National Public Lands Day: Stillwater’s Golden Woods Restored

Every year on the last Saturday in September, people across the country roll up their sleeves to celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD)—a day dedicated to giving back to the lands that give us so much. In Stillwater, this year’s event was a shining example of what community collaboration can achieve.

Organized by the University of Minnesota Extension Service and City of Stillwater and supported by Sustainable Stillwater MN, the local NPLD project brought together 35 volunteers who dedicated over 100 hours to restoring a special corner of Stillwater’s natural landscape.

This year’s project site was a 5.5-acre stretch of woodland flanking Brown’s Creek Trail west of Brown’s Creek Park on Neal Avenue. City Forester Andrew Coyne suggested this location, affectionately nicknamed the “Golden Woods”—a nod to the hard and soft maples once planted there a century ago by a local farmer who envisioned his own small “sugar bush.”

Over time, however, the area became overrun with invasive buckthorn, crowding out native species and disrupting the natural balance. Under the leadership of Master Naturalist and Sustainable Stillwater MN volunteer Ruth Alliband, the call for help went out—and the community answered enthusiastically.

The volunteers represented a wonderful mix of community groups and organizations, including Master Naturalists, St. Croix Valley Honor Society students and parents, T’ai Chi By The River, Sustainable Stillwater MN board members and friends, and others. Teams were organized into three squads, guided by leaders Mike and Lynn Swift, Linda Nelson, and Kelly Stichter.

Armed with pruning saws, loppers, and even an electric chainsaw, volunteers worked shoulder-to-shoulder clearing buckthorn from 4.5 acres of the woodland. Laughter and teamwork filled the forest, with the younger participants proudly shouting “Timber!” as they brought down larger buckthorn trees.

While buckthorn removal is no small feat, City Forester Andrew Coyne has a long-term restoration plan to ensure the “Golden Woods” continues to thrive. The city landscaping crew will soon use a forest mower to grind up the felled buckthorn, and a native grass and sedge mix—featuring about ten species from Prairie Restoration—will be seeded to restore natural biodiversity.

Next fall, a contractor will apply a selective herbicide (Triclopyr) to prevent regrowth of woody and broadleaf invasives without harming the newly planted grasses. The combination of community effort and strategic follow-up ensures this work will have a lasting impact on Stillwater’s public lands.

Sustainable Stillwater MN extends deep gratitude to everyone who lent their time, tools, and enthusiasm to this effort. Together, we’re not just clearing buckthorn—we’re nurturing a healthier, more resilient landscape for generations to come.

Total impact:

🌳 35 volunteers

💪 119 volunteer service hours

🌱 4.5 acres restored