We propose to develop a genetic control tool that exploits the natural process of RNA silencing to effectively control zebra mussels without affecting other species.
Solar windows are a disruptive photovoltaic technology that virtually invisibly integrates with buildings. This renewable energy technology will increase photovoltaics adoption, reduce air pollution, and ameliorate climate change.
This project is to develop cheap clean solar energy by simple roll-to-roll manufacturing. Perovskite is a new photovoltaic material, very economical while maintaining high power conversion efficiency.
A biodegradable product will be developed to replace non-degradable petroleum based plastic used in vegetable and fruit production. This project, if funded, will revolutionize horticulture in Minnesota, and potentially worldwide.
Design and evaluate 10 market-based scenarios for perennial cropping systems and their potential to improve water quality and provide wildlife habitat. Create awareness through thought-provoking videos, fact sheets, and presentations.
Develop strategies and practical tools to identify conditions that minimize impacts to soil across a wide range of conditions to promote regeneration of diverse forests, wildlife habitat, and timber availability.
3.5 mile long bituminous surface trail beginning at the intersection of Hwy 169 and County Road 88 to Ely. In Ely, connection will be made to existing Mesabi Trail.
Develop and implement nature and outdoor recreation programming for people of color and lower income levels throughout Ramsey County Regional Parks and Trails system.
In FYs14 and 15, MNHS completed production of the Dred Scott Curriculum Kit and development of the Lumberjack Math Curriculum Kit.
* The Dred Scott curriculum kit uses videos and primary source activities that tell the story of slavery in Minnesota in the 19th century. The kit was produced at the end of FY14 and is currently being marketed to middle- and high-school teachers across the state.
* The Lumberjack Math Curriculum Kit uses math and primary sources to teaching about the logging industry in late-19th century Minnesota. The kit is will be produced in summer 2015.
Partner Organizations: Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame, Minnesota Air National Guard Historical Foundation, Minnesota Aviation History and Education Center, and Northwest Airlines History Centre
AirSpace Minnesota (a coalition of independent aviation and aerospace organizations) worked to develop a formal partnership among organizations with similar missions to engage in long-range, strategic planning for coordinating future projects.
To digitize and preserve items representing the ecologic history of the Driftless Area in Minnesota, create a map from 1862 data, and conduct an interpretive program.
Increasing the public's online access to the Minnesota Historical Society's permanent collection remains a top priority of the Collections Department. ACHF collections assistants continued to increase public access to the MNHS collection through the digitization of over 1,300 additional records published to our online database in FY14. In FY15, over 1,500 additional records were digitized and published to the database. These items focused primarily on American Indian material culture, World War I and recent acquisitions.
In FY14-15, the newspaper team continued work on the newspaper hub, increasing functionality and improving the web interface. The test version of the newspaper hub is available on workstations at the Gale Family Library and also on the web at www.mnhs.org/newspapers. MNHS negotiated with the Department of Education to add approximately 275,000 pages of the historic Minneapolis Tribune to the hub.
The Sauk River Watershed District (SRWD) is the drainage authority for Stearns and Pope Counties. The SRWD manages 12 public drainage systems totaling over 90 miles. The majority of the public systems provide drainage for agricultural land uses and were constructed in the early 1900s.
Partners: Minnesota Humanities Center for Indian Fellows; Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES) for Summer Technology Workshop
MNHS is working to serve Twin Cities area schools with increasingly diverse demographics. Staff members provide support services for students competing in National History Day in Minnesota and American Indian History Day. In addition, MNHS promotes and recruits diverse students for programs that engage participants in history. Two of these programs are the American Indian Museum Fellowship Program and the Summer History Immersion Program.
Acquire 470 acres of high priority habitat for designation as Wildlife Management Area (Prairie Planning Section) or Scientific and Natural Area (Prairie, and Northern Forest Planning Sections) emphasizing Prairie Conservation Plan implementation and coordination with partners. All lands will be open for public hunting and fishing (a limited number of SNA’s are proposed for limited hunting for instance archery only or hunting but no trapping). Accomplishments are based on $5,000 per acre average and should be considered a minimum estimate.
This program provides critical assistance to MN DNR Parks and Trails Division Regional and District offices to assist with renewal and rehabilitation efforts prioritized locally by field staff. Projects include the following types: State Park Building and Facilities Emergency Repair and Maintenance, Paved Trail Maintenance and Asset Preservation, and State Park and State Forest Trail Renewal. This project is a newly reorganized budget area that consolidates these three smaller project areas reported on in previous years.
DNR completed nine stream habitat projects with this appropriation. Four fish passage projects opened up access to 180 miles of river and 13,521 acres of lake and wetland habitat. We enhanced habitat on 39 Aquatic Management Areas, totalling 1440 acres, through the efforts of four positions funded by this appropriation. It also funded two stream habitat positions that oversaw the completion of 23 DNR projects and over 50 partner-lead projects funded by various OHF sources.
Work resulting from this appropriation resulted in the acquisition, development, and inclusion of 2,095 acres into the state Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system, 74 acres into the the state Scientific and Natural Area system, and through easement acquisition added 387 acres to the state Native Prairie Bank.
The following table provides a short summary of the accomplishments under this appropriation. In total, the DNR enhanced and restored 283 sites for a total of 17,087 acres.
This DNR Aquatic Habitat appropriation used a programmatic approach to achieve prioritized aquatic habitat restoration, and enhancement of lakes and streams across all the LSOHC planning regions. Two stream restoration projects totaling 23 acres were completed with this appropriation. Also, habitat enhancement projects were completed on 43 Aquatic Management Areas, totaling 849 acres. Stream habitat work for this appropriation and LSOHC-funded projects from other appropriations was aided by funding for a stream restoration coordinator and interns.
We restored and enhanced a total of 15,577 grassland acres with 239 projects on Wildlife Management Areas, Scientific and Natural Areas, and Native Prairie Bank easements.
Through this appropriation MN DNR was able to acquire 115 aces of permanent trout stream conservation easements, nearly doubling the AP goal of 62 acres. This amounts to over seven miles of protected shoreline. We were able to nearly fully send the appropriation. All the acquired easements are now open to public angling and are locate in SE and NE Minnesota. This appropriation also included a contribution to the Conservation Stewardship Account.
This project will provide timely surface water quality data from waters of concern to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). This data will be analyzed and compared to historic data from the same sampling locations. All locations are in the Douglas County portion of the Chippewa River Watershed. Sampling locations include six lakes: Little Chippewa, Devils, Moon, Moses, South Oscar, and Stowe; and one stream site: County Ditch 60.
This project replaced bridge #4 on the Douglas State Trail. A grant from the Federal Recreation Trail Program contributed funding towards this project, and leveraged the Legacy funding.
The Drinking Water Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) program identifies environmental contaminants for which current health-based standards currently do not exist or need to be updated, investigate the potential for human exposure to these chemicals, and develop guidance values for drinking water. Contaminants evaluated by CEC staff include contaminants that have been released or detected in Minnesota waters (surface water and groundwater) or that have the potential to migrate to or be detected in Minnesota waters.
This project will provide cost-share funds to landowners in vulnerable groundwater areas for the incorporation of cover crops in their crop rotation and to provide education related to nitrogen BMPs through field trials and Nutrient Management Plans. An anticipated 100 producers in highly vulnerable areas, will plant 3,000 acres of cover crops resulting in preventing potentially 19,800 pounds of nitrate from leaching into groundwater.
Four beaches along the North Shore of Lake Superior and within the Duluth Harbor have aquatic recreation impairments due to high concentrations of E. coli, a bacterial indicator of fecal contamination. The project area includes portions of the Lake Superior South and St. Louis River watersheds near Duluth. Several of the beaches are also listed as impaired for beneficial use (due to fecal bacteria) as part of the St. Louis River Area of Concern.
Several streams within the Duluth metropolitan area are identified as impaired and are included on Minnesota’s Impaired Waters List, with impairments to Aquatic Recreation, due to levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies have been completed (draft) for these impairments, including Keene Creek and Tischer Creek. The goal of this project is for the City of Duluth to provide the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) with information on the sources of E.
This project continues the total maximum daily load (TMDL) and watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS) process for the Duluth Metropolitan Area (DMA). The DMA is defined by water, sitting at the juncture of Lake Superior and the St. Louis River Estuary, and surrounded by semi-mountainous terrain. The project serves as a bridge into the next phase of restoration and protection identified by the Duluth Urban Stream TMDLs and WRAPS. In the first phase of community engagement, a collaborating organization was formed to define a framework for the DMA communities.
