It was an honor for National Park Trust to be involved with the City of Dayton to help protect lands within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
 

JoAnn Kyral, Superintendent, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), echoed the general attitude at the ceremony, "This is a prime stretch of undeveloped land along the Mississippi River in the Metropolitan Area. Thanks again for the support of the National Park Trust in this acquisition! It is a beautiful stretch of bluff land with spectacular views. I know that the City of Dayton is extremely appreciative of the Trust's support. The National Park Service is equally appreciative of the $30,000 contribution by the Trust to the Cloquet Overlook Park."

The Upper Mississippi is part of one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet. It is a flyway for neotropical songbirds and a critical migration corridor for 40% of North America's ducks, geese, swans and wading birds. The river environment is home to an incredible array of fish, wildlife, and plants, and is essential to the ecological health of the North American Continent. In turn, MNRRA offers recreational opportunities to millions in the Twin Cities each year, seeking riverside parks, hiking, biking, fishing and bird watching. The majority of Twin Cities residents consider the river essential to their quality of life.

In 1680, Father Louis Hennepin, a priest who was sent from the Illinois country to explore the Upper Mississippi River, discovered and named the Falls of Saint Anthony, which later became the site of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/ Saint Paul. Soon afterwards, the French began trading furs on the Mississippi and its principal tributary, the Minnesota River. Deriving its name from the Sioux minne, meaning water, the life of Minneapolis has always been inextricably woven together with the life of the river. Early growth in Minneapolis was promoted by lumbering in the region's hardwood forests. Later, wheat from the western Minnesota prairies and lumber from the pine and fir forests of northeast Minnesota sustained the economic boom. The Mighty Mississippi has helped us grow as a nation by carrying us wherever we wanted to go and has helped provide the resources that have made us the greatest nation in the world.

Standing on the magnificent bluffs, looking north and south, it is clear that this grand old friend transcends our normal designations as a resource. From Itasca State Park, MN to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River runs through the heart of America. Yet…I think that its stately course also runs through the hearts of every American. Mark Twain once said, "the river is a wonderful book [with] a new story every day." Mr. Twain would be glad the National Park Trust was able to help preserve a page of this great American story.

"We at the Trust are excited about our relationship with the City of Dayton and the state of Minnesota to help preserve this important resource," said Paul Pritchard, President of NPT. "I have had the pleasure to visit the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and travel the "mother river" of our nation. The Mississippi River is a remarkable and majestic resource that is unmistakably American."

Founded in 1983, the National Park Trust is the only land conservancy uniquely dedicated to preserving America's national system of parks, wildlife and historic monuments.

For more information contact: 
National Park Trust (NPT)
(202) 548-0500
npt@parktrust.org
http://www.parktrust.org