Digital maps were created depicting landscape change in Minnesota from the 1850s to today as well as maps that show predicted change in forest tree composition in northern Minnesota due to climate change.
This on-going program is for detecting, mapping and controlling invasive plant species and re-establishing native vegetation in their place on lands administered by the Division of Parks and Trails. Control of invasive plant species furthers progress to preserve and restore the quality of native plant communities on Parks and Trails lands as well as helps prevent the spread of invasives to new locations.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has been monitoring for contaminants of emerging concern in Minnesota's surface water since 2007. These contaminants include a wide variety of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and other chemicals that can harm fish and wildlife and human health. One group of these chemicals, disinfection by-products, are formed when water is treated with chlorine. Some of these chemicals are cancer-causing and highly toxic.
Valuable three-dimensional images of ancient rock carvings at Jeffers Petroglyphs will be safely stored and also made accessible to the general public thanks to ACHF funds. Funds allowed staff to catalogue the images and make them accessible at the Jeffers site and through the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections Online website. The images of individual carvings will serve as an archival record, a research and conservation resource and an educational tool
The purpose of the Jeffers Petroglyphs Data Access project is to store and provide access to 3D digital scans of the Jeffers Petroglyphs. A website devoted to the Jeffers Petroglyphs is being created to showcase the valuable three-dimensional images of ancient rock carvings recently catalogued by the Minnesota Historical Society Collections staff. This project carries out the critical second piece of the 2008 Jeffers Petroglyphs Conservation Project that was initially funded to remove lichen from the petroglyphs.
To improve access to arts and cultural heritage. The Kanabec County Fair enhanced the building which houses the open classes and the fine arts and cultural heritage displays. The building provides local artists and art viewers a better environment to display and appreciate art.
To bring back the spirit of old time county fairs by partnering with the Kanabec History Center to bring circus acts to the fair. The Kanabec County Fair will be home to circus-style performance art three times a day for two days at the fair. Performance art has been a part of Minnesota’s county fair scene since the late 1800’s. In 1920, the Kanabec County Fair had six sideshows. Minnesota has a colorful history of circus performance art, and the public will have an opportunity to experience this part of Minnesota’s cultural heritage at the Kanabec County Fair.
The goal of this project is monitoring, assessment and data collection in six un-assessed streams and three lakes in the Snake River watershed, in addition to the implementation of sixteen approved Best Management Practices (BMP's), ten forest stewardship plan developments, community outreach, education and civic engagement activities.
This project encompasses surface water quality sampling within the Snake River Watershed over a period of two years (2017-18). This is the cycle II monitoring as follow-up to the original Snake River Watershed monitoring 10 years ago as part of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy Report (WRAPS). This project shall provide follow-up data on the waters in the Snake River Watershed in regards to changes in water quality over this 10-year cycle. The current sampling project will entail sampling 5 lakes and 11 stream sites.
In order to preserve Karen and Karenni culture and identity in Minnesota, The Urban Village proposes the creation of a collaborative learning program where participants will have an opportunity to connect and explore their identity and heritage. Through this program, our youth will be empowered to drive the development of the first ever Karen and Karenni history archive. The learnings and content birthed from this program will then be archived and organized for all Minnesotans to access.
Revise Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) lesson plans about karst geology and groundwater protection, to align with new Minnesota Science Standards (2019) and provide grade level recommendations. The project will add or remove activities so that the lessons better support grade-specific standards and approaches to learning. The plans will also provide recommendations regarding communicating to local teachers in southeast Minnesota and how to support the use of the lesson plans.
The Oliver H. Kelley farm in Elk River is a National Historic Landmark, where visitors experience mid-19th-century Minnesota farm life. This historic structures report provides the foundation for future maintenance and preservation of the farmhouse while continuing to provide an important level of programming and public service. The Jeffris Family Foundation has awarded a matching grant of $25,000 to the Minnesota Historical Society to fund half of the estimated costs of a consultant to prepare the report.
The purpose of this work is to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs; a federal clean Water Act requirement) for streams and lakes in the Kettle River and Upper St. Croix watersheds. This and other technical information will be used to develop a separate report called a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report.
After completing the One Watershed One Plan planning process for the Kettle & Upper St. Croix Watershed, and having the Kettle & Upper St. Croix Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (KUSC CWMP) approved by BWSR, the local partners of the watershed will use the implementation funds to complete the actions in the plan. These actions will help complete the 10-year goals that are laid out in the plan. This in turn will help protect and restore water and soil resources in the Kettle & Upper St. Croix watersheds.
Minnesota Civic Youth is dedicated to helping kids and young adults develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and desire to be informed, active citizens. We do this by engaging them in authentic civic experiences and activities that respect their viewpoint and celebrate their voice. We have three primary program areas: Kids Voting Minnesota Network, Governing Youth and Teens Speak Out.
The biological communities present in a lake are the result of cumulative effects of natural and human-caused influences within the entire area of land and water that flows into the lake (i.e., the watershed). Biological assessments are used on lakes to identify water pollution and habitat concerns based on the type and abundance of selected animals and their habitats. Certain species cannot survive without clean water and healthy habitat while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions.
The purpose of this project is to gain additional information about the amount of phosphorous flowing into Lake St Croix by implementing additional water quality monitoring and/or to reduce the amount of phosphorous entering Lake St Croix by the implementation of projects that will reduce phosphorus loadings. The St. Croix River Association (SCRA) will coordinate with a subgroup of the St. Croix Basin Water Resources Planning Team and other local resource experts on the identification and funding of comprehensive water monitoring and phosphorus reduction activities in the Lake St.
A project to build capacity for poets to actively document and correct historical gaps in the Lao Minnesotan journey as we approach 50 years in the US. The project will include interdisciplinary exhibits and performances giving traditional artists a chance to develop new work with Lao poets that address ancient and modern history, myth, and cultural traditions, additionally publishing innovative and experimental collections on the Lao experience.
To hire qualified professionals to create drawings and specifications for Kanabec County Historical Society's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system upgrade.
A website called "Minnesota's Legacy" was created by the Minnesota Legislature to help citizens monitor how dollars from the Legacy Amendment and the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund are being invested in the state. This appropriation is being used by the Legislative Coordinating Commission to assist with the administration of the website.
PROJECT OVERVIEW A website called "Minnesota's Legacy" was created by the Minnesota Legislature to help citizens monitor how dollars from the Legacy Amendment and the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund are being invested in the state. This appropriation is being used by the Legislative Coordinating Commission to assist with the administration of the website.
Learning Law and Democracy: Principles of Democracy – Connecting civic education to principles that guided the nation's founders and continue to be our foundation today is the goal of LLAD's "Principles of Democracy" project for Minnesota's young people. By focusing on the why, how, and who of our system of government, K-12 students in and out of the classroom will be prepared to carry on Minnesota's civic tradition of informed civic participation. They will learn about the Constitution, structures of government, politics and active citizenship.
