Volunteer group tends to Eden Prairie spring threatened by buckthorn

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — A group of dedicated volunteers are fighting for a true marvel of nature in Eden Prairie.
The Fredrick-Miller Spring has a steady stream of visitors who make regular trips to the groundwater tap to fill up whatever containers they can. The spring has been in continuous use since the 1800s. It’s always running and is completely free.
Willow Halonen has enjoyed the well water since 2008.
“I don’t drink coffee, tea, anything else,” she said. “I just drink this water.”
Now, Halonen is helping lead the fight to preserve the spring and the surrounding land.
A few years ago, she helped push back against a subdivision development proposal. Halonen says the project is now in litigation.
The latest encroachment is the invasive species, buckthorn.
“The traditional process of buckthorn removal will contaminate the groundwater, because it puts herbicide down to kill the buckthorn,” Halonen said.
For months, Halonen and others have visited on their own time to cut as much buckthorn down as they can.
“It’s almost an Indigenous way of being, saying, ‘Hey, we’re here to care for the land,'” said Jeff Borowiak, another volunteer. “We’re doing a long-term approach to it in terms of stewardship.”
Halonen says she’ll move if the water gets contaminated. Her passion isn’t as contagious as she and the volunteers would like. They’re always looking for people to help.
“This environment has to matter to everybody, especially the water-drinkers,” Halonen said.
Borowiak says his work as a volunteer steward has been immensely rewarding.
“Part of the fulfillment of life, at least for me, is caring for a chunk of land and committing to it,” he said.
The city of Eden Prairie says it’s happy the volunteers are cutting the buckthorn.
If they weren’t, the city says it wouldn’t be using herbicides near the spring, even though it does use herbicide in other places.