Join us for Wild Rivers Conservancy’s Summer Campfire Connections Series, led by Community Engagement Intern Alex Wojnicki! This summer, Wild Rivers Conservancy aims to connect communities that use the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers with local traditions, stories, and art to promote equitable use of our beloved natural resource. Through multiple community events and programs across the rivers, we hope to foster a deeper connection and appreciation. Follow along as we journey from the Upper Namekagon all the way down to Afton, Minnesota, learning more about the river and gaining knowledge from those around us.

Our final two Summer Campfire Connections events, led by Community Engagement Intern Alex Wojnicki, will connect our minds and bodies to the Riverway through the mediums of poetry and journaling.

We are lucky to have special guests collaborating with each event. Rosie Peters, a local poet, author, public speaker, storyteller, and activist will be present at the “Poetry in the Park” event. Greg Seitz, founder and author from St. Croix 360, will bring his writing expertise to “Climate Journaling at Afton State Park.”

River Poetry in the Park With Rosie Peters

Thursday, August 8 · 6:30 – 8:30pm
William O’Brien State Park
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Our fourth stop takes us to William O’Brien State Park, where we will connect our minds and bodies to the Riverway through the medium of poetry. This event will allow us to reach into our deeper thoughts about the river and what it means to us. By using our creative minds, we can envision what the river should look like and how we can use the river while not harming its inhabitants. We will end the night with a campfire social with s’mores.

Rosetta “Rosie” Peters is a poet, author, public speaker, storyteller, and activist. She is of Yankton, Crow Creek, and Oglala descent and is excited to be a part of the revitalization of her ancestral language, Dakota. Rosie is the recipient of a 2020 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Individuals grant and a 2021 Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Next Step grant. She has performed her poetry throughout the Midwest, often with live musical accompaniment by Minnesota composer/musician JG Everest. In 2022, Peters and Everest recorded and released a chapbook album of original work titled “The Hummingbird’s Dance.”

Climate Journaling with Greg Seitz

Thursday, August 15 · 6:30 – 8:30pm
Afton State Park
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Our final stop takes us to Afton State Park, where we will use journaling to envision what the river should look like and how we can recreate without harming its inhabitants. Be ready to share thoughts on how to and why we need to protect the river from the effects of climate change. This event will include a short hike at multiple locations throughout the park in order to inspire participants to share their ideas around the campfire at the end of the event.

With artful prose, a strong sense of place, and attention to detail, Greg Seitz shares stories that inspire and inform environmental stewardship and cultural connectivity. Greg is the founder of St. Croix 360, which has shared stories about the St. Croix River to inspire stewardship since 2010.