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.
The Niibi Center is requesting $54,800 in funding (Competitive) from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council to design, evaluate and launch a four session Intensive Instructor Practicum and Language Blast weekend program to supplement our emerging home based, family focused language immersion program on White Earth Reservation. Our immersion program, Ayaanikeshkaagewaad, (meaning 'the next ones in succession') is a recently launched project of the Niibi Center. Ayaanikeshkaagewaad seeks to take a new approach to revitalizing Anishinaabe culture and language on White Earth.
The Becker Soil and Water Conservation District will collect water chemistry and transparency data at Straight, Two Inlets, Hungry Man, Boot, Bass, Big Basswood, Shell, Big Rush and Bass lakes in the Crow Wing River watershed. District staff will collect a complete data set to be used for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's efforts to assess the condition of these lakes, and to prioritize restoration and protection activities in the Crow Wing River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) cycle 2 report.
The Becker County Drainage Ditch Inventory and Inspection Project is a collaborative, multifaceted approach to develop a GIS-based drainage ditch inventory database system, inventory the current conditions of judicial ditches and adjacent land, and target and prioritize portions of each ditch system for restorative or protective measures.
With over 500 public water lakes in Becker County, we are blessed with abundant and diverse lake resources that, like those of much of lake country, are at risk of degradation due to increasing development pressures, redevelopment of non-conforming lots, rising stormwater runoff and land use changes within their watersheds.
To complete the interior display areas of the historically accurate Forestry Ranger Station. Exhibits will feature the early history of forest fire fighting, an account of forestry activity on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, draft horse logging equipment, lumberjack tools, and a tribute to Paul Bunyon. Additionally, funds will be used for a stage where speakers can tell stories and teach about forestry stewardship.
Beltrami County will be updating their water plan in 2017. This plan will be watershed protection oriented and will utilize all available data and maps in order to best protect our water resources. In 2012, Beltrami County completed screening on 19 of our large lakes with heavy land use development. What we found was that none of the lakes had enough chemical data for a trend analysis.
The Beltrami SWCD proposes to partner with citizen and non-profit groups to complete projects that will reduce stormwater runoff and retain water on the land. The majority of the projects will be in the Lake Bemidji lakeshed which has recently been identified in the WRAPs project as being on the verge of impaired for nutrients. With the City of Bemidji being a regional hub for Northwestern Minnesota and the First City on the Mississippi, there are ample opportunities for citizen involvement and ample opportunities for stormwater improvements.
