Farview Park is buzzing with more than the summer's last cicadas this Saturday—as it plays host to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's latest effort to give the birds a break. Come August 24, it's all about getting local humans to play a real-life version of Angry Birds—sans the slingshot violence, with more environmental feel-good. Join them at the Farview Recreation Center parking lot, 621 N 29th Ave at 2 pm, for a free Habitat Scavenger Hunt aimed at bolstering the feathered commuters of the Mississippi Flyway.
Getting involved is as easy as wheeling over with the kiddos for bike fitting at 2 pm—free of charge, I might add—or hoofing it up with your walking shoes laced tight. The MPRB, in a clear move to merge fun with function, promises a mixture of guided touresque experience and ecological treasure hunt. Returning to base camp by 3:45 pm, the event includes a mixture of outdoor strolling or riding, eyeballing patches where our avian amigos may want to rest their wings in the future.
Minneapolis's earnest attempt to play connect-the-dots for migrating birds isn't just for kicks either. The area's been long known as a crucial artery in the great annual bird migration along the Mississippi Flyway—a route that sees scores of species shuttling from Canada down to the Gulf of Mexico. Now, the focus is on boosting the hospitality along Minnesota's leg of this sky highway, with the 26th Avenue North habitat corridor getting the pilot project treatment.
Why this corridor? Thanks to a technical and project advisory committee—comprising MPRB staff, diverse agencies, and community organizations—they've come up with a fancy set of criteria to select the MVP of corridors. This little evaluation hinged on habitat quality, equity, the area's environmental zest, potential connectivity, and untapped opportunity, apparently with 26th Avenue taking the top seed. And because good ideas cost money, a grant from the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund, recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, is footin' the bill for this feathered freeway project.
Those looking to contribute more than just their eagle eyes to the initiative can saddle up or step in—your choice of transport is welcome, just don't forget to sign up. From gear-fitting to project overview, then culminating in a recap, the afternoon promises an invigorating dive into green urban planning. After all, what's a city without a little winged diversity to spice up the skyline? Keep it simple, Minneapolis, and maybe those millions of winged visitors will send a thank you tweet from warmer climates. Or, y'know, just keep using the fancy rest stops we build for 'em—same difference.
