Data Maven Joins the Loppet Foundation for Habitat Restoration

• Date: October 23, 2025

Our team in front of the pile of buckthorn we cleared — proof of a productive evening! (Left to right: Kristin, Aaron, Alexia and Natasha)

At Data Maven, we spend most of our days writing code, analyzing trends and helping partners make sense of complex public health data. But this Fall, we swapped our laptops for loppers to get our hands dirty with the Loppet Foundation’s Environmental Action Project (LEAP) at Theodore Wirth Park!

Our team contributed to this much larger community effort to remove invasive buckthorn threatening the park’s natural habitats. Working alongside LEAP, we learned just how much teamwork (and upper body strength) goes into protecting one of the best remaining oak savannas in the Twin Cities.

So, what exactly were we doing out there? Habitat restoration! It’s the process of removing harmful, non-native plants (like buckthorn) and helping native plants and trees reclaim their space. While the work of cutting down brush might seem small, it adds up to a big ecological impact. The slow-growing oak trees that thrive in these savannas are essential to local wildlife, providing food and shelter for over 500 species of insects and countless birds and mammals. In contrast, buckthorn berries offer little nutrition (and can even be toxic), leaving birds in a kind of ecological “food desert.”

Beyond the science, there’s something deeply rewarding about being part of this effort. As we cleared brush and uncovered sunlight for oak seedlings, we learned about the cultural and ecological importance of these landscapes — from their historical role in Dakota land stewardship to their ongoing value in supporting biodiversity and community well-being. Restoring a savanna is a long-term process — one that takes patience, persistence, and a lot of collective energy. But as we watched more light break through the canopy and native plants start to return, it was clear that every stem cut and branch hauled made a difference.

For a data-driven team like ours, it’s refreshing to connect with another kind of system — one that can’t be modeled in R or mapped in a dashboard. We left Theodore Wirth Park with sore muscles and a renewed appreciation for the interconnectedness of ecosystems — both environmental and social. Thanks to the Loppet Foundation and LEAP for leading this important work and reminding us that data isn’t the only thing worth tending to carefully.

Buckthorn closeup, berries and leaves.

Smiling while carrying brush.