ACD's Pollinator Conservation Programs, Successful in 2024!

We collected over 3.2 pounds of native wildflower seed with the help of volunteers. Photo: Volunteers show off native seed collected at Mikkelson Wildlife Management Area.
We surveyed over 14 acres, at 5 sites, for monarch butterflies, caterpillars, and the native blooming nectar plants they need to survive. Photo: Volunteers survey a prairie at Cedar Creek Conservation Area for monarch butterflies and blooming wildflowers.
ACD received funding for building pollinator habitat corridors in residential areas through the Lawns to Legumes Pollinator Pathways program. This grant will allow us to install 15 acres of pollinator habitat over the next 2-years.
ACD received a Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program (HELP) grant from the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) to enhance 120 acres of habitat for pollinators. Key activities will include diversifying wildflower species available in natural areas and planting additional acres of pollinator habitat.

ACD's pollinator conservation programs were made possible by grant funding from BWSR and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Monarch Conservation program. For more information contact Logan Olson, Restoration Technician, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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Donate Native Wildflower Seed!

You can contribute to ACD's efforts to enhance habitats across Anoka County by collecting wildflower seed! You can send us a picture of the plant if you're uncertain of the ID. You can tell that seeds are ready to collect when they are dry and hardened. Milkweed plants produce large seed pods. Their seeds are ready to collect when the pods begin to brown in color and split open with gentle pressure. We prefer that seed is detached from its fluff. See an example of how to clean milkweed seed

Photo: Milkweed seeds collected by ACD staff. Milkweed seeds are ready when the pod turns from green to brown and splits open easily. The seeds should be brown and hardened. Allow the seed to air dry after collecting to prevent mold.

When collecting seed, please follow these guidelines:

  1. Never collect more than 1/3 of available seeds from a given area.
  2. Always have landowner permission before collecting seeds. Do not collect seeds from public lands without a permit!
See the Monarch Joint Venture or Xerces site for more tips and videos. Please include a note listing the species, your name, and where the seed was collected. You can drop off native seed or mail it in to the ACD office: 1318 McKay Drive NE, Suite 300, Ham Lake 55304. Direct any questions to Logan Olson, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thanks for contributing to habitat enhancement in Anoka County! 
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Check Out ACD's Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities!

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Monitor Monarch's and their Habitats with ACD!

Come participate with ACD's Monarch monitoring efforts! ACD staff will provide all the training and materials you need.

Learn to:
- Identify blooming prairie plants
- Find and observe Monarch butterfly eggs and larvae
- Record activities of adult Monarch butterflies

Event info:
Thursday June 20th, 4:00pm-7:00pm
Cedar Creek Conservation Area: 18510 Lake George Blvd, Oak Grove
Note: this event will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather.

You can RSVP for this event by completing a quick google form. For more information contact Logan Olson, Restoration Technician, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thanks for volunteering with ACD! 

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Monitor Monarch Butterflies and their Habitats with ACD!

ACD is looking for volunteers to participate in upcoming Monarch and Monarch habitat monitoring efforts. ACD will host a number of volunteer events this summer in natural areas across Anoka County. We will provide all the training and materials you will need. Your work will contribute to a national dataset helping conservationists better understand and protect the Monarch. 

As a volunteer you will be trained to:
- Identify blooming prairie plants which provide Monarch habitat resources
- Find and observe Monarch eggs and larvae
- Record activities of adult Monarchs

Join us for this fun opportunity to explore natural areas of Anoka County while learning about Monarch conservation! You can indicate your interest in volunteering this summer by completing a quick google form. For more information contact Logan Olson, Restoration Technician, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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