Be a Lake Steward – Protect What You Love
The City of Lake Stewards program is a new Minneapolis pilot drawing on the successful statewide Lake Steward Program. It’s a positive, voluntary, neighbor-to-neighbor effort that empowers homeowners and renters to take simple, effective steps to protect our lakes—like planting native gardens, picking up pet waste, or adopting a storm drain.
This program is easy to join, low-pressure, and designed to meet you where you’re at—whether you’re a seasoned water protector or just getting started. Every action, no matter how small, helps. It’s about shifting the needle together, one yard, one block, one lake at a time.
When you meet the criteria, you’ll earn a Minneapolis Lake Steward sign to proudly display—showing your commitment and inspiring others to join in. Together, we’re creating a new norm: one that values clean water, healthy shorelines, and thriving pollinators.
Minneapolis is the City of Lakes—let’s keep it that way.
Launched on Lake Harriet in summer 2025, thanks to RT Rybak and the Minneapolis Foundation.
Minnesota Lakes & Rivers partnered with Washburn and Southwest high schools to hire students seeking to develop their resumes and gain experience in the field. These 4 student interns spent the summer evaluating properties, awarding Lake Stewards and becoming experts in behaviors to successfully manage stormwater runoff to protect our lakes.
How does the City of Lake Stewards program work?
- Potential participants take the “Are you a Minneapolis Lake Steward?” quiz online to get connected with an evaluator, and indicate their interest in getting involved.
- Quiz respondents get contacted with more information- Site visits will be scheduled for summertime, when plants are up. In the meantime, you’ll be contacted by a representative from Minnesota Lakes & Rivers to prepare to ensure you can meet criteria for a Minneapolis Lake Steward award.
- Site visit Once springtime hits, you’ll be contacted to schedule your site visit! These visits are quick, personal, and positive. Evaluators are there to let you know what you’re doing right, what next steps you could take, and answer your questions!
- Award The best part! As a Minneapolis Lake Steward, you get to display your sign as a badge of honor and as a subtle yet powerful signal to your neighbors that it should be standard practice to protect water.
Through these simple steps, you can help bring everyone into the fold of water protection. We all have a stake in the health of our lakes and we can all be a part of the solution.
The City of Lake Stewards program emphasizes the importance of collaboration in a variety of ways.
- MN Lakes and Rivers has partnered with Washburn and Southwest high schools to train student interns as evaluators and community leaders- equipping them with the tools to facilitate conversations with their neighbors because we’re not just protecting the lake for right now, but ensuring sustainable protection for future generations.
- Lake Steward works through Neighborhood Associations and other local partners already doing great work in the community-
Thank you to the Lynnhurst Environmental Committee, Lake Harriet Environmental Council, Minneapolis Park Board, Lynnhurst, Fulton, East Harriet, and Linden Hills Neighborhood Associations, and Adopt a Drain, and Bluethumb partners for lending their time and expertise to this effort.
Thanks to all who participated in the inaugural City of Lake Stewards summer!
Be on the lookout for ‘Minneapolis Lake Steward’ signs. These property owners are protecting water by filtering runoff, providing habitat, and stabilizing soil on their properties, as well as volunteering and educating their peers! Thank them for their hard work!