Community Spotlight: Saint Paul, Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota, is committed to innovation, inclusivity and community engagement, leading efforts to make nature and play accessible to children of all backgrounds. The city is strengthening its focus on developing green playspaces and youth nature programs to promote health and well-being through its involvement in two national initiatives. Since joining the Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) initiative in 2016, which laid the foundation for becoming a Nature Everywhere Community, Saint Paul has advanced nature access and experiences for children throughout the city. Additionally, the City participates in KABOOM!’s 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, accelerating progress to close the playspace gap by incorporating nature-based elements.

One of Saint Paul’s defining strengths is its dedication to involving youth in decision-making. Programming staff undergo training in program evaluation methods and consistently incorporate participant feedback to enhance initiatives. This is particularly evident in the city’s Explore Outdoors Initiative, which has successfully established several BIPOC and equity-based recreation programs.

With the support of CCCN, Saint Paul conducted comprehensive research within communities of color to understand how residents engage with nature. This included a policy scan, community engagement and partnership exploration. The resulting implementation plan led to three key strategies, which the City has continued to implement successfully.

1. Expanding the Nature-Smart Library Program

Saint Paul has introduced six Nature-Smart Library locations at Hamline Midway, Highland Park, Merriam Park, Riverview, Saint Anthony Park and Sun Ray. These libraries offer Nature Smart backpacks containing books and activities centered around themes such as monarch butterflies, trees and birds. Additionally, each location features a garden or outdoor space, allowing families to explore nature firsthand while utilizing backpack materials.

2. Activating Underutilized Park Spaces with Nature

To increase access to outdoor recreation, Saint Paul has worked to activate underutilized park spaces by engaging youth in out-of-school-time programs, including day camps. In 2017, the city partnered with the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities and the National Park Service to host a day camp at Hidden Falls Regional Park. In its first year, over 150 campers from nonprofit partners participated in activities such as hiking, fort building, fishing, canoeing, environmental education and more. Since then, the program has grown to serve 450 youth, offering many young people their first experiences in outdoor recreation. The Mississippi River serves as a natural classroom, teaching campers about the environment while they engage in sports, arts and exploration. 

Today, the city continues its commitment to equitable nature-based play spaces as a member of the Nature Everywhere Communities Play Equity cohort. The city plans to evolve its efforts to activate play spaces with a nature-based focus.

3. Supporting Young Adults Through the Natural Leaders Program

Saint Paul’s Explore Outdoors Work Group provides nature-focused training for youth-serving staff across city programs. In the past year, this training series included six workshops covering topics such as nature play and urban ecology. Fifty-one participants from various organizations — including Saint Paul Parks and Recreation (SPPR), Saint Paul Public Libraries (SPPL) and the YMCA — took part in these workshops.

The program outcomes include:

• A deeper understanding of nature-based learning
• Increased comfort with sustainability and environmental themes
• Hands-on activities for educators to implement in their programs
• Take-home resources for continued engagement

These efforts have contributed to Saint Paul’s recognition as having one of the best park systems in the country. In 2023, the Trust for Public Land ranked Saint Paul’s park system second in the nation based on acreage, investment and accessibility. With 184 parks, over 120 miles of trails, and 17 miles of shoreline along the Mississippi River, Saint Paul offers ample opportunities for outdoor exploration. Additionally, 99% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.

Beyond the natural resources, Saint Paul’s strength lies in its commitment to people and innovation. Passionate staff and strong community partnerships ensure that children and communities of color have meaningful access to outdoor experiences. Some examples of the City’s innovative programs include:

• Frogtown Farm and Gardens – An urban farm on parkland that promotes sustainable agriculture.
• Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom – An 18-acre outdoor classroom offering environmental education.
• BIPOC Outdoors Program – Focused on increasing outdoor access and representation for communities of color.
• Conservation Corps Partnership – Providing hands-on environmental job training for youth.
• Adventure in the Neighborhood – Bringing outdoor programming directly into communities.

Saint Paul continues to set a national example for connecting children with nature. By expanding outdoor learning opportunities, activating public spaces with nature-based play and fostering diverse partnerships, the city is ensuring that all youth — regardless of background — have access to meaningful and enriching experiences in nature.

As one of the cities hosting the Children & Nature Network’s 2025 Nature Everywhere Conference, Saint Paul’s innovative initiatives will undoubtedly inspire conference participants to follow suit, ensuring that every child can explore and appreciate the natural world right in their own neighborhood.

Nature Everywhere Communities initiative

The Nature Everywhere Communities initiative was launched in November 2023 by the Children & Nature Network, National League of Cities and KABOOM!, with the goal of advancing equitable access to nature everywhere children live, learn and play in 100 communities by 2025. 

The effort builds on lessons learned over the past nine years of providing technical assistance, training, resources and grants in more than 50 U.S. cities through Cities Connecting Children to Nature, a program specifically designed for municipal leaders. Nature Everywhere Communities is an expansion of this proven approach, as it welcomes leadership from both city and regional governments as well as school districts and the nonprofit, philanthropic and private sectors. 

Communities can join the Nature Everywhere Communities initiative through the Action Challenge. The Action Challenge is a self-paced approach to advancing equitable access to nature everywhere children live, learn and play.

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