MNHS continued the Legacy Research Fellowships program in FY15 with a productive second year of adding to the body of knowledge and interpretation of Minnesota's pre- and post-statehood history.
Four scholars were selected as research fellows. Three scholars received $5,000 awards and one received a $1,000 award. The Legacy Research Fellows used the Gale Family Library at the Minnesota History Center to research their topics, which included:
Long-term forest plot datasets are helpful for understanding the changing conditions and ecology of forestland over time. The USDA Forest Service produced statewide forest inventories in 1935, 1953, 1962, 1977, 1990, 2003, 2008, and 2013. Unfortunately, only the data from 1977 to the present is currently easily accessible and available in full.
Restores 420 acres of high-quality forests at Itasca, Jay Cooke, Scenic, Forestville Mystery Cave and Wild River State Parks and Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area.
Amphipods are wetland invertebrates that are critical wildlife food and indicators of water quality. We will assess reasons they are missing from Prairie Potholes and unique methods to restore amphipods.
Ecological restorations aim to aid the recovery of native ecosystems that have been degraded or lost. However, very seldom are restorations evaluated past the initial implementation phase to determine whether the efforts achieved their goals and the funds spent were a strategic conservation investment. Monitoring and evaluation of restorations can teach what works and what does not in order to advance restoration practices and increase the likelihood of success for future projects.
With funding from the ACHF, 20 portraits were cleaned and are now more secure with the addition of high-quality non-glare/UV filtering plexiglass. Using the original framing, each portrait was retrofitted to accommodate the new plexiglass.
Sixteen more portraits of Minnesota governors will be cleaned and protected with the addition of high-quality, non-glare/UV filtering plexiglass. The portraits of Minnesota’s governors grace the halls of the Minnesota State Capitol and provide an important legacy of the state’s past and present leaders.
State law (M.L. 2011, First Special Session, Ch. 6) directs restoration evaluations to be conducted on habitat restoration projects completed with funds from the Parks and Trails Fund (M.S. 85.53). The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for convening a Restoration Evaluation Panel containing at least five technical experts who will evaluate a sample of up to 10 habitat restoration projects annually. The Panel will evaluate the restorations relative to the law, current science, stated goals and standards in the restoration plans, and applicable guidelines.
State law (M.L. 2011, First Special Session, Ch. 6) directs restoration evaluations to be conducted on habitat restoration projects completed with funds from the Clean Water Fund (M.S. 114.D.50 Subd. 6). The Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) is responsible for convening a Restoration Evaluation Panel containing at least five technical experts who will evaluate a sample of up to 10 habitat restoration projects annually. The Panel will evaluate the restorations relative to the law, current science, stated goals and standards in the restoration plans, and applicable guidelines.
Restore native freshwater mussel assemblages in the Mississippi, Cedar, and Canon rivers to provide necessary ecosystem services, expand imperiled species populations, and inform the public on mussels and their conservation.
Citizens will be enlisted to field-test a new method of managing carp to restore an impaired lake. Water quality & cost-effectiveness will be quantified to inform statewide implementation.
This project will complete the final Implementation Plan, semi-annual and final reports and hold project meetings. The Implementation Plan will identify target areas and priorities for implementation strategies to improve water quality for Bluff Creek. This project will build the groundwork so Bluff Creek will meet water quality standards for aquatic life in the future.
This continuation of the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve buffers program will protect and restore riparian areas, permanently protecting approximately 600 acres on 17 easements. This program will continue utilizing a science-based ranking and selection process and be implemented locally, working with Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) staff in targeted areas in the state. Historically, buffer funding was used to expand basic water quality buffers into larger buffers.
This program is a part of a comprehensive clean water strategy to prevent sediment and nutrients from entering our lakes, rivers, and streams; enhance fish and wildlife habitat; protect groundwater and wetlands. Specifically the Riparian Buffer Easement Program targets creating buffers on riparian lands adjacent to public waters, except wetlands. Through the Reinvest in Minnesota Program (RIM) and in partnership with Soil and Water Conservation Districts and private landowners, permanent conservation easements are purchased and buffers established.
We propose identifying hot spots of groundwater chloride pollution of surface waters due to excessive road salt use, which is a long term source increasing chloride impairment of surface waters.
The project replaced asphalt shingles from the late 1960s with wooden shingles to complete a restoration project started in 2007, the repair the roof of the District No. 44 School, listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It involved removing two layers of shingles and inspecting the underlying sheathing, making historically accurate repairs where necessary, and re-shingling the school with wooden shingles.
This goal of this project is improving water quality and expanding critical wildlife habitat by permanently restoring and enhancing wetlands in the Sand Creek and Prior/Spring Lake Watersheds. By making sign-up payments available through this grant, this project will restore or enhance 400 to 500 acres of wetlands moderating flows and improving water quality. The NRCS has committed $2.5 million through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP), the Scott WMO $314,000, the PLSLWD $145,000, Rice SWCD $40,000, Le Sueur SWCD $40,000, and the Scott SWCD $75,000.
This project will extend and update the lake water clarity database of Landsat-estimated lake clarity. Outcomes include enhance capability, ease of use and effectiveness of the Lake Browser and database and add to the Lake Browser.
This project consists of habitat restoration, water quality and fish passage improvements through the removal of the existing fixed elevation dam, construction of rock arch rapids and in-stream habitat restoration.
Calcareous fens such as the Savage Fen are fragile ecosystems existing only under a unique combination of soil type, hydrology, chemistry, and vegetation. The City of Savage is continuing efforts to protect this important ecosystem through this project. Two large ravines -Dakota Avenue and McColl's Bluff - discharge to the Fen, which was granted special status under the State's Wetlands Conservation Act. Both ravines are highly eroded and carry a significant amount of stormwater and sediment to the Savage Fen.
Minnesota Zoo, Parks, and TNC will use prairie restorations and Endangered Dakota skipper reintroductions to study factors supporting butterflies and develop foundational habitat management recommendations for Minnesotas imperiled prairie butterflies.
MNHS cares for more than 100,000 cubic feet of hard-copy government records and manuscript collections dating from the territorial period to the present. To access the vast majority of these holdings, researchers must currently visit the History Center or make other special arrangements. In FY16, MNHS began piloting small projects to develop and test workflow and to identify and plan equipment and space needs. In FY17, MNHS will add staff to begin responding to patron requests for manuscript and state archives digitization in advance of a full rollout of the scan-on-demand process next year.
MNHS has in its care over 100,000 cubic feet of hard-copy government records and manuscript collections dating from the territorial period to the present. To access the vast majority of these holdings, researchers must currently visit the History Center or make other special arrangements. In FY16, MNHS is piloting a unique "scan on demand" service for researchers that will allow them to request, either online or in person, the digitization of specific materials with the resulting images being put online for wide public access.
The goal of this work order is to make additions and enhancements to the Scenario Analysis Manager (SAM) tool best management practice (BMP) database and the methodologies used for the application of the BMPs.
This work will involve enhancing the capability of the Scenario Analysis Manager (SAM) tool to run more complex point source alternative scenarios, produce results and output in line with the recently developed Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) report standards, and general enhancements requested by users.
This work order will address the need for technical support and updates to the Scenario Analysis Manager (SAM) tool and PATH software based on training feedback. The trainings will include exercises focusing on improved and added functionality as well as the enhanced best management practice (BMP) database.
