The Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to pay $525,000 for 11 acres of vacant land along the southern border of Cottage Grove Regional Park, expanding the park's boundaries along East Point Douglas Road. The land is part of a 14-acre privately held parcel; the owner will keep 3 acres that include a house and outbuildings.

The county paid for the acreage using Land and Water Legacy Program (LWLP) money; the county later this year will ask the Metropolitan Council to reimburse the LWLP funds for 75% of the cost. According to the county, it has used LWLP funds and the help of partners to complete 40 land protection projects on more than 1,300 acres since the passage of a $20 million bond referendum creating the LWLP for the preservation of water quality, woodlands, and other natural areas.

The 515-acre Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park includes hills, heavily wooded ravines and clearings of old field and prairie. It offers a wide range of outdoor activities year-round. It's known as a home for grouse, ermine, cottontail rabbits, deer and a number of bird species, including the pileated woodpecker, according to the county.