We will assess the environmental quality of prairies across Minnesota. On-the-ground surveys and contaminant risk assessments will help inform partner management actions, endangered species recovery plans, and pollinator reintroduction efforts.
Large deposits of copper, nickel, cobalt, and other minerals in northeastern Minnesota could provide huge economic and employment benefits to the state while becoming an important source of important metals for the country. However, the mining required to extract them could have significant water quality impacts in a region that includes the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness and other environmentally sensitive watersheds.
The Berger Fountain, known as the dandelion fountain to most, was installed in 1975 by Benjamin Berger and has been a beloved neighborhood landmark in Loring Park and a favorite location for wedding photographers and children ever since. Ben Berger was a park board commissioner and, after seeing a dandelion fountain in Australia, fundraised to build a sister fountain right here in Minnesota.
Wild rice abundance has greatly declined across Big Rice Lake, while other competitive vegetation has drastically increased. This proposal will utilize knowledge gained from small-scale vegetation work as well as hydrological alterations and apply it to a lake-wide scale to enhance conditions for wild rice success. A total of 2,072 acres of wild rice habitat will be enhanced as a result of the OHF lake outlet work that will impact water levels. 850 acres of the existing 1,000 pickerel weed will be treated to allow wild rice to regenerate.
