Wild pollinators must survive outdoors during our harsh Minnesota winters. We aim to help them persist by discovering habitats they require for shelter through statewide citizen scientists and novel analyses.
We will improve the conservation of Minnesota's imperiled turtles by leveraging our strengths in animal husbandry, field conservation, and educational programming to bolster populations and raise public awareness.
This collaborative project creates a college to workforce pathway for under-represented students who are interested in pursuing Natural Resources careers by reducing barriers that inhibit successful educational attainment.
Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center will provide meaningful, hands-on environmental education learning opportunities to underserved rural and metro area children through our day-use and residential summer camps.
To enhance the accessibility of environmental education and outdoor recreation at Deep Portage Learning Center through projects that provide opportunities and support independence for physically disabled students visiting the campus.
This collaborative project creates a college to workforce pathway for underrepresented students interested in pursuing Natural Resources careers by reducing barriers that inhibit successful educational attainment.
We propose four strategies to increase in-state Golden Shiner (bait) production because angler demand exceeds production. Out-of-state importation creates a high risk of introducing aquatic invasive species and disease.
Wolf Ridge seeks scholarships for equitable access to authentic, hands on learning experiences in the outdoors that supports our Minnesota schools and achievement of the ENRTF strategic plan priority goals.
The causes of increased flooding and the most cost-effective solutions for reducing flood risk will be determined for the Cottonwood River watershed and nine other agricultural watersheds in southern Minnesota.
Minnesota's six accredited residential environmental learning centers (RELCs) will provide life-changing, immersive multi-day environmental learning experiences to a minimum statewide distribution of 20,000 K-12 students, achieving ENRTF's goals.
This collaborative project creates a college to workforce pathway for under-represented students interested in pursuing Natural Resources careers by reducing barriers that inhibit successful educational attainment.
PROJECT OVERVIEW The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages over 2,135 state Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Aquatic Management Areas (AMA) containing over 1.3 million acres. This appropriation is enabling the DNR to develop an information system that will better facilitate the management of the state's WMAs and AMAs by helping to identify needs; prioritize, plan, and carry out related activities; track and assess results of activities; and make the information available to resource management professionals and the public.
Space and water heating and cooling consume 48% of all energy used in an average U.S. residence, and usually that energy is supplied by natural gas or fossil-fuel derived electricity. Geothermal heat pumps can reduce energy requirements for heating and cooling by up to 75%. However, traditional geothermal heat pumps are expensive and their performance is difficult to predict before installation.
Protection of State?s drinking water resources and natural resources by eliminating a new Contaminant of Emerging Concern (CEC) known as Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from point source discharges.
Develop and demonstrate a novel and efficient process based on continuous liquid-phase plasma discharge technology to decompose /destroy Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water.
Promising new carp deterrent system is tested in the Mississippi River along with an existing deterrent and predators; 99% blockage is suggested and Fish and Wildlife Service is a partner.
We will compile all available data for Minnesota Trumpeter Swans and use these sources to model historical population abundance and predict future population dynamics.
We will evaluate state-of-the-art lidar technology?s ability to provide stand-level summary statistics of forest resource measurements and how these data can be used to estimate ecosystem services
We examine the recent spread, origin, cause, and economic and ecological threat of nuisance rock snot formation in North Shore streams and Lake Superior to inform management and outreach.
The proposed research and outreach program is to establish a biocontrol program to manage the invasive, exotic Japanese beetle to reduce insecticide use in bee lawns and parks.
We will assess movements, survival, and causes of mortality of Minnesota elk while developing a non-invasive, safer method to estimate population size. This information is important for long-term management efforts.
Woody biomass energy systems have shown themselves to offer more locally-based, stable energy supplies for some communities. Itasca Community College is using this appropriation to design a renewable energy system based on woody biomass that will serve as a demonstration and educational tool in the region.
OVERALL PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS The impetus for this project was the need to better protect and manage functional lake ecosystems in Minnesota. There is widespread concern about the consequences of poorly planned development on water quality and fish and wildlife habitat. Given the increased demands for water and shoreland, continued habitat fragmentation and loss of species diversity, protection of sensitive lakeshores is critical.
This project sustains momentum from the pilot project funded previously by the ENRTF for growing environmental education opportunities for learners from outside of Austin.
The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center would like to offer its environmental education curriculum to more southeast Minnesota students by hiring an additional naturalist and interns for three years.
