Carpenter Nature Center

At Carpenter Nature Center, our apples are proudly grown using integrated pest management practices. The result? A healthier environment, and safer apples for you and your family. Click through the slideshow below to learn more!

Pledging to help pollinators is helping the world. The various species that pollinate plants have a large impact on our ecosystem. The goal of the Pollinator Species Resolution is to encourage pollinator habitats and increase pollinator populations. Carpenter Nature Center has signed the Pollinator Pledge to assist with the goals of the Pollinator Species Resolution. The undersigned recognize the critical importance of pollinator habitat both restored and maintained on public and private lands, particularly found within the St. Croix River Watershed and adjacent counties within Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Carpenter Nature Center is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, all of whom actively support our mission and goals. Paul joined CNC's Board in 2018. He is a resident of River Falls, WI, and travels across the country as an Environmental Engineer for 3M. From a young age, Paul enjoyed being outdoors fishing, camping, and backpacking, and that affinity for the environment has continued into his adulthood. As a student at Michigan State, and Miami of Ohio, he studied Chemical Engineering and Zoology.

The fulfillment of the promise of the Wisconsin Campus is an honor and a responsibility, which we accept in close collaboration with our partners. Plans for the Interpretive Center have been deliberately developed through discussion with Carpenter's Board of Directors, our Wisconsin neighbors, the Town of Troy, and many community organizations and educators.

As the energy needs of the world grow, and the supply of fossil fuels shrink, many are turning to alternative energy options such as solar. CNC joined the alternative energy movement in 2012 with the installation of solar panels on the roof of our pavilion. The energy produced by the panels helps power the electrical systems in our Visitor Center. Click through the slideshow below to learn more!

Since the initial gift of land by the Heins in 1989, Carpenter has always envisioned, and worked toward, a permanent facility on the Wisconsin Campus that would help to further our mission. In 2008, we acquired the final parcel for the Wisconsin Campus and, since then, have worked to develop a natural resource management plan approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and an Integrated Site Plan. We have strategically built up awareness and support in the Hudson community and beyond, as well as increased fundraising and staffing so that we can staff both the Minnesota and Wisconsin Campuses daily.

Situated on the St. Croix River bluffs south of Hudson, Wisconsin is the 300-acre preserve owned by Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center - a broad prairie and a wooded hillside, an old farmstead and an oak savanna, linked together by winding trails, which are loved by all who walk them. It is protected and managed for native species, and is the future home of an Interpretive Center developed by and for our community. For more than 35 years, Carpenter has operated a successful location near Hastings, Minnesota, with consistent community support and thousands of visitors each year.

At Carpenter Nature Center, we work to reduce our impact in the environment by trying to be a zero waste center. This means, whenever possible, we use products that can be reused, recycled or composted. One of the ways we reduce waste is by encouraging people to bring waste free lunches. The average child's lunch creates 67 pounds of waste per school year. A helpful hint to consider when producing little waste is: Paper Products and Food can be composted. Try to use these products when you can or use recyclable or reusable materials.

The mission of Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center is fostering a lifelong appreciation of the natural world through environmental education, habitat conservation and outdoor experiences. Nestled at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers near Hastings, and located only thirty minutes from the metro, Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Centerprovides a unique opportunity to learn and explore the outdoors. With property on both theMinnesotaandWisconsinsides of the scenic St. Croix River, we are able to preserve wildlife habitat while also providing educational experiences for community families.