River Bend Nature Center

For students across Minnesota, a field trip to a nature center is the ultimate classroom adventure. Fresh air, hands-on learning, and a deep dive into Minnesota’s incredible landscapes. Now, that’s education at its best! And for thousands of students in the Faribault School District—including the nearby Jefferson Elementary, another TPL project—that experience just got even better.

Thanks to Trust for Public Land, over 45 acres have been added to River Bend Nature Center, creating more space to explore prairies, savannas, wetlands, and the diverse wildlife that call this place home. We’re teaming up with local partners to restore the land, ensuring a thriving habitat for native species and even more ways to connect with nature—whether it’s hiking, skiing, fishing, or birding. As the City of Faribault continues to grow and serve diverse communities, we’re helping protect precious open space in a region where private land ownership dominates. Because at TPL, we believe students of every age deserve an outdoor classroom that inspires learning, adventure, and a lifelong love of nature.

Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).