By Sami Selter
Assoc. Exec. Director, MN Lakes & Rivers
Curbs are the shorelines of the city.
This past summer, Minnesota Lakes & Rivers, with funding from the Minneapolis Foundation, piloted the Minneapolis Lake Steward program.
The initiative encouraged both homeowners and renters to take simple, positive steps to protect our lakes—planting native gardens, picking up pet waste, adopting a storm drain, or joining community organizations working to safeguard water quality in Lake Harriet.
How the Program Worked: Lake Steward interns hosted booths at local farmers markets around Lake Harriet, where residents were invited to take the “Are You a Minneapolis Lake Steward?” quiz. From July through August, Coordinator Lily Carr scheduled site visits for participants.
Interns used a quick survey to give feedback, suggest simple next steps, and award the Minneapolis Lake Steward sign—a visible badge of commitment that invites neighbors to join in.
Amy, a Minneapolis Lake Steward, noted that her participation in her neighborhood environmental committee helped her better understand both the steps to take and the resources available for lake-friendly landscaping. “The rain garden designers even gave me a map of the plants,” Amy said as she proudly pointed out species in her yard.
The program partnered with local groups like the Minneapolis Park Board, the Lyndhurst Neighborhood Environmental Committee, Lake Harriet Environmental Council, Adopt-a-Drain, and Blue Thumb Partners.
Big or small, every action contributes to healthier lakes, pollinators, and neighborhoods. The pilot fostered a culture of care that set a new norm in the City of Lakes—valuing clean water, resilient habitat, and community collaboration.
Youth Engagement and Community Collaboration
Minnesota Lakes & Rivers partnered with local high school teachers and hired four student interns as evaluators. Over the summer, these students assessed properties, awarded Lake Stewards, and trained in Project Water Education Today curriculum to strengthen their expertise in stormwater management practices.
“I wanted to do something that was helpful for the community that I live in,” shared Zoe, a Lake Steward Intern who spent her summer encouraging residents to care for the lakes they love. Zoe even awarded her grandfather a Lake Steward sign: “He’s building a rain garden, so I was sure he’d pass.”
We are especially grateful to Marcy Bikes, Curioso Coffee, Queermunity, and Broken Clock Brewing for helping host Tunes, Tunes, and Loons—a bike and music event that brought neighbors together to celebrate the summer with a ride through the greenway. Thank you to all who came out, rain or shine, to ride, listen, and connect. And thank you to to musicians Daisy Forester and Emma Jeanne for bring the tunes to the event!
