All Projects

To provide a visual display depicting the history of the Nicollet County Fair's volunteers, fairgrounds, projects, and community. The Nicollet County Fair will erect a booth next to the Historical Society with information about the 140 years of the fair. Exhibit materials will include a slideshow of photographs and written documents.

This grant will allow Nicollet SWCD and partners the means to establish local and regional volunteer monitors for this and future monitoring activities in the Middle Minnesota River Watershed Basin. It also enhances past water quality studies by providing present data for water quality assessment in the Seven Mile Creek Watershed, which has and is receiving support by numerous entities to increase the water quality of that watershed.

Money was appropriated to the two Immersion Schools to develop and expand K-12 curriculum; provide fluent speakers in the classroom; develop appropriate testing and evaluation procedures; and develop community-based training and engagement.

To improve fairgoers ability to view artwork created by local residents. Updated lighting in the Fine Arts Building will help showcase the arts and cultural heritage displays exhibited at the Nobles County Fair.

Over the last 5 years, Nobles County has identified and targeted waters that have impairments for excess sediment. This project continues this effort by implementing projects that have been identified by the Nobles Soil and Water Conservation District as having the highest benefit for sediment reduction to these impaired waters in the county. The inventory and identification of projects as well as their ranking was based on sediment load reductions. Utilizing a ranking method developed by the Nobles County Local Work Group, sixty-nine projects have been ranked and eighteen selected.

This acceleration package will fulfill ENTRF goals including rare wildlife data collection and management, conservation education, collaborative land protection management, & new emphasis on nature tourism to benefit rural communities.

DNR regional clean water specialists and area hydrologists work with local partners to provide technical assistance on implementation projects and related outreach, resulting in cleaner water through healthier watersheds, shorelands and floodplains. We help partners identify, develop, target, design and/or implement on-the-ground projects that improve water quality, enhance habitat and protect infrastructure. We help design restorations that provide lasting benefits by mimicking features of healthy ecosystems.

To offer arts and educational opportunities for youth and seniors of Norman County. The Norman County Fair will offer several interactive arts and educational workshops including tie dying, a singing and dancing event called “Penny and Pals,” and a glass blowing demonstration. The fair will also feature a folk band and a draft horse exhibition.

The State of Minnesota has adopted a ten year cycle for managing water quality for each of the 80 major watersheds in the state. Every ten years, each major watershed will undergo a surface water assessment and a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) project. The North Fork Crow River WRAPS process is entering its second round which will focus both on addressing data gaps identified in the approved NFCRW Comprehensive Watershed Plan and on addressing additional required Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

This St. Louis River Watershed assessment will include the waters of Dempsey Creek, West Two River, St. Louis River, Mud Hen Creek, Embarrass River, West Swan River, Partridge River, Barber Creek, East Swan River, Helen Lake, Pine Lake, Cadotte Lake, Colby Lake, Loon Lake, St. James Pit, Strand Lake, Nichols Lake, Ely Lake, Silver Lake, Elbow Lake, Mashkenode Lake, Carey Lake and Island Lake. These lakes and streams are found throughout the St. Louis River Watershed, which spans parts of St. Louis and Itasca Counties.

The North Fork Crow River Watershed (NFCRWD) is mainly agricultural and has numerous public and private drainage ditches. Sub-surface drainage are major contributors to the sediment and nutrient loading into the North Fork Crow River and area Lakes. This project help reach the Rice Lake phosphorous reductions goals. Local landowners are willing to contribute land on public drainage systems to retain water and restore wetlands at three locations with total anticipated yearly pollutant removals of 200 tons of total suspended sediment and 235 pounds of phosphorus.

The primary land use within the North Fork Crow River Watershed District is mainly row crop agriculture with extensive public and private drainage systems. A large portion of existing tile lines have open intakes that directly transport sediment and nutrients to open ditches leading to the North Fork Crow River (NFCR). The NFCR flows into Rice Lake that is impaired for aquatic recreation due to excessive nutrients.

This project will support the review of all public comments submitted for the North Fork Crow River TMDL and make appropriate edits and changes to the draft TMDL based on MPCA guidance.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This sharp-tailed grouse habitat partnership protected 492 acres, primarily brushland, in northeastern Minnesota for addition to the Wildlife Management Area system providing multiple environmental and wildlife benefits.  The partnership between Pheasants Forever, MN Sharp-tailed Grouse Society, and the MN Department of Natural Resources has become a strong and efficient partnership through the Northeastern Minnesota Sharp-Tailed Grouse Habitat Partnership appropriations.  The Pomroy Pastures and Gun Lake parcels purchased in this appropriation exemplify how we are working togethe

The MWMO , City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board are partnering to implement stormwater projects that reduce pollutant loading to the Mississippi River, reduce flooding and improve ecological function. Three regional Best Management Practices are being proposed in the northern portion of Columbia Golf Course, in Northeast Minneapolis, capturing and treating stormwater from 600-acres of mixed urban landuse.

This appropriation allowed the permanent protection of 769 acres in western Minnesota.  These properties included 287 acres of remnant native prairie, 112 acres of associated wetland complexes, and 19,500' of stream front.  For this phase, we committed to protecting 500 acres with a minimum of 250 being native prairie.  Both targets were exceeded – 153% of total acres and 115% of native prairie acres.  The lands and easements purchased with this funding by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have been transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and are now units of th

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will cooperate to permanently protect native prairie and associated complexes of wetlands and native habitats in western and central Minnesota by purchasing approximately 540 acres of fee title properties and/or permanent habitat easements. Approximately 270 acres will be native prairie. Work will be focused in areas identified as having significant biodiversity by the Minnesota Biological Survey and located in priority areas in the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan (Prairie Plan).

The overall project goal is to develop complementary (same year) physical, biological, and chemical data sets for eight agency-prioritized lakes and three streams in NE Minnesota to incorporate into the overall state database for MPCA assessment purposes as well as research purposes.

Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Northwest Regional Library System (NRL) is a consolidated regional public library system in upper northwest Minnesota.

Minnesota’s 12 regional public library systems, which encompass 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional public library system receives a formula-driven allocation from the annual $3 million Minnesota Regional Library Legacy Grant.

Cansayapi will: 1) Increase teaching tools for the community by translating eight (8) curriculum units for the Dakota Immersion School and developing a ?second-year high school Dakota language syllabus that meets ACTFL world standards for listening and speaking; 2) Introduce and build the Dakota language skills of 122 community members; and 3) extend Dakota language use across the community through expanded technologically-based language interpretation at Lower Sioux?s Historic Site.

The Oliver H. Kelley farm in Elk River is a National Historic Landmark where visitors experience mid-19th-century Minnesota farm life. This historic structures report provides the foundation for future maintenance and preservation of the farmhouse while continuing to provide an important level of programming and public service. The Jeffris Family Foundation has awarded a matching grant of $25,000 to the minnesota historical society to fund half of the estimated costs of a consultant to prepare the report.

To provide educational opportunities for fair visitors to learn about the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in southern Minnesota. Between 1933 and 1939, the Olmsted County Fairgrounds was home to the regional headquarters of the CCC company 1774-V. The fair will create two exhibits documenting the living conditions of CCC and WPA workers, and the long-term impact of both programs.

Visual Arts Exhibition and Artist promotional and networking support organization