This project will develop innovative and low-cost biofilters to decrease the concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O), a strong greenhouse gas and ozone layer destructor.
This study will leverage our current bioacoustics monitoring framework to assess avian diversity at the statewide scale through a citizen science acoustic monitoring program, with a focus on private lands.
To restore several Dakota City building exteriors on the fairgrounds, in collaboration with Dakota City Heritage Village. These local structures that portray a 1900 era rural village include the 1867 Vermillion Presbyterian Church, the belfry of the District 96 one room school, and the 1861 frame structure that was originally built as a school and most recently used as the millinery and dressmaker’s shop.
While aspen is one of the most dominant forest types, predicted future conditions will negatively impact aspen growth. Increasing tree diversity can provide increase ecological and economic resilience.
Pileated Woodpeckers are keystone habitat modifiers that support an array of game, non-game, and conservation concern species. Additional information is needed to understand cavity dynamics for these species.
Rising temperatures and increased precipitation contribute to decreased oxygen and increased methane in Minnesota lakes and wetlands. We will identify impacts on water quality and methane emissions, providing management guidance.
We will be using the money to hire Minnesota-based entertainment for our free stage. We will be bringing in a Rockabilly entertainer, which is rock n' roll music with roots in music of the American South during the 1950's. This band is from Rochester, MN. We also have two other bands that play old time music and country music. Both are local artists from our hometown of Austin, MN. Another local band will be doing country music. Our final artist is an Elvis Impersonator. He is from Harmony, MN.
La Raza de Mexico will provide Hispanic music. Faribault is home to many Hispanics. This is a way we can share their cultural ways. Wooden Circle demonstrates how items were made by hand.
1) On our large stage we would like to build a small dressing room for performers as they have no place to be ready to perform. 2) Get a portable PA system for the free stage; 3) Hire a Paul Bunyan performer.
We would like to have our local blacksmith's guild members give demonstrations throughout the week of our fair in the blacksmith shop located in our Heritage Village on the fairgrounds. We could get many demonstrators to demonstrate the equipment that we have in our heritage village buildings such as spinning, weaving, quilting, and cooking. We also may have an opportunity to have a threshing demonstration by the local machinery men that meet here in Dakota County. We hope to contract a chainsaw artist and/or the Paul Bunyan Live show to have here the week of the fair.
The chainsaw artist would be able to give many demonstrations throughout the week of the fair. We will contract the Lumberjack show for all seven days of the fair and have lumberjack camps and shows. We will have scheduled three shows a day.
With this grant we will be bringing in performers and entertainment to our Fair Square Stage and strolling acts. Our goal is to enrich the cultural experience of our community by providing access to diverse and engaging arts programming during our fair. This will allow us to showcase local Minnesota based talented artists and performers, fostering a deeper appreciation for arts and cultural heritage among our fairgoers.
Three projects would be supported with this grant:
1 - East Knoll Heritage Village Demonstrations - Not just a pottery demonstration. With 45 years of pottery experience of small and large pottery, they make pots and entertain the visitors with demonstrations. They use a replica of a wooden foot-powered treadle wheel, the kind used in the USA and Europe before before we had electricity.
2 - Wooden Circle Wood Cutting Demonstrations - they work together with the pottery demonstrations.
3 - A performance of a traditional Mexican Band: La Raza de Mexico.
To provide educational and entertaining events that showcase the many diverse cultures of Stevens County, and purchase a sound system to enhance performances and demonstrations.
To upgrade and replace display cases for 4-H. The Dakota County Agricultural Society has enhanced the display capability for the 4-H program to improve viewing and safety.
To provide programming that tells the story of Dakota County's 160 years of settlement, Minnesota history and cultural traditions, through an entertaining tent show that combines story telling and original music. The show will be reminiscent of the 1900s era Chautauqua programs. It will be performed daily in the tent at Dakota City Heritage Village.
We will determine the distribution, relative density, and spatial occupancy patterns of 3 small weasel species in Minnesota to fill key knowledge gaps in weasel distribution and status in Minnesota.
To feature three days of dance programs highlighting dance styles from seven different historical periods. These demonstrations will be part of the 125th anniversary celebration of the Douglas County Fair. Dance programming will offer historical background of each dance in addition to demonstrations.
Low-levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminate water and soil in Minnesota. We propose to identify enzymes and microbes that break down PFAS, making them non-toxic.
We will generate genome sequences of bacteria growing in wastewater treatment bioreactors, allowing us to improve phosphorus and nitrogen removal from wastewater in Minnesota and to discover novel pharmaceutical compounds.
This proposal aims to answer this question: How would the water quality of Minnesota's lakes change in the next century under future scenarios of urbanization, agricultural growth, and climate change?
This project will analyze existing and projected data to develop simple tools to predict the effect of land use and climate change on extreme floods and droughts.
The project will assess chemical and biological defluorination activities in environmental samples and identify the microorganisms, metabolic pathways, and intermediates resulting from degradation of fluorinated pesticides and pharmaceuticals.
Geologic atlases provide maps/databases essential for improved management of ground and surface water. This proposal will complete current projects and start new projects to equal about 4 complete atlases.
This project proposes to increase the adoption of cover cropping in southwest Minnesota to address issues of loss of diversity and environmental degradation. By generating important information on cover crops,
Evaluation of Minnesota raptors, in rehabilitation and free ranging settings, for current or previous exposure to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus to better understand outbreak impacts to raptor populations.
The project will investigate why, when, and where different species of harmful algal blooms release toxins into the water using hyperspectral microscopic imaging towards developing early warning remote sensing tools.
Winter sport fishing for trout is a vibrant industry, but can be impacted by changing climate. We seek to understand how to conserve trout habitat, especially focusing on winter management.
