Minnesota has spent millions on stream habitat improvement and restoration; we will evaluate effectiveness and durability of project designs. Results will inform success of future projects and improve cost effectiveness.
This project will help communities acquire priority land along the Mississippi, St. Croix, and Minnesota Rivers, and their tributaries, protecting the environment and water quality while creating much-needed recreational opportunities.
Turtle Island Skywatchers - Innovative Research and Data Visualization project works to protect Minnesota water, wildlife, and natural resources while empowering Indigenous youth as leaders and all citizens as researchers.
We will reconstruct historical lake conditions to identify factors linked to successful walleye fisheries and guide effective management in the face of warming temperatures, invasive species, and nutrient loading.
A class of insecticides known as systemic neonicotinyl insecticides has been identified as a potential factor in recently observed declines in pollinators, including the phenomenon amongst honeybees known as Colony Collapse Disorder. Previous research examining the effects of neonicotinyl insecticides on lab colonies of bumblebees found that exposure to these insecticides at various levels increased queen bee mortality and detrimentally altered bee behavior and production.
Minnesotans increasingly value native fishes. For example, >95% of bowfished species in MN are native, yet all are poorly understood. Foundational natural resource data is absolutely necessary for all stakeholders.
A 2017 workshop determined we don’t know enough about brainworm transmission to moose and what mitigation strategies are optimal. We’ve assembled a multidisciplinary team to tackle the highest research priorities.
Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are found in surface waters in Minnesota and nationally. CECs can cause adverse ecological and human health impacts, and occur as complex mixtures in the environment. One of the greatest barriers to addressing the problem of CECs is a lack of understanding of where these compounds come from and which sources dominate in different locations and at different times.
Our goals are to engage 100,000 underserved youth statewide in environmental education, engaging them in the conservation and preservation of Minnesota wilderness through the experiences in the outdoors.
The Minnesota Zoo will develop educational displays and engaging, hands-on interactives to summarize scientific findings about moose decline in Minnesota. Information will be integrated online to increase accessibility for all.
Land and water conservation efforts require accurate information about land cover and land use. Minnesota’s land cover and land use data has not been updated since 2000 and so does not reflect changes since that time resulting from growth and development, agricultural production, or landscape cover. Researchers at the University of Minnesota are using this appropriation to conduct a statewide update and enhancement of land cover and land use data and make it freely available online for use by government and non-government organizations involved in land and water conservation.
Minnesotans need to understand the complexities of successful state-controlled management, conflict resolution, and co-existence with our 2,400 wolves. A new educational exhibit at the International Wolf Center will help.
Over the past 100 years, about half of Minnesota’s original 22 million acres of wetlands have been drained or filled. Some regions of the State have lost more than 90 percent of their original wetlands. The National Wetland Inventory, a program initiated in the 1970s, is an important tool used at all levels of government and by private industry, non-profit organizations, and private landowners for wetland regulation and management, land management and conservation planning, environmental impact assessment, and natural resource inventories.
Though many parts of the Twin Cities metropolitan area are urbanized, there are also has large areas of natural lands that continue to serve as important habitat for fish, wildlife, and plant communities. However, pressure on these remaining lands continues to intensify as population and development pressures increase.
Acquire, preserve, and improve land on the Central Riverfront in Minneapolis abutting the Upper Lock (but not the Lock structure itself) for recreation, conservation, natural restoration, and education.
There has been a sharp decline in participation in outdoor recreation and education amongst youth, particularly in urban areas. Some argue that youth who have meaningful outdoor education experiences are more likely to become engaged in environmental stewardship and invested in outdoor resources as adults.
Three urban natural areas, including an iconic Native American cultural site, will be restored to native prairie and forest, with a focus on important pollinator and culturally significant native plants.
Establish and monitor 120 acres of intermediate wheatgrass (Kernza), a new perennial grain crop, in vulnerable wellhead protection regions of Minnesota to profitability reduce nitrate leaching to drinking water.
Long Lake is a community asset for Vergas, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. This project will construct a trail bordering Long Lake, maintaining public access and restoring the shoreline.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
The Vermillion River, a designated trout stream, flows through four cities and five rural townships starting in Scott County and running through Dakota County. The existing watershed plan, like most other comparable plans, identified and addressed water quality issues, but recommended and required that management efforts do not include corridor-related wildlife habitat protection and restoration, or recreational use and conflicts.
553,000 is respectfully requested for accessibility/handicap renovations to existing structures and roadway and trail construction for upgrading accessibility for our clients 81% of which are disabled American Veterans.
Use mobile AI-assisted technologies to survey lake visitors. Assess perceptions of water quality and perceived threats. Combine survey data with water quality data and trend monitoring to inform lake management.
Wolf survival and predation in summer are almost unknown but critical to deer, moose, and wolf, management. We'll study wolf predator-prey ecology, share charismatic natural history, and promote Voyageurs' region.
