Minneapolis-St. Paul Initiative Uses Canoeing to Reach Urban Kids

Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures – September 15, 2009

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A new partnership kicked off this summer with an ambitious goal to get 10,000 kids outdoors on the mighty Mississippi River. Led by Wilderness Inquiry and the National Park Service, the Mississippi River Fund, Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools and others, the effort is spurred by alarming reports of dramatic declines in time spent outdoors among U.S. youth, especially ages 9 to 15.

Dubbed Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures (UWCA), the name intentionally calls to mind Minnesota’s famed outdoor venue—the BWCA. The UWCA, however, refers more to a concept than a place. “You don’t have to drive 500 miles to be ‘in’ the environment. With one of the great rivers of the world flowing through our backyards, you can have a meaningful connection with nature right in the heart of the Twin Cities,” said Greg Lais, Executive Director of Wilderness Inquiry.

So far this summer more than 4,500 urban youth and families have participated on day and overnight camping trips on the Mississippi River in the heart of the city.

“Thank you for letting me canoe in the Mississippi River. I have never been canoeing before,” wrote Michelle, a student from Whittier Elementary School in Minneapolis after a canoe trip. “I saw a baby turtle, a bald eagle, and a great blue heron. I learned we get our drinking water from the river, so I want to help keep it clean.”

Each trip includes certified Wilderness Inquiry guides and Park Rangers from the National Park Service. Youth learn about paddling and water safety, natural and cultural history of the river, and environmental education topics. Over the next 3 years the goal is to ramp up service so that 10,000 kids annually can paddle the Mississippi.

Many youth organizations have joined in to the effort, but two key partners are the Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools. Mary Barrie, Director of Alternative Learning for the Minneapolis Public Schools says, “We’re attempting to close the achievement gap by going outside of the box. We can’t keep doing the same things and expecting different results. We think that getting kids active and engaged through outdoor activities will spark an interest that wasn’t there before. It’s like we’re tricking them into learning.”

P. Tong, a student at Ramsey Middle School in St. Paul, said he learned about the importance of communication and teamwork. “We were working together when carrying the big canoe,” said Tong, “and we communicate with each other when paddling…so we won't tip over."

For youth who have never experienced wilderness canoeing, these trips help them learn the skills to successfully navigate one of the major rivers of the world and see the unexpected wildlife so close to home; blue herons are plentiful, as are egrets, bald eagles and peregrine falcons.

Paul Labovitz, Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, “Our vision for the UWCA includes offering most of the things that are offered by more remote destinations: canoeing, fishing, bird-watching, and overnight camping. Urban National Parks throughout the US have struggled to engage youth. This is the best program we’ve ever put forward to engage thousands of youth in outdoor activities. The National Park Service is very excited about this, and we are looking to extend the model to other urban National Parks, like Presidio in San Francisco and Gateway National Park in New York City.”

Many organizations are involved in this initiative, but the lead partners for the UWCA are:

Wilderness Inquiry, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit organization dedicated to making the outdoors accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. For more information about Wilderness Inquiry contact Greg Lais, Executive Director, 612-676-9400. http://www.wildernessinquiry.org/

The US National Park Service Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), includes 72 miles of the Mississippi River stretching from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey to just south of Hastings, Minnesota. For more information about MNRRA contact Paul Labovitz, Superintendent, (651) 290-3030. http://www.nps.gov/miss/

Mississippi River Fund, whose mission is to strengthen the enduring connection between people and the Mississippi River and build community support for our National Park. For more information about the Mississippi River Fund contact Katie Nyberg, Executive Director, (651) 291-8161. http://www.missriverfund.org/

Other UWCA partners include:

• Minneapolis Public Schools
• AVID program in the St. Paul Public Schools
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Achieve Minneapolis
• Three Rivers Park District
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
• St. Paul Park District
• Girls Scouts
• Boy Scouts
• YMCA
• St. Paul Riverfront Corporation
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Aggregate Industries

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