Paddle Taxi is more than excited to apply.  We think this grant was almost designed with our mission in mind!  Well, actually, it’s the other way around.  These water trails have been in existence since 1967 and have only improved along the years as the water quality improves.

Now, it is easier than ever to get out and paddle on the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area!  We look forward to working alongside the DNR, helping expand our services and social mission.

Innovative medical device, animal health, biotech and health technology ideas.

Innovative ideas, technologies and products that strive to create solutions to society’s environmental issues.

Innovative products, services and solutions in manufacturing, recreation, education and all other ideas.

Innovative web 2.0, mobile, software and hardware ideas.

Innovative solutions to society’s most pressing social problems.

For full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students attending a college or university in Minnesota and who are between the ages of 19 and 30 and have less than 5 years of work experience.

They will be picking 10 finalists out of the 50 applications in our division.  We think Paddle Taxi stands a very great chance to making a lasting impact in the division and among the people, however, it is becoming more clear that the MN Cup will have an even bigger impact on the working staff behind Paddle Taxi.  This is going to be an exciting summer…

While we never want to leave a ‘trace’, sometimes we still want to leave our mark…

Dream Job 101 – Adventure Guiding on the Mississippi: The Good, the Bad and the Wavy

Austin Aho has spent more summer days paddling the Mississippi River than anyone in Minnesota.  In 2011, Austin started a paddleboard tour guide company with the mission of sharing his passion for the Mississippi with others in the Twin Cities, and over the past two summers, Stand Up MN (standupmn.org) has enabled people, mostly beginners, to learn and explore the Mighty Mississippi in new and exciting ways.In this presentation, Austin will share 4 stories from his experiences paddleboarding the Mississippi River and 4 lessons on starting an outdoor adventure company.  You can expect entertaining stories and photos of finding dead bodies and naked ones, hard lessons of legal disputes and cut-throat Groupon negotiations, and souvenirs you should NEVER give a politician.He will also be introducing his latest project: Paddle Taxi, a not-for-profit shuttle service on the Mississippi to provide transportation for your next kayak and canoe adventure!

Now who’s scared?  Let’s get this project started…  We mean kick-started!

We are going to be launching a fundraising campaign which coincides with the Midwest Mountaineering Spring Expo: April 26-28!

So we make a plan.  Identify needs.  Create a plan to acquire resources.  Yet without first-hand experience with resource development, young entrepreneurs, like us, need to take advantage of the tools already available.

Thank GOD for the good people at Springboard for the Arts, who created workshops for exactly this purpose.  We will be attending to get a better grip on crowdsourcing:

  February 25: Crowdfunding Panel

This panel discussion will cover the many facets of crowdfunding through sites such as Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, USAProjects and more. Details below. Questions? Call Carl at 651-292-4381 or email carl@springboardforthearts.org.

Resources of the world are becoming more accessible to people of all colors in the most remote regions of the world.  For proof, just check out Kiva, an amazing micro-lender where I am currently sponsoring $25 towards a Cambodian’s small business.

For a big dream from a small dreamer to actualize, one needs to go outside the box, ask for help, and learn from others who know the path.  We hope to utilize some of these resource development tools, alongside dedicated and stable partners, to build a platform for Paddle Taxi to thrive as an asset to Twin Cities paddlers.

Whether it be Kayak, Canoe, Paddleboard, or row boat, we hope to make the Mississippi more accessible to the common paddler!

Stay tuned for updates on our resource development.  And if you know of a group or individual who would like to join or mission, please contact us!

We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.

Taking care of the national parks and helping Americans take care of their communities is a job we love, and we need – and welcome – your help and support.

What We Do
National Park Service by the Numbers*

$48,000,000,000 incentivized in private historic preservation investment
11,700,000,000 visitors
$5,409,252,508 in preservation and outdoor recreation grants awarded
$2,750,000,000 annual budget
121,603,193 objects in museum collections
97,417,260 volunteer hours
84,000,000 acres of land
4,502,644 acres of oceans, lakes, reservoirs
2,482,104 volunteers
218,000 jobs supported in gateway communities
85,049 miles of perennial rivers and streams
68,561 archeological sites
43,162 miles of shoreline
28,000 employees
27,000 historic structures
2,461 national historic landmarks
582 national natural landmarks
400 endangered species
397 national parks
40 national heritage areas
1 mission: The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.

*numbers are cumulative through the end of FY 2008

Our Employees
More than 20,000 strong, the uncommon men and women of the National Park Service share a common trait: a passion for caring for the nation’s special places and sharing their stories.

• Employee Directory
• Work With Us
• Volunteer
• Our Partners
• Awards & Recognition
  

How We Are Organized
The National Park Service is a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior and is led by a Director nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The Director is supported by senior executives who manage national programs, policy, and budget in the Washington, DC, headquarters and seven regional directors responsible for national park management and program implementation. Collectively, these executives make up our National Leadership Council.

NPS Organizational Chart (pdf- 106k)
Contact Washington Office
Contact Regional Offices
Contact Parks

Learn More

• Overview
• Public Use Statistics
• Park Planning
• NPS Timeline
• Former NPS Directors

Quicklinks

• The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
• Laws & Policies
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Photos and Multimedia
• Maps

The Mississippi River Fund has enabled the Park to lead stewardship and education activities throughout the corridor, from wildlife monitoring to shoreline restoration to formal education. There are many effective organizations in the community that are dedicated to specific facets of the Mississippi River. The National Park Service provides the leadership to bring these organizations together to meet the common goals of increasing and better coordinating stewardship, restoration and education programs on the Mississippi River. By providing significant support to the Park and its partners, the Mississippi River Fund boosts the activities of all organizations in the community–increasing community engagement in the Mississippi River watershed.

The Mississippi River Fund plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the National Park is preserved, protected and enhanced for the enjoyment and education of all. The Fund is a source of vital funding as well as a source of community connection, expertise, advocacy and inspiration for the Park. The Mississippi River Fund champions the Park and facilitates public / private partnerships that build community support for this national treasure.

Together, we have…

• Restored more than 200 acres of river habitat at our most beloved sites like the Gorge and Indian Mounds Park
• Planted 5,700 trees and 8,000 native plants
• Engaged 2,000 volunteers and 3,000 volunteer hours
• “Sworn in” more than 1,500 Junior Rangers to our National Park
• Enabled 20,000 school children to go on the Big River Journey—many on full scholarship
• Produced one park movie about our Mississippi River
• Created a citizen bird monitoring program
• Provided thousands of public programs with National Park Service Rangers!

The Mississippi River Network partner organizations established three policy priorities at the 2009 Annual Meeting, which broadly include:

• Implementing Principles & Requirements for water project planning and decision-making, as required under the Water Resources Development Act, so that there is an ever-increasing reliance on natural infrastructure and processes

The Mississippi River Network: Headwaters to Gulf and 1 Mississippi are brought to you by the Walton Family Foundation and the McKnight Foundation.