lake Shore Drive tinyurl . com / RiWLNC 612-861-9365
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