Cedar Creek

At 590 acres, this natural area along Cedar Creek and the Rum River—a state Wild and Scenic River—is one of the largest undeveloped landscapes in the Twin Cites metro region. TPL stepped in to acquire the land for a county natural area after negotiations between the county and a development group stalled.

Named the Cedar Creek Conservation Area, the site features 1 1/2 miles of Cedar Creek shoreline and three-quarters of a mile of Rum River shoreline. The county is adding unpaved trails and a fishing dock, and will restore nearly a third of the land to its natural prairie habitat.

Funding for the project came in part from the state’s landmark 2008 Clean Water, Land, and legacy Amendment and from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).