This project builds partnerships among natural resource professionals, college, middle and high schools to work collaboratively to increase youth exposure to outdoor experiences, environmental issues, and natural resource career paths.
To hire qualified professionals to write a structural assessment of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Hall, a contributing resource in the Lanesboro Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and current home to the Sons of Norway Heimbygda Lodge
Voyageurs Conservancy will connect 17,000 Minnesotans to the state's only national park through standards-aligned K-12 education, career-building fellowships, and enhanced programs that engage diverse audiences in the park's conservation.
Wilderness Inquiry will expand its work to provide a continuum of outdoor experiences for youth, adults, and families in communities across Minnesota by:
As of 11/1/2022, the CPL program has provided over 900 grants totaling $109 million to over 200 different grantee organizations, improving or protecting over 339,000 acres of habitat. Demand for CPL grants has continued to grow each year as new applicants hear about the program and successful grantees return. In ML 2018 there were 107 grants awarded- 18 metro grants, 20 traditional grants, and 69 Expedited Conservation Partners grants. Through these 107 grants, over 18,000 acres were restored, enhanced, or protected. Over $11M was awarded to organizations for projects.
With the ML 2015 appropriation The Conservation Partners Legacy (CPL) Grant Program awarded 70 grants, 22 of these grants were the metropolitan area. Over 24,000 acres were enhanced, 2,500 acres were restored, and 386 acres protected through these 70 projects. Thirty-eight counties had CPL projects completed in them through 47 unique organizations. The average project for the ML 2015 grants was $96,000, with few exceptions most projects were completed on time and many were under budget.
The Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program will be managed by the Department of Natural Resources to provide competitive matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national non-profit organizations and government entities.
As of 11/1/2023, the CPL program has provided over 970 grants totaling $115 million to over 250 different grantee organizations, improving or protecting over 577,000 acres of habitat. Demand for CPL grants has continued to grow each year as new applicants hear about the program and successful grantees return. In ML 2019 there were 99 grants awarded- 15 metro grants, 29 traditional grants, and 55 Expedited Conservation Partners grants. Through these 99 grants, over 34,000 acres were restored, enhanced, or protected. Over $10.6M was awarded to organizations for projects.
To survey the exterior of the building, make historically sensitive recommendations, and create construction-ready documents for needed improvements that will enhance the exterior of the historic building without negatively impacting the historic structure.
Terrestrial invasive plants such as buckthorn, wild parsnip, garlic mustard, and others are becoming widespread threats throughout many sites in Minnesota. Present chemical and mechanical control methods tend to be costly, effective only in the short-term, or have other negative environmental impacts. However, an alternative practice of using grazing animals for invasive species management is used successfully in many parts of the western United States.
The Cottonwood River watershed is one of the last remaining watersheds to complete Cycle I of the Watershed Restoration & Protections Strategies (WRAPS) process. The scope of this project upon completion is have two reports developed; a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies report and a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the entire watershed.
We are going to have a different balloon artist this year. We are inviting a southeast Minnesota resident to perform for our youth. We will also have The Red Letter Band, an inspirational country music band. They perform a variety of classic county hits and have prize giveaways for crowd participation. They provide a nostalgic opportunity to listen to music that all will enjoy.
The Yellow Medicine County Fair Board is seeking funds to purchase a new portable stage to better serve the needs of our fair performers and demonstrations. Our current stage consists of concrete blocks and old rotting plywood that is not safe for our performers and demonstrations. With a portable stage we are able to move it to other areas of the fairgrounds if needed for performers or demonstration events that might require a stage.
We will have a totally new experience for one of our afternoon events for the youth at the Fillmore County Fair this year. We plan to bring "Emotion in Motion," a mobile splatter paint experience to our fair. This will be a fully immersive artistic experience, that is easy and fun for youth. When finished they will have an original splatter painting for their walls. We try to incorporate new things each year at the fair to accompany the traditional events that fairgoers expect.
The Legacy grant will help support bringing in local artists to do demonstrations and classes on jewelry making, macrame, and hat designing. There will be a class each day of the fair for both young and old where participants get hands-on experience in designing jewelry and creating their own piece to take with them, as well as creating a macrame design like a hanging pot holder or wall-hanging. Lastly a session will focus on hat designing. The hats (usually cowboy style) will be provided by the artist and the participant will be able to add cords, beads, feathers, etc.
