Cook County Projects

This listing is produced by the Minnesota State Lottery from information provided by project managers and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources. While we attempt to provide the most current information, specific project locations and allocations do change. Information on projects for the current biennium, in particular, should be regarded as preliminary.

Minnesota County Biological Survey – 2001-03 biennium and 1999-01 biennium. 2001 marks the start of the eighth biennium of this ambitious twelve biennia project that identifies significant natural areas and systematically collects and interprets data on the distribution and ecology of natural communities, rare plants and area animals. Since 1987, surveys have been completed or are underway in 64 counties. Survey work in Cook County began during the 1999-01 biennium and continues in the 2001-03 biennium.

By-Products Application to Agricultural, Mine Land and Forest Soils – 1999-01 biennium with an extension to June 30, 2002. During the past few decades, there has been increased awareness of the importance of incorporating recycling into our everyday lives. It is equally important to support the idea of recycling on a large-scale, industrial level. One way of achieving this goal is to find environmentally sound, socially acceptable and economically feasible methods to beneficially use municipal and industrial by-products. In northeastern Minnesota, where this study took place, major by-products include bio-solids (a by-product from city wastewater treatment plants), ash from wood-fired boilers and leftover sludge from paper production. These substances have the potential to improve growing conditions on cropland, mine land reclamation projects and forest soils. Experiments with these materials in the lab, greenhouse and field gathered data on plant growth and the chemical composition of plants, soils and groundwater. The Pollution Control Agency (PCA) administered this project in conjunction with the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District in Duluth and cooperation from the University Of Minnesota and many other individuals and corporations. Findings from this study will help refine PCA guidelines for by-product application and co-application especially for mine land and forest soils where data is often lacking. Using these by-products as soil amendments provides an opportunity for their utilization as a resource as opposed to their disposal as waste.

Local Initiatives Grants Program – 1999-01 biennium. Appropriations from the Trust Fund for this project allowed the Department of Natural Resources to fund the Natural and Scenic Area Grants Program, the Conservation Partners Grants Program and the Environmental Partnerships Grants Program during the biennium. More than 140 different projects across the state were approved for matching grants from July of 1999 through June of 2001. In Cook County, grants were received by the City of Grand Marais for the acquisition of 0.64 acres of scenic harbor land on Lake Superior and by the Sugar Loaf Cove Interpretive Center for the restoration of native plants and interpretive education.

Mussel Resource Survey – 1999-01 biennium. During the first two years of this project (this biennium), biologists and other staff from the Department of Natural Resources sampled 886 sites in 32 Minnesota rivers, 64 tributaries and 12 lakes including one site on Caribou Lake, two sites on the Cascade River, one site on Clara Lake, one site on Cross Lake, two sites on Devil Track Lake, two sites on Lake Superior, one site on Mink Lake, five sites on the Pigeon River, one site on Pigeon Bay, two sites on the Poplar River, two sites on the South Brule River, two sites on the Temperance River and one site on Willow Creek in Cook County during August and September of 2000 and June and July of 2001. According to the website for this project, freshwater mussels, commonly called clams, occur throughout the world but reach their greatest diversity in North America where about 300 species are found. Unfortunately, within the last 100 years mussel communities have declined in abundance and diversity due to dam construction, stream channelization, water pollution and sedimentation, over harvesting and the recent introduction of the exotic Zebra Mussel. In response, groups such as the American Fisheries Society and The Nature Conservancy have identified mussels as the most imperiled group of animals in North America. The primary goal of this project is to build the information base necessary to sustain freshwater mussels in Minnesota. Building this base of information is expected to take about six years to complete.

Tools and Training for Community-Based Planning – 1999-01 biennium with an extension until June 30, 2002. The State Planning Agency used this appropriation to develop computer software and train staff from regional development commissions and county planning and zoning offices in its use. The software, named EPICplanner, is designed to be an easy to use geographic information system and is available without cost to help local units of government map and plan their growth by showing jurisdiction, landscape, soils and infrastructure information. According to the project manager, the five pilot counties - Cook, Hubbard, Lake, LeSueur and Pine - were critical in identifying the desired decision-analysis tools and testing the product.

Minnesota’s Forest Bird Diversity Initiative – 1999-01 biennium, 1997-99 biennium, 1995-97 biennium, 1993-95 biennium and 1991-93 biennium. Forest birds are key indicators of the health of Minnesota’s forest ecosystem. To address concerns of forest sustainability, the Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Research Institute (at the University of Minnesota, Duluth) launched Minnesota’s Forest Bird Diversity Initiative in 1991. The Initiative’s goal is to develop landscape management tools to maintain the state’s unique diversity of forest birds through long-term monitoring of bird populations, research, modeling and education. This Initiative relies on more than 1,600 bird count locations in Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Mille Lacs, Olmsted, Pine, Rice, St. Louis, Wabasha and Winona Counties. For more information about this project, including other sponsors, visit www.nrri.umn.edu/mnbirds.

RIM Accelerate Wildlife Land Acquisition – 1995-97 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources will acquire land identified in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. A holding facility will be developed at the Grand Marais headquarters.

RIM Fisheries Habitat Development – 1995-97 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources will undertake projects to acquire, improve or restore fishing habitat. This grant was used to maintain and improve trout holding facilities at Grand Marais.

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition – 1995-97 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources is improving state parks and rehabilitating existing facilities and building new ones. Projects range from rehabilitating and restoring trails and historic structures to building new offices and shops. In Cook County, Cascade River State Park underwent trail rehabilitation and 25 acres were added to the Temperance River State Park.

RIM Critical Habitat Match – 1993-95 biennium. This program provides matching funds to those who want to buy or improve critical fish, wildlife and native plant habitats in Minnesota. Some of these funds are being used to buy natural areas for scientific study, education and nature observation; others are helping restore waterfowl population to their 1970s levels. This grant was used to acquire 480 acres of old growth forest in Cook County. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

RIM Statewide Fisheries Habitat Development – 1993-95 biennium. This program improves habitat for trout, walleye and small-mouth bass by building structures in 25 miles of streams throughout the state and installing aerators in lakes prone to winter kill. This grant is for habitat improvement in Junco Creek. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

RIM Wildlife Habitat Stewardship – 1993-95 biennium. About 29,000 acres of state land is being developed and improved to protect wildlife and native plants. The Department of Natural Resources is restoring prairies, brush land, forests and non-game habitat while planting and managing native vegetation to enhance hunting, observing nature and education. The Cook County grant was used for forest stand development.

State Park Betterment – 1993-95 biennium. This program improves state parks by rehabilitating existing facilities and building new ones. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

• Trail rehabilitation at Judge C.R. Magney State Park.
• Utility rehabilitation, contact station, orientation center and campground development at Temperance River State Park.