Who introduced you to Voyageurs National Park? Many of us can remember our first time, navigating the park’s winding waterways, taking a plunge into its pristine lakes, and camping beneath the expansive Milky Way. These experiences are transformative and inspire the next generation of public land stewards.
Voyageurs National Park is a world-class, natural classroom where science, culture, and history intersect to offer unparalleled learning and where the benefits of nature are realized. However, environmental education and public programs have historically been limited at Voyageurs National Park.
Voyageurs is remote and 40% water which creates barriers for many to experience. Morever, funding gaps and transportation barriers have led to a deficit in environmental education offerings and nature experiences for regional rural schools. Teachers across our state network are requesting year-round in-park and classroom-based opportunities for their students.
After a multi-year gap in youth programming at the park, Voyageurs Conservancy stepped in to develop a broad public-private partnership with the National Park Service and many community organizations to sustain and enhance education programs.
Voyageurs Conservancy submitted a proposal to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) to receive funding from Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). This year, LCCMR received over 218 proposals and selected the Conservancy’s Voyageurs Classroom Initiative as one of their 2024 project recommendations.
With legislative approval, the Conservancy will receive $994,000 over three years for the next phase of the Voyageurs Classroom - connecting more families and youth to Voyageurs National Park than ever before!
The Voyageurs Classroom will connect 17,000 Minnesotans to the unique cultural and ecological space of Voyageurs National Park through outdoor, classroom, and virtual learning opportunities. These statewide Voyageurs Classroom will expand reach and relevance to move the needle from “why visit” to “why help preserve” Voyageurs National Park. In partnership with the National Park Service, we will:
Connect future environmental stewards to Voyageurs by reaching 12,000 K-12 youth through in-park and classroom-based programs
Support 700 National Park Teen Ambassadors on one-day and multi-day canoe trips that encourage connections to cultural stories, environmental stewardship, leadership, and conservation career pathways
Provide career experience for future environmental professionals investing in 18 young adult Field Fellows.
Engage a diverse audience of 5,000 Minnesotans through enhanced recreation and conservation experiences with Voyageurs.
The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund was established in 1998 when voters approved a constitutional amendment to secure permanent funds from Minnesota State Lottery proceeds and investment income.
The function of the LCCMR is to make funding recommendations to the legislature for special environment and natural resource projects, primarily from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). These projects help maintain and enhance Minnesota's environment and natural resources. The LCCMR developed from a program initiated in 1963.
Since 1963, approximately $1.0 billion has been appropriated to more than 2,400 projects recommended to the legislature by the Commission to protect and enhance Minnesota's environment and natural resources. The LCCMR, a coalition of senators, representatives, governors, and citizens, reviews and recommends projects to receive ENRTF funding. Once recommended, the projects are presented to the Minnesota Legislature for approval.
