Available park activities in the prairie

Chester Woods is the premier site in Olmsted County for prairie restoration. Here are a few options.

Participating in prescribed burns
You can be placed on an email list to be notified of park prescribed burn schedules. The park staff will offer training. These burns take place in the spring and fall months. Training and mentoring is required.

Seed Collection
Harvesting, processing and distribution of prairie seeds is always an ongoing need. Seed collecting takes place from August - November. Our Weed Warriors group includes seed collection as one of their main activities.

Controlling non-native invasive plants
The park is always on the lookout for invasive species.  Mechanical and chemical methods are used to control these plants. Invasive species control takes place all year long except for the month of March. 

Planting and maintaining prairies in other county parks

Frequently, Chester Woods staff and volunteers go to Root River County Park to improve the prairie plantings in that park.