Over 527,000 acres of unmanaged woodlands are being used for livestock grazing throughout Minnesota. Managing these grazed woodlands based on the use of best management practices can provide environmental and economic opportunities, including improved water quality, maximized forage production, and higher-quality timber. The best management practices involved are commonly used in other parts of the country with other types of ecosystems, but have not been widely adopted in Minnesota due to a lack of knowledge and experience with implementing them within the ecosystems of Minnesota.
Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area, is amongst Minnesota’s greatest natural resources providing drinking water, shipping, recreation, and tourism. Recently the lake has been undergoing significant changes including increasing water temperatures, decreasing ice cover, increasing nutrient loads, decreasing biological productivity, increasing invasive species, and changes in species abundance and distribution. The reasons behind these changes and the interactions amongst them are not well understood.
Minnesota Historical Society exhibitions are supported by diverse programming that complements the content of the exhibitions. These additional programs augmented and promoted the rich stories of Minnesota's history in connection with exhibitions such as "American Spirits: the Rise and Fall of Prohibition" and "Toys of the 50s, 60s and 70s."
MNHS exhibitions are supported by diverse programming that complements the content of the exhibitions. These additional programs augment and promote the rich stories of Minnesota's history. In FY16, programs included lectures, musical performances, hands-on family activities, and other events. In particular, three exhibitions
Partner: Minnesota Association of Museums (MAM)
MAM provides professional development and support to museum professionals across the state. This partnership funds a part-time managing coordinator to research professional development programs for museum professionals, communicate and promote the programs, determine what additional professional development opportunities are needed and expand MAM programming to serve organizations across the state.
Minnesota Association of Museums collaborates with the Minnesota Historical Society in providing professional development and support to history museum professionals across the state. In FY15, this partnership will assist with the funding of a part-time managing coordinator to begin implementing findings on history museum continuing education needs.
Elms were once a very widespread tree in Minnesota and amongst the most common and popular in urban landscapes due to their size, shading capability, and tolerance of pollution and other stresses. Over the past five decades, though, Dutch elm disease, an exotic and invasive pathogen, has killed millions of elms throughout the state. However, scientists at the University of Minnesota have observed that some elms have survived the disease and appear to have special characteristics that make them resistant to Dutch elm disease.
Since 1981, the downtown Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue has been the regional standard-bearer for contemporary music, recognized the world over as the premier venue for the "Minneapolis Sound"
The Frogtown area of St. Paul is a culturally diverse, low-income neighborhood having less green space per child than any other neighborhood in the city and was recently identified as an area in need of a new park. This appropriation is being used by The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the City of St. Paul, to acquire a portion of twelve acres of a currently vacant space in the area to establish the multi-purpose Frogtown Farm and Park.
In order to implement its Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF) projects, the Minnesota Historical Society employs an ACHF Manager to oversee the program administration. The Society is also supporting administration of the grants program and expanded financial management and administrative functions. The Society is diligently working to keep administrative costs low while adhering to the legislative mandate that costs be "directly related to and necessary for a specific appropriation."
This funding supports and ensures the success of the ACHF-funded Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants Program. It allows Society staff to seek out potential grant applicants, lead statewide grant-writing workshops and webinars, and help applicants with technical information critical to submitting a successful grant application, as well as supporting recipients throughout the life of their projects.
This program helped to create a legacy of habitat connectivity, public access, and economic vitality based on increased outdoor recreational opportunities in the mid-Minnesota River Watershed.
