Clean River Partners

Nature is queer, and queerness is natural. Here at Clean River Partners, we are excited to announce the launch of a new nature club called QUEERY (Queer Unity, Environmental Education, and Recreation for Youth). This club is specifically designed for queer and questioning middle and high school youth. It will be run by trans non-binary naturalist and CRP Community Engagement Coordinator, Heron Mahr. QUEERY will provide a space for queer youth to learn outdoor skills, connect with others, and explore how queerness shows up in nature.

The program will address the lack of environmental education and outdoor skill-building opportunities for queer and questioning youth in our rural area. Some of the group activities will include kayaking on the Cannon River, hiking in local parks, an overnight camping trip, volunteering at land restoration events, and Indigenous land stewardship education.

Our hope is that this project will empower queer youth in southeastern Minnesota to get outdoors, connect youth from different backgrounds, and inspire them to care for nature in the face of the climate crisis. We are grateful to have received funds from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources No Child Left Inside grant program to support our efforts. All donations to this fundraiser will help us match the grant (which is a requirement). Help us reach our goal of $10,500!