In the early 1990s a one-acre forest in Hopkins, Minnesota was saved from townhouse development when a small number of homeowners agreed to pay for this passive area over a 15-year period.

The group was named the Oaks Folks by Peg Meier of the Star Tribune newspaper of Minneapolis.

Oaks Folks, in front of an old-growth tree:

Front row, seated:
Malora Carlson, Joey Carlson, both deceased. See the Recycling Page for information on their support of the project.

Back row:
Vernon Isaak, Patricia Isaak, Irene Ibsen, Jack Glasgow

Not pictured: Carrie Kennedy

Officers at time of organization in 1992:
Larry McNeff, Joey Carlson, Lisa Benson, Norma Glasgow. Membership - 14.

Members deceased: Betty Carroll, Ken Ibsen.

The Oaks Folks, with your help, raised the awareness of the importance of saving green spaces and setting an example of what can be done by a small, grassroots group, supported by hundreds of people.

About the Oaks Folks: all volunteer; time, money and many resources were donated; no phone solicitations, no mass mailings; mailing list has not been shared. Every dollar contributed to the campaign through August 2003 went into the payment fund.