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 book, "Backward Glances" by Lawrence Sunsdahl (1982), about the history of Stephen, Minnesota was updated and republished. It is a collection of articles printed in newspapers and periodicals over a twenty-two year period (1989-2010) about the area and its residents. The author, a lifelong resident of Stephen, had compiled information gathered from newspapers, microfilm and personal contacts.