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EXPLORE THE EXPO ZONES
A five-zone climate journey—Arid, Tropical, Temperate, Continental, and North Star Zones—where living collections, design prototypes, and hands-on experiences showcase how plants, people, and innovation shape a better future.
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As the official rights holder of Expo 2031 Minnesota, USA, we’re convening the nation’s top growers, suppliers, designers, and researchers to bring these zones to life.
5 THEMATIC BIODOMES
Welcome to the Expo 2031 Minnesota Climate Zones
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The World’s Living Laboratory
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Here, the planet tells its story through five living landscape biodome experiences
each one a reflection of how humanity and horticulture meet.
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From desert roots to northern lights, this is a journey through these climate ecosystems that shape our shared future.
ABOUT THE EXPO ZONE BIODOMES
Each Expo Zone features its own climate-controlled Biodome, an immersive environment designed to replicate and celebrate its unique ecosystem. Within each Biodome, visitors journey through curated horticultural collections, multisensory storytelling, and living design prototypes that demonstrate the future of sustainable life on Earth. From desert resilience and tropical abundance to temperate comfort, continental adaptability, and northern native landscapes, these Biodomes offer fully realized microclimates where science, culture, and creativity converge—showcasing how plants and technology together shape healthier, more beautiful futures
THEMATIC EXPRESSIONS OF GLOBAL CLIMATES
Arid Zone
Design for drylands
Overview
A living laboratory for hot-dry cities—high sun, large day–night swings—where shade-first urban design meets regenerative desert agriculture. Explore xeric palettes, cool pavements, dew/fog harvesting, and precision irrigation that stretch every drop. By night, the gardens bloom with scent and light; by day, visitors test materials that reduce surface temperatures and enhance comfort.
Horticulture Design
Xeric Living Collection (cacti, succulents, salvias)
Shaded Street Prototype (canopies, cool surfaces)
Closed-Loop Water Court (condensers, reuse)
Spotlighting Innovations
Drip irrigation & soil-moisture sensing
Reflective/cool pavements & coatings
Fog/dew harvesting tech
Drought-hardy ornamental lines
Passive cooling systems
Ideal Partners
Water-tech innovators, arid-region growers, urban heat researchers, building materials and shade-structure brands.​
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Tropical Zone
Abundance, canopy, and rain
Overview
A celebration of layered biodiversity and climate-positive living—canopy walks, epiphyte towers, edible rainforest crops, and blue-green infrastructure that stores and cleans water. Visitors experience the sights, sounds, and scents of mist forests while exploring natural-fiber materials, vertical planters, and wetland kits ready for urban deployment.
Horticulture Design
Cacao-to-chocolate micro factory
Tropical rhythm & light shows
Mangrove model for coastal cities
Spotlighting Innovations
Bio-based composites & natural fibers
Vertical rainforest planters & misting systems
Urban wetland kits & sensors
Shade-first outdoor furniture
Green tourism packages
Ideal Partners
Tropical growers, sustainable materials firms, water-sensitive urban design teams, destination & eco-tourism brands.
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Temperate Zone
Four-season livability
Overview
Curated for cities with balanced seasons, this zone combines mixed-border horticulture with “complete green streets” and edible public spaces. Think flowering trees, hedgerows, festival lawns, and flexible streets that host markets in summer and sparkle in winter—proof that good planting design yields social, economic, and environmental returns year-round.
Horticulture Design
Complete Green Street block (bioswales + canopy)
Mixed Border Gallery (perennials, shrubs, bulbs)
Edible Neighborhood Pocket Park
Spotlighting Innovations
Shoulder-season nursery cultivars
Modular planters & tree guards
Low-salt winter management
Event-ready turf/soil systems
Wayfinding & seasonal lighting kits
Ideal Partners
Municipal green-street programs, nursery brands, event producers, streetscape and lighting manufacturers.​
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Continental Zone
Big sky, big seasons
Overview
Designed for places with dramatic weather swings and long distances, the Continental Zone demonstrates storm-smart parks, shelterbelts, and resilient surfaces, linking transit, logistics, and landscapes. It’s a proving ground for microgrids, smart drainage, and regional seed supply chains that keep communities safe and connected through extremes.
Horticulture Design
Storm-Smart Park (detention, reuse, play)
Shelterbelt & Agroforestry Corridor
Transit + Logistics Garden (multimodal demo)
Spotlighting Innovations
Floodable furniture & resilient surfaces
Modular shelter & shade systems
Regional seed & sapling supply
Smart drainage & sensor suites
Emergency-ready microgrids
Ideal Partners
Utilities, transportation/logistics firms, resilience planners, regional nurseries, emergency-management tech providers.​
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North Star Zone
Native plants. Northern ingenuity.
Overview
The North Star Zone celebrates Minnesota’s living identity through native plant communities—oak savanna, tallgrass prairie, and boreal edge—paired with Indigenous knowledge and cold-climate innovation. Discover water-wise gardens, winter-light art, and pollinator corridors that thrive in freeze–thaw cycles. This is a showcase for snow-friendly public realm design, energy-smart envelopes, and materials that perform as beautifully in January as in June.
Horticulture Design
Native Plant Showcase (prairie, savanna, boreal understory)
Indigenous Knowledge Garden (with tribal partners)
Cold-Climate Innovation Lab (materials, glazing, heat recovery)
Spotlighting Innovations
Native seed mixes and plugs
Climate-adapted street trees
Permeable pavers & snow-friendly furniture
Stormwater & raingarden systems
Interpretive media & AR overlays
Ideal Partners
Native nurseries, landscape architects, tribal/Indigenous organizations, cold-climate building brands, lighting & interpretation companies.​​
A HORTICULTURAL SHOWCASE
Arid Zone
Design for drylands. Explore drought-tolerant palettes, regenerative desert agriculture, and ultra-efficient water cycles for hot, dry climates—cool surfaces, shade-first streets, and closed-loop hydrology.
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Tropical Zone
Abundance, canopy, and rain. Step into layered biodiversity—edible forests, rain gardens, and climate-positive materials inspired by equatorial biomes—canopy walks, mist forests, and blue-green infrastructure.
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Temperate Zone
Four-season livability. A masterclass in mixed-border horticulture and people-first streets tuned for spring bursts, summer life, autumn color, and winter rest—complete green streets and edible neighborhoods.
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Continental Zone
Big sky, big seasons. Resilient plantings and city systems for heat waves, cold snaps, storms, and long distances—where logistics meet landscapes with shelterbelts, storm-commons, and regional greenways.
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North Star Zone
Native plants. Northern ingenuity. Celebrate Minnesota’s living heritage with immersive landscapes built around native plants, water-wise design, and winter resilience—lighting, sound, and seasonal programming that make four seasons a feature, not a bug.
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Why it Matters
Innovation: Real-world prototypes for climate, health, and livability.
Education: Standards-aligned field trips, docent tours, and citizen science.
Tourism & Trade: A global stage for U.S. growers and suppliers to reach 4M+ visitors.
Legacy: From pilot blocks and zone palettes to long-term regional projects, these exhibits seed enduring economic and ecological value.
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Join our Collaborative Design Team
Bring your brand to life inside an Expo Zone.
Investor Founding Partners, Growers, and Future Suppliers can anchor living collections, power prototypes, and stage immersive experiences across the zones. Ask about zone naming rights, showcase footprints, and national promotion.
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Book a Strategy Call Today
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Feel free to Contact Wendy Meadley, CEO, Expo 2031 Minnesota, USA Application through the form below >>>
Let’s Explore the Opportunity
Interested in learning even more? Just let us know below >>>