Big changes are coming to the Gopher Campfire Wildlife Sanctuary in Hutchinson.

Working together, the city, Gopher Campfire and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have developed a plan that calls for raising $166,000 to stabilize the pond banks, tree plantings, water control structures, visitor seating, signage, a new eight-foot security fence, prairie restoration, an interpretative building and refurbishment of existing structures.

According to Skip Quade, president of the nonprofit fundraising group, Gopher Campfire Sanctuary Inc., about $30,000 of the work has been substantially completed including improving the ******, riprapping the pond with boulders and setting the culverts.

The sanctuary improvements are one of the projects planned for Gopher Campfire Conservation Club’s 100th anniversary next year. The club, founded in 1909, is the oldest conservation club in the state.

To read more, see the print edition of today's Hutchinson Leader, Tuesday, May 6, 2008.

(Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Hutchinson Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com).