St. Paul is set to begin remediation of 40 acres in the North End that will be restored as part of the Trout Brook Regional Trail corridor in the area near the new Maryland Avenue bridge and Interstate 35E.

Work is to begin in the spring on what will become the Trillium Nature Sanctuary.

More than half of the $4 million for the project comes from the city. The state and federal Environmental Protection Agency also are pitching in, but a funding gap of just under $1 million remains.

Trillium will be returned to a natural corridor and water course for fish, birds and other animals.

Trout Brook was once a natural water course from Lake McCarrons in Roseville to the Mississippi River. But the brook was filled in and the corridor was used to move goods and services by rail to and from the river with grades cut by the stream.

The project includes a series of ponds and wetlands, a trailhead with restrooms and nature trails.