Horticulture Academy

Part of the Blooming Saint Paul program is the Horticulture Academy. The Academy, established in 2005, is a job training program teaching at-risk youth job skills for the "green" industry. Each summer, through a series of structured curriculum, forty youth learn job skills and the basics of plant anatomy, entomology, ecosystems, soil, garden design and job opportunities using these skills. Some of the youth have moved on to study horticulture at school, work at other green businesses and become leaders in the Horticulture Academy - teaching other youth the same skills.

Fertile Ground: Parenting and Nature

Fertile Ground is a personal look at the relationship between humans and nature through the eyes of a parent. Taking into account his own childhood and parenting experiences, Mark Granlund weaves together insights and practical ideas for raising children in a nature-minded manner.

Included in Fertile Ground is information on developmental theories by Piaget and Erikson and how nature activities can support your child’s physical, psychosocial and cognitive development. Stories of children and families interacting with nature, an overview of our development in relation to nature and many resources provide parents with information needed to parent in partnership with the planet.
Go to Fertile Ground

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Education Department

From 1994 to 2003, Mark Granlund worked at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory under the title of Resident Artist. Under that title, he established the education department for the zoo and conservatory. He developed programming for adults, children, families and school groups. Programs included art classes, zoological classes, gardening classes, birthday parties and lecture series. Mark also established the Botanical Art and Illustration program.

Mark established a partnership with Como Park Elementary School and wrote environmental and arts education curriculum for the school.

He developed registration, class confirmation and budget tracking systems, as well as class brochures and marketing plans.

Mark presented at regional and national conferences on the role of arts in environmental education and also coordinated music events, a garden art gallery and the Como Conservatory's 80th Anniversary Celebration activities.

Mark raised over $300,000 in grants for education programming that was successful enough for the State of Minnesota legislature, in 2002, to award the zoo and conservatory $21 million to build an education center with classrooms, an auditorium, program animal facilities and an educational plant greenhouse.

Natural Wonders: A Guide to Early Childhood for Environmental Educators

This manual, created by the Minnesota Early Childhood Environmental Education Consortium and edited by Marcie Oltman, helps environmental educators better understand early childhood development to provide specialized programming for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families. This manual was funded in 2001-2002 by the Minnesota Office of Environomental Assistance. Mark Granlund was one of seven members of the Minnesota Early Childhood Environmental Education Consortium.