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Big Willow Park is one of the gems in Minnetonka's park system, with several miles of trails and paths winding along the Minnehaha Creek corridor and through adjacent wooded areas. Used for farmland until the mid-twentieth century, this area now provides hints of pre-settlement plant communities from wetland and floodplain forest to oak woodland and savanna.
Restoration efforts in this park focus on managing invasive species in all habitats, actively assessing and addressing dead or dying trees, and seeding or planting to increase diversity and resilience to changing climate conditions. In addition to restoration, staff - with the support of volunteers and contractors - will conduct long-term maintenance to monitor tree health, identify and manage familiar or new invasive species, and conduct controlled burns as needed to clear debris and promote native plant growth.
Big Willow Park is one of the gems in Minnetonka's park system, with several miles of trails and paths winding along the Minnehaha Creek corridor and through adjacent wooded areas. Used for farmland until the mid-twentieth century, this area now provides hints of pre-settlement plant communities from wetland and floodplain forest to oak woodland and savanna.
Restoration efforts in this park focus on managing invasive species in all habitats, actively assessing and addressing dead or dying trees, and seeding or planting to increase diversity and resilience to changing climate conditions. In addition to restoration, staff - with the support of volunteers and contractors - will conduct long-term maintenance to monitor tree health, identify and manage familiar or new invasive species, and conduct controlled burns as needed to clear debris and promote native plant growth.
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June 2025
Staff conducted outreach with residents and volunteers to discuss restoration and maintenance goals. The preliminary restoration and maintenance plan were presented to the Bark Board. Park Board comments will be incorporated into the planning document and the plan will be made available for public feedback.
Summer 2025 through 2027
Restoration and plant community maintenance work will be enhanced by prioritization strategies developed in the plan.
Big Willow Park is one of the gems in Minnetonka's park system, with several miles of trails and paths winding along the Minnehaha Creek corridor and through adjacent wooded areas. Used for farmland until the mid-twentieth century, this area now provides hints of pre-settlement plant communities from wetland and floodplain forest to oak woodland and savanna.
