http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/   http://www.renvilleswcd.com/

Outcrops of granite along the Upper Minnesota River are among the oldest exposed rocks in North America, dating back more than 3 million years.  These outcrops are also home to rare plants and animals, including several types of cactus and Minnesota’s only lizard, the five-lined skink, but they are increasingly threatened by mining, overgrazing, and development.  The Board of Water and Soil Resources and the Renville Soil and Water Conservation District will acquire permanent easements to preserve approximately 700 additional acres of this endangered habitat and restore its ecological integrity by removing non-native plants.  These easements will be located in Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Redwood, Renville and Yellow Medicine counties.

Nine organizations are working together in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and surrounding counties to protect and restore critical wildlife habitat. The work of these Metro Conservation Corridor partners is guided by the Minnesota Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan as well as Minnesota’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy and other local and resource-specific plans. Individual partners projects covered with this supplemental funding are listed below.

Metro Conservation Corridors – Critical Lands Protection Program - $890,000

http://www.tpl.org

The Trust for Public Land will use this appropriation to help leverage approximately $450,000 of non-state money to purchase and then donate land to city and county governments or other public land holders. Projects in this round of funding are slated for Anoka, Chisago, Scott and Washington counties and will likely involve the cities of Lindstrom and Savage. Previous projects have helped create or expand the East Rush Lake Aquatic / Wildlife Management Area, Ojiketa Regional Park and the Franconia Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area in Chisago County.

Metro Conservation Corridors – Protect Significant Habitat by Acquiring Conservation Easements - $485,000

http://www.mnland.org

The Minnesota Land Trust plans to protect 40 to 80 acres of high quality forest and wetland habitats by securing permanent conservation easements and dedicating funds for their perpetual monitoring, management and enforcement. Projects are likely to be at Deer Lake in Anoka County, Oak Lake in Carver County, Wild River State Park in Chisago County or Valley Creek in Washington County.

Metro Conservation Corridors – Expansion of Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge - $325,000

The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust plans to use this appropriation to leverage additional funding to purchase a total of more than 200 acres of land to expand the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Many benefits are anticipated because of this project, including new lands for the public’s enjoyment of wildlife-dependent activities like birding, photography, hiking, hunting and fishing.

Metro Conservation Corridors – Friends of the MN Valley and Lower Minnesota River Watershed Restoration & Enhancement Project - $50,000

http://www.friendsofmnvalley.org

Friends of the Minnesota Valley will coordinate this project to restore 50 acres of public land, improving the habitat in the Lower Minnesota River Watershed in Carver, LeSueur, Sibley and Scott Counties. The enhanced lands will be permanently protected and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/index.html

The Scientific and Natural Areas program helps preserve unique geological features, plant and animal communities and rare and endangered species for scientific study and public education. Its goal is to ensure that no rare feature is lost from any region of the state. This appropriation will help the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources restore about 3,200 acres of natural areas, acquire an additional 80 acres of land for the program and develop stewardship plans for private landowners.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us

This appropriation will allow the Department of Natural Resources to acquire land within the boundaries of several state parks that is currently privately owned. Land slated for purchase includes nine acres for Crow Wing State Park northeast of Brainerd, 160 acres at Scenic State Park north of Grand Rapids, 55 acres at Tettegouche State Park north of Silver Bay, 19 acres for Split Rock Lighthouse State Park northeast of Two Harbors and 100 acres at William O’Brien State Park north of Stillwater. 

Based on the results of a professional energy audit, the Audubon Center, Deep Portage, Eagle Bluff, Laurentian, Long Lake and Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Centers will use this appropriation to expand their use of renewable energy technology and make it part of their educational curriculum for close to 85,000 visitors each year. These improvements may also be used as part of the New ERA (Energy Resource Advisor) program being developed by Winona State University that will offer adults a continuing education course intended to foster understanding and leadership of environmental sustainability in our communities, homes and workplaces.

Eagle Bluff - $350,000

The Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, located about 45 miles southeast of Rochester near Lanesboro in Fillmore County, will use this appropriation to reduce the energy consumption in their most inefficient building by up to 80 percent by adding significant levels of insulation, replacing windows and doors with high efficiency models and installing a heat recovery ventilator. Also on the list of improvements is the installation of solar panels to demonstrate how they work and use them to run a hot water heating system. Eagle Bluff will take a lead role for this project in developing educational materials for the public. 

Laurentian – $258,000

The Laurentian Environmental Center, on Minnesota’s Iron Range north of Virginia is planning to add insulation to their lodge and office buildings, replace exterior doors and windows, introduce solar water heating systems for both of these buildings, monitor the results and educate visitors about energy conservation and alternative energy options.

Long Lake - $240,000

The Long Lake Conservation Center, located in Aitkin County about 80 miles west of Duluth near Palisade will be installing solar hot water systems in three of their nine buildings – the dining hall and two dormitories – and changing their outdoor lighting to run on solar power as well. The hot water system for the dining hall will heat the building as well as provide a supply for cooking, cleaning and other uses.

Wolf Ridge - $234,000

The Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, located on the North Shore of Lake Superior near Finland will be making several changes:  more insulation and new doors will make two of their buildings more energy efficient, old light fixtures will be replaced with more energy efficient models that include motion sensor switches, a walk-in cooler and freezer will be changed to a water cooled system while the waste heat they generate will be used to improve the water heating system in the dining hall, and a propane hot water system in another building will be converted to run on solar power.

Deep Portage - $212,000

Until just a few years ago the Deep Portage Environmental Learning Center, located south of Walker near Hackensack, used an estimated 30,000 gallons of propane each year. They have begun to reduce their cost and dependence on propane – and improve their carbon footprint – and will use this appropriation to continue to become more energy efficient by adding a solar hot water system, updating refrigeration and freezer equipment and installing windows with more insulating power.

Audubon Center of the North Woods - $206,000

The Audubon Center, located about halfway between St Paul and Duluth near Sandstone is planning to make improvements to several buildings through better insulation, high efficiency windows and doors, and converting a propane hot water system to run on solar power.

http://www.mnhabitatcorridors.org/

For the past 10 years, several conservation-oriented nonprofit organizations have been working together with state and federal agencies to protect and restore critical habitat for Minnesota’s fish, wildlife and native plant communities. Earlier phases of this project resulted in the restoration, enhancement or conservation of more than 100,000 acres. Many of these projects matched Trust Fund money with non-state funds, stretching these dollars to provide a greater benefit to the state. The partnership expects to be able to extend their work to an additional 2,000 acres with this appropriation. Projects from the individual partners are listed below: 

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Wetlands Reserve Program - $350,000

The US Department of Agriculture and Ducks Unlimited will work together to protect or restore 1,000 acres of wetland and adjacent prairie in southern and western Minnesota. As a result of this project, an estimated $1.5 million of additional funding is anticipated for conservation through the federal Wetland Reserve Program. 

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Critical Lands Protection Program - $200,000

The Trust for Public Land will use this appropriation and funds from other public and private sources to acquire approximately 100 acres of high quality habitat. Priority will be given to shorelines and other areas that compliment and help conserve existing critical habitat, especially parcels that connect land already set aside for wildlife.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Campaign for Conservation - $164,000

The Nature Conservancy is planning to acquire and restore quality habitat needed to sustain fish, wildlife and plants in critical areas of the state. A total of 35 acres will be acquired with money from this appropriation and other sources. Several restoration initiatives will also be funded that use rotational grazing, prescribed fire, collection and sowing of native seed and control of invasive species.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Shoreland Protection Project - $102,000

The Minnesota Land Trust plans to use this appropriation to acquire perpetual conservation easements on 100 to 150 acres of privately owned shoreline. Funds will be used for direct payments to landowners and transactional expenses such as appraisals, title review and mapping. The result will be the preservation of critical shoreline habitat.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Fish Habitat Improvement - $100,000

This part of the project, coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, aims to improve fish habitat and protect water quality on streams and lakes with regional importance. Projects will include installation of aeration systems, developing spawning areas, making modifications to existing dams and working to stabilize river banks.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Fisheries Land Acquisition - $100,000

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources division of Fish and Wildlife will use this appropriation to add approximately 40 acres of land to the existing network of state Aquatic Management Areas. Additions are expected in Becker, Beltrami, Crow Wing and/or Kandiyohi counties.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Shallow Lake Easements - $75,000

Ducks Unlimited will help state and federal wildlife conservation agencies protect shallow lakes for waterfowl with this appropriation. The goal is to acquire new conservation easements on 20 acres of privately owned shoreland, work with owners on stewardship of the land and manage it effectively as wildlife habitat into the future.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Prairie Management - $63,000

This project will help the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources tackle the backlog of prairie and grassland management needs in prairie landscapes, such as removal of unwanted woody plants, prescribed burning, exotic species control and prairie reconstruction efforts. The focus will be on the highest quality prairies identified by the Minnesota County Biological Survey. Project planners expect a minimum of 225 acres of prairie and grasslands will benefit from this funding and that roughly half of those acres will be on private lands.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Mississippi Bluffland Restoration - $50,000

This project, coordinated by the National Wild Turkey Federation, will improve up to 45 acres of public and private land in the bluffland areas of southeastern Minnesota that is important for at-risk plants and animals as well as wild turkeys. Invasive plants such as Eastern red cedar, buckthorn, honeysuckle and prickly ash will be removed from the sites allowing native species – including the timber rattlesnake as well as the North American racer, bullsnake and hognose snakes – better habitat to flourish.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Shallow Lake Habitat Enhancement and Wild Rice Enhancement and Monitoring - $50,000

For this part of the project, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe will work within the Leech Lake Reservation boundaries to regulate water levels by controlling beaver activity and conducting periodic water level draw-downs, reseed approximately 200 acres of wild rice and analyze the relationship between quantities of wild rice and waterfowl.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Shallow Lake Assessment - $45,000

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, working with Ducks Unlimited and other partners will use this appropriation for on-site assessment and monitoring of 15 lakes in Minnesota. The overall goal is to improve and protect this important habitat.

Habitat Conservation Partnership – Wetland Restoration in Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District - $45,000

Friends of the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District, working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service will use this appropriation to restore approximately 75 wetland basins totaling 30 acres in Clay and Becker counties. The process will involve removing sediment that has washed into the basins due to farming activity, filling in drainage ditches and re-planting the areas with native seed. Trust Fund allocations for this project will be matched with Federal dollars through the North American Wetland Conservation Act. 

http://www.mngs.umn.edu/index.html

This appropriation will help the Minnesota Geological Survey continue to collect information on the geology of Minnesota below the surface, including the state’s critical groundwater resources. Project plans include initiating two new surveys including one for Sherburne County, continuing work on others already in progress and studying the St. Lawrence Formation in southeastern Minnesota as well as the water chemistry of the Rochester area. 

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/wetlands/nwi_proj.html

This is the second phase of a multi-phase project coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to update the National Wetlands Inventory for the State of Minnesota. The overall goal of this project is to improve wetland protection and management in Minnesota by updating wetland inventory maps for the state.

http://biorefining.cfans.umn.edu

The goal of this project is to develop, build and test a pilot scale fuel production system that starts by using the nutrients in sewage wastewater to grow algae and ends with a variety of products like biodiesel, ethanol and jet fuel. The University of Minnesota’s Center for Bio-refining, Bio-products and Bio-systems Engineering will partner with the Metropolitan Council Environment Services on this project. 

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us

This project will focus on energy efficiency improvements, water quality enhancement and attracting new guests to Minnesota state parks and recreation areas. The project includes installation of solar panels, solar-powered water supplies, improved storm-water management and construction of four rustic camper cabins. A number of parks are slated for improvements including St Croix State Park near Hinckley, Soudan Underground Mine near Ely and Split Rock Lighthouse and Tettegouche state parks on the north shore of Lake Superior. 

Scientists from the University of Minnesota’s Water Resources Center will lead this project to study contaminants in the Zumbro River watershed during the next two years. A better understanding of the composition of these contaminants may lead to a better understanding of where they come from and ultimately, to cleaner surface water in Minnesota.

The Emerald Ash Borer has been decimating ash trees throughout the Great Lake states and is currently advancing into Minnesota. This five year study will assess the likelihood of this invasive insect extending to the black ash forests in the northern part of Minnesota and its potential impact on these marshy forest areas. The study will be conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Department of Forest Resources.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/grants/habitat/biomass.html

More than 7,000 acres of public and private lands needing restoration have been identified within 75 miles of St. Paul. This innovative project takes a practical approach to improving these areas by removing unwanted trees and other woody plants and turning them into marketable products like mulch, wood pellets, animal bedding and firewood. Funds raised from the sale of these products will be used to extend the project to more areas than it would otherwise reach. This project will be administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 

This research project will use a common species – bluegill sunfish – to help study the impact of pharmaceutical and other chemicals finding their way into Minnesota lakes. Project partners for this study are the U.S. Geological Survey, St Cloud State University and the Minnesota Department of Health. Part of this appropriation will help pay for specialized equipment to study these chemical compounds, expanding the capability of the research laboratory at the Department of Health.

http://www.wildernessinquiry.org

The goal of this educational program is to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship as life-long pursuits among urban youth. The project will be coordinated by Wilderness Inquiry for an estimated 20,000 participants during the next three years. Youth and families will be able to paddle in 24 foot Voyageur canoes on the mighty Mississippi and surrounding waterways at community events while public school groups will be able to use day trips and overnight excursions to augment what they are learning in the classroom. 

Restoration work is increasingly relied on as a conservation strategy here in Minnesota and although we have many competent professionals working in the field, the quality of work varies across the profession. The success rate of these conservation projects could be improved with high quality training opportunities for restoration professionals and the University of Minnesota’s Department of Horticultural Science intends to do just that by using this appropriation to develop courses for continuing educational credit and hosting an online forum and an annual conference.

http://www.cbs.umn.edu/labs/gralnick/Soudan_Mine.html

The Soudan iron mine near Ely, Minnesota is home to an extreme environment where uncommon microorganisms have been discovered deep below the surface of the earth. Scientists from the University of Minnesota will use this appropriation to further their study of this unique area and look for potential innovations in medicine, energy production and other areas.

http://www.nrri.umn.edu/moose/

Moose are one of Minnesota’s most prized wildlife species but there is some concern that the population in northeastern Minnesota may be starting a decline like that seen in the northwestern part of the state over the past 20 years. This project, coordinated by the Natural Resources Research Institute at the University of Minnesota – Duluth will work to protect the population by identifying and preserving critical habitat in Cook, Lake and St Louis counties and developing educational programs about the moose population. 

This is a community-based water quality and treatment demonstration project in which landowners, local government and state agencies will implement a new approach to improving water quality and wildlife habitat while replacing outdated drainage systems. This appropriation will help the Blue Earth County Drainage Authority pay for the necessary changes and monitor the impact on water quality flowing from County Ditch 57 near Mapleton into the Big Cobb River toward the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.

The Nature Conservancy will work with the University of Minnesota and other interested parties on this project, including residents and landowners of two Minnesota prairie landscapes. Together they will work to conserve, protect, restore and connect with the ecosystem while seeking an answer to this key question: “Can prairie-based economic uses provide a sufficient return on labor and investment to sustain rural families and communities?”

http://mnbba.org/

Audubon Minnesota and the Natural Resources Research Institute at the University of Minnesota Duluth will use this appropriation to continue development of a statewide survey of Minnesota breeding birds and create related publications including a book and online atlas with distribution maps, breeding status and historical species information.

The Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources will work with the Minnesota Conservation Corps on this project to find and place 30 students in apprenticeship positions with 30 county soil and water conservation district offices each year for the next two years. This unique program will provide an excellent opportunity for interns to gain valuable in-the-field experience and share their knowledge of emerging technologies and other innovations they have learned in the class-room.

Invasive plants cause considerable damage in Minnesota and their control is difficult to achieve in a long-term cost-effective manner. Although not immune from invasion, healthy forests may be somewhat resistant to invasion; therefore management aimed at maintaining, restoring or enhancing key forest characteristics might be a useful strategy for slowing forest invasion. This project, coordinated by the University of Minnesota, will study 80 different locations and make recommendations for healthy forest management based on their findings.

Scientists from the University of Minnesota and St Cloud State University will collaborate on this project to study photoestrogens – plant based compounds that mimic estrogen and can therefore interfere with normal biological development – in surface waters and fish in Minnesota waters.

Minnesota’s natural and artificial waterways have become intimately linked, sometimes to the detriment of the natural environment. Scientists from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Soil, Water and Climate will use specialized computer software to identify the best locations for buffers and wetlands to hold and filter water as it flows from man-made waterways into lakes and rivers.

This effort, coordinated by the University of Minnesota and the US Geological Survey will study what kind of cumulative effect shoreline improvements such as docks, boat-lifts and retaining walls have on aquatic habitat, water quality and fish populations. The study will take place on approximately 100 lakes in Aitkin, Becker, Cass, Crow Wing, Douglas, Hubbard, Morrison, Otter Tail and Todd counties.

Introducing insects that have a dire effect on invasive plants like European Buckthorn and Garlic Mustard is something that must be done with care so that the introduction doesn’t have any unintended consequences, like harming beneficial plants. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will work with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to continue to research and evaluate which insects would be best used for controlling these invasive species.

Cass County will use this appropriation to help local landowners interested in preserving critical shoreline areas acquire perpetual conservation easements. County officials expect they will be able to help protect 1,200 to 1,500 acres of land for the long-term preservation of recreation, water quality and critical wildlife habitat as a result of this project.

http://www.mndnr.gov/schoolforest

Since 1949, the School Forest Program has been Minnesota’s outdoor classroom where students learn core subjects like math, science and social studies outdoors, using nature as the base context. This appropriation will help the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources establish 20 new School Forests – which can be prairie, wetland or other natural area as well as a forest - and provide better support in person and on the internet for teachers and school districts with existing forest areas.

http://education.state.mn.us   http://www.seek.state.mn.us

This project, coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Education, seeks to improve the achievement of students in grades 7 – 12 and combat trends that show declining participation in outdoor recreation, a decreased understanding of the natural world and a shift to a more sedentary lifestyle. These goals will be achieved by providing professional development to teachers and funding innovative programs in Minnesota school districts – two valuable strategies identified in the Outdoor Education Legislative Report – 2009.

This study by the University of Minnesota’s Department of Entomology will focus on the health of trout streams in south-eastern Minnesota, assessing how changes in water temperature may impact the number of small water bugs available for trout and other species during the cold weather months.

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/

This University of Minnesota research project will assess the impact some of the chemicals currently used to control unwanted insects may have on the health of honeybees and beneficial insects that carry pollen from plant to plant.

Over a century of iron mining in northeastern Minnesota has left numerous waste rock piles, open pits and tailings basins that appear to be the dominant sources of sulfate in the St Louis River. This sulfate has become a recent environmental concern due to the possibility that it may lead to mercury contamination in fish and other wildlife. This project, coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will lead to recommendations to reduce this contaminant.

This research project coordinated by the University of Minnesota will study sediment samples from Lake Pepin near Red Wing, Lake St Croix near Stillwater, Lake Superior near the entrance to the Duluth harbor, Lake Winona near Alexandria and Shagawa Lake near Ely. These samples will help researchers determine the current and historic levels of dioxins in the water – chemicals known to be both toxic and cancer causing – and make recommendations to improve water quality in the future.

Minnesota’s shallow lakes absorb heavy rainfalls to limit flooding and provide us with many other benefits including clean water, recreational opportunities and access to unique wildlife areas. They are also a valuable part of our ecosystem. This project, coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will study approximately 150 of these unique areas to evaluate the major causes of deterioration and the effectiveness of current management efforts in five ecological regions of the state. One of the outcomes of the study will be a region-specific guide to cost-effective reclamation efforts.

http://www.willstegerfoundation.org

The Will Steger Foundation, in partnership with academic and civic partners will use this appropriation to put together an age appropriate program for students in grades three through 12 that will focus on the short and long term impacts of climate change. The curriculum will include an adventure story from polar explorer Will Steger’s archives, units on Minnesota’s ecosystems, a professional development opportunity for teachers and an optional online-interactive learning experience.

http://www.chippewariver.com/   http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/

The Chippewa River Watershed Project and the Land Stewardship Project are working together to improve water quality and reduce environmental problems northwest of Montevideo where the Chippewa River flows into the Minnesota River. Unlike many environmentally focused projects, they will be working to develop local markets for alternative crops and products as well as encourage land owners to take advantage of state and federal conservation programs.

http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu

Perennial grasslands have the potential to provide Minnesota with locally grown energy sources that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve water quality and provide other important benefits. This University of Minnesota research project will study how irrigation, fertilization and potential climate warming could impact the yield, carbon sequestration, plant biodiversity, water quality and susceptibility to invasive species in grasslands with varying numbers of native plants.

http://www.comowoodland.org

This appropriation will help the city of St Paul develop an outdoor classroom at Como Regional Park that will provide environmental education, historical interpretation and habitat for native wildlife in an inner-city community where environmental learning opportunities are rare. The development plan calls for control of invasive species for the 17 acre area, gravel pathways and signs to help visitors travel and interpret the site and outdoor study areas featuring coniferous forest, oak savanna, tall-grass prairie, sedge meadow, transitional woodland and propagation gardens for native plants. Site planners will work to establish the area as a MN DNR School Forest.

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/wolflink.asp

The International Wolf Center in Ely will use this appropriation to expand their educational program with the purchase and installation of video conferencing equipment for live, interactive distance learning with students in Minnesota schools. Wolf loan boxes, containing samples of wolf hide, paw prints and other learning materials will be used in conjunction with video conferencing to reach an estimated 2,500 students during the next three years.

The round goby is an invasive fish that is rapidly spreading throughout the Great Lakes. Its ability to spawn throughout the spring and summer in contrast to native fish, which only spawn once a year, is one reason for its rapid expansion. Scientists from the University of Minnesota – Duluth will use this appropriation to develop and test a method for trapping these fish using sounds that mimic those the male gobies use to attract females to the nest.

The goal of this environmental education project is to conduct outdoor nature photography workshops for at least 1,000 teachers and naturalists during the next two years. Teachers will receive continuing education credits for completing the workshop and suggestions on how use digital photography to enhance their students studies of math, science, geography, arts and language arts. The project will be conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Led by the Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women in Minnesota, this community outreach project will plan and promote public events that will be part fishing and part environmental education in a fun, culturally appropriate way to reach Southeast Asian elders, youth and families. Events will be held in summer as well as winter months and include education about water quality, invasive species, lead-free tackle, mercury and other contaminants, fish consumption advisories and fishing regulations.

http://mn.audubon.org/

The goal of this Audubon Minnesota project is to review the many conservation plans that already exist for Minnesota birds and develop a short, manageable list of species that are most likely to benefit from local and statewide conservation efforts in the next five to ten years.

The University of Minnesota will use this appropriation to study how effectively shallow lakes and wetlands in different regions of Minnesota remove and hold carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu

Considerable public funding and effort has gone into better understanding and restoring the Minnesota River but the research is not always readily accessible or easily understood by the public. This project will develop educational materials that showcase what natural resource experts have learned about this unique area of our state for use on the internet and at informational kiosks placed at the Treaty Site History Center near St Peter, the Regional River History Center in New Ulm, the Ney Nature Center near Henderson and the Clean Up the River Environment (CURE) Office in Montevideo. The goal is to make this information readily available to a broader audience and delivered in an engaging format.

http://www.flaginc.org/

Farmland preservation has a critical impact on the quality of Minnesota’s natural resources – water quality and quantity; biodiversity; economic, recreational and cultural health – and is central to natural resource conservation. This Farmers’ Legal Action Group project aims to preserve the open space farmland provides by assessing the effectiveness of current and potential laws, regulations and policy tools used for preserving agricultural land.

http://www.mnprojectgetoutdoors.org

In an effort to re-connect Minnesota children in grades K-8 to nature exploration and outdoor recreation utilizing our public lands, the non-profit Project Get Outdoors, Inc. will load 50 backpacks and five trunks with supplies that encourage safe, after-school activities that get kids out in nature. These toolkits will be distributed free of charge to interested communities in southern Minnesota by Project GO coordinators along with training for community volunteers on how to start and sustain their own unique programs.