Our beloved Red Jacket Valley Park is under immediate threat from indiscriminate deforestation and mining activities. Sam Borneke, a local multi-millionaire and road constructor, has recently acquired the 9-acre parcel of land adjacent to the park entrance and is turning it into an open pit gravel mine. His plans threaten to gut a natural sanctuary and wipe out the homes of numerous owls, deer, squirrel, bunnies, birds and bats - all for the profits from a pile of gravel.

Red Jacket Valley Park is a space to escape the hustle and bustle of urban living, offering a slice of serenity amid the rapid pace of our everyday lives. Beautifully maintained by Blue Earth County, it offers a humbling reminder of nature's power, beauty, and tranquility. With its wooded landscapes, peaceful waters, and diverse array of fauna, this park has become a cherished spot for wildlife spotting, swimming or paddling. You see this forest as you ski down the backside of Mount Kato.

Let's not stand aside and allow the whims and wants of an individual to eradicate a natural treasure of biodiversity. We cannot turn a blind eye to the imminent danger this park and its creatures face. The projected consequences of the mining activities won't stop at destroying the park's serenity, it also poses a flooding threat. Once the trees that hold the soil together are eradicated, the once-beautiful forest will turn into hazardous cesspools scattered amongst the equipment and fuel tanks. 

Imagine going there to walk, paddle, or swim and being forced to hear the heavy machinery from his 7am-7pm operations Monday through Saturday. You will be dodging gravel trucks when you drive to the park, as the mine driveway will be on the curve right before the entrance. Our job is to safeguard this sanctuary from the jaws of such irreparable damage.

Join hands with us to protect Red Jacket Valley Park – because every tree saved, every voice heard, and every signature makes a difference. Let's fulfill our obligation to guard the magic of this natural haven for ourselves, our children, and future generations to come.

Please attend the meeting at 6:30pm on March 19 at 788 S. Victory Dr. to support this park just outside the city limits of Mankato. They will vote to deny, delay, or approve after 7:30pm sometime.

Sign this petition now to say NO to deforestation and mining at the entrance Red Jacket Valley Park.