Choose text size: A | A | A

"Green Spaces, Fun Places, Active Lives" ~ Parks & Recreation

Go Ramsey Portal

Go Ramsey Communities Mapping Portal - Your Journey to Healthy Living Starts Here!

Active Living Ramsey Communities, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department and St. Paul – Ramsey County Public Health have developed a public Web mapping portal designed to promote all the places and spaces for Ramsey County residents and visitors to be active within Ramsey County. The mapping portal is a resource for citizens, practitioners, and health care professionals to search and seek out information about parks, lakes, trails, and recreational facilities in Ramsey County. The goal of the Go Ramsey Communities mapping portal is to improve the overall health of the community by providing the tools to move the community to action.

The “Go Ramsey Communities” project was funded through the Statewide Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). It is a collaborative effort that involved members of the Active Living Ramsey Communities initiative, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation, Public Health, Public Works and Information Services Departments, Ramsey County GIS User Group and partnering municipal parks and recreation departments.

GoRamseyIcon Check out the site!

Now Accepting 2012 Picnic Reservations

Ramsey County Parks and Recreation accepts reservations for picnic shelters and pavilions by phone, mail and in person from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. For in person reservations please come to our administrative office at 2015 N. Van Dyke Street, Maplewood, MN.

DANGER - Thin Ice

All vehicle access to Bald Eagle Lake in White Bear Township has been closed by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Water Patrol until further notice.

The thin ice, open water, and two incidents of vehicles breaking through the ice in the past three days led to the decision of the Ramsey County Sheriff to close vehicle access to Bald Eagle Lake under State Statute 86B.106. Additionally, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office asks that all persons stay off Bald Eagle Lake due to thin ice conditions.

The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office also asks people to use extreme caution on all other lakes in Ramsey County due to the warm weather this winter season. While surface ice on lakes and ponds has the appearance of being stable, the Water Patrol is discouraging the public from driving any vehicle or ATV on ice until further notice, and to use caution if venturing out on foot.

On December 29, 2011, the Water Patrol closed vehicle access to Turtle Lake in Shoreview. Turtle Lake remains closed. On Sunday, January 22, and on Monday, January 23, 2012, vehicles broke through the ice on Bald Eagle Lake in two separate incidents. No one was injured.

Other News & Information:

January 18, 2012
Prairie and Savanna Restoration at Grass Lake
A prairie and savanna restoration project is underway at the Grass Lake portion of Snail Lake Regional Park. The project area being restored is south of Gramsie Road.

The restoration project will consist of invasive tree and shrub removal and prairie restoration on 33-acres it is anticipated to get started in mid- January. The first activities will be the removal of the trees and shrubs that include Siberian elm, buckthorn, and black locust. John Moriarty, Ramsey County Parks Natural Resources Manager says the tree removal is necessary in our efforts to control invasives. However, large cottonwoods, oaks and aspen will be kept. Open areas will be reseeded with native prairie grasses and wildflowers. The site preparation of for the prairie will consist of a prescribed burn over the entire project area and the application of herbicide to kill the existing grasses. The map shows the project scope and approximate location.

After site restoration activities have been completed, required maintenance will be conducted over the next two years consisting of mowing and weed control in an effort to provide improved growth for native plants. When the prairie is established it will provide habitat for an increased variety of birds and butterflies. This project is being funded with a DNR Conservation Partners Legacy Grant.

An additional 20-acre savanna restoration was completed this past year on the southwest portion of Grass Lake. The restoration was done with a State Wildlife Grant in partnership with Great River Greening. This project consisted of invasive species removal, mainly buckthorn, and overseeding with native grasses and wildflowers. The restored site will be added to our prescribed burn program.

Bald Eagle-Otter Lakes -- Otter Lake Building Redevelopment Project - Concept Plan -- As of 12/5/2011 the parking lot and boat launch are now open.

Turtle Lake County Park is closed for construction Fall 2011 until Fall 2012. The boat launch will remain open during construction. Turtle Lake Concept Plan

MPCA Soil Remediation Project in New Brighton, MN
For informational purposes only. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has scheduled a soil remediation project on the formerly know Northwest Asphalt Refinery Site in the New Brighton Exchange Area in New Brighton, Minnesota. Please refer to the provided attachments for more detailed information. MPCA Fact Sheet | Notice of Evacuation Activities

Archery Hunts are found to be effective in controlling deer in areas where the majority of the deer population is found on the properties suitable for hunting. Archery is a very safe removal technique. Archery can be used under regular Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) seasons. Ramsey County works exclusively with the Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB) to conduct special permit archery hunts to control deer populations in selected parks. Participants need to take the Bowhunter Safety Class, take an accuracy test, and sign the MBRB ethics pledge. There is an annual MBRB registration fee. Selected archers need to attend a pre-hunt orientation. Archers get to hunt two 3-day hunts. Hunting is done from elevated stands. The first hunt period is antlerless only, the second hunt period is either antlered or antlerless. Archers get to keep their deer or they can donate the venison to local food shelves. Ramsey County has been conducting special permit archery hunts since 2000. Nine different parks and open spaces have been used for the special permit hunts. Over the last seven years, over 550 deer have been harvested, of which over 85% have been antlerless. 2011 Archery Hunts | Deer Hunt Map

Title II Rule Change for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for Wheelchair and Other Powered-Driven Mobility Devices (OPDMDs). Click here to read statement.

Active Living Ramsey Communities! creates and promotes environments that make it safe and convenient for people to be more active. To learn more about the ALRC Initiative and how you can get involved, click here.

Destination For Discovery - Transforming a Traditional Nature Center

Tamarack Nature Center (TNC) has embarked on a multi-year project entitled "Destination for Discovery." The enhanced TNC will provide opportunities for visitors to develop personal relationships with nature through a variety of means. Guided by this master plan and a commitment to responding to our community's needs, the project redefines what it means to be a regional nature center and redesigns facilities, trails, programs and exhibits, to reflect that definition. The master plan outlines a five-year program to transform TNC into a Destination for Discovery.

Destination for Discovery Executive Summary | Destination for Discovery Project Purpose, Outcomes and Process

Gov Delivery Letter Subscribe to Announcements and News