It’s a Beautiful Day in the NeighborWoods!

Tucked between the homes of Lauderdale, Falcon Heights, and St. Anthony Park neighbors lies a dense stretch of woods. Rather than separating these communities, however, the woods connects them. Breck Woods, the Trolley Trail, and the Lauderdale Nature Area form one continuous stretch of green – which we have come to think of as the “NeighborWoods.” 

Given the pending sales of the Luther Seminary campus and Les Bolstad Golf Course, which are likely to impact Breck Woods and the Trolley Trail, respectively, the future of these woods is uncertain. But in the interim, the woods are still here, lovely, dark and deep.  

Explore! Whether you’ve been walking the woods for decades, or have never before set foot, the woods always has something new to reveal. Greeters at trail entrances will provide a map to help first-time visitors navigate. A tree tour and a self-guided history tour will give neighbors a chance to learn more about the woods. And a scavenger hunt for kids (and adults!) will help open eyes to the woods’ resident flora, fungi, and fauna. 

Play! From the Breck School students of yesteryear to the regular preschool class visitors of today, the woods have long invited play and wonder. On NeighborWoods day, we will invite kids young and old to come “play” – enjoying a pop-up flute concert, creating art and poetry with the woods as co-creator, and even building forts from fallen limbs.

Imagine! The “Postcards from the Future” project last year revealed how community members today see the woods as a source of peace and solace, a living classroom, and a means of connectivity between communities. In the context of the property sales, what can you imagine for the woods’ future? Help us chart future possibilities on a big interactive map.     

Getting there: There are many entrances to these woods, with common ones found near Hoyt & Fulham, Idaho & Carl, and Coffman & Folwell. Check the TransitionASAP.org website for updates on the NeighborWoods event and where to find greeters at trail entrances.

A note: The existing path through the woods is well-worn, but in some places it is steep, rooted, rocky, eroded, or even blocked by a fallen tree. There may also be … bugs! Explorer beware. The event will run, rain or shine, as long as there is no inclement weather. Feel free to drop in any time between 2 and 5.

It’s a beautiful day in the NeighborWoods. We hope to see you there.  

Join us from 2-5pm on Saturday, August 8 for an afternoon in the NeighborWoods!