This project will accelerate production of County Geologic Atlases (part A). An atlas is a set of geologic maps and associated databases for a county that facilitate informed management of natural resources, especially water and minerals.
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.
To build a mobile stage and purchase sound and lighting equipment, in order to increase the fair's ability to host arts and cultural heritage programming.
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.
, Tiny School of Art is a rural mobile art school for young and old. Tiny School of Art brings art accessible in all mediums to rural communities. The Tiny School of Art facilitates a community mural. Fairgoers are able to paint on the pre-drawn mural by Lily Brutger. The murals are than displayed throughout the county in art galleries. Tiny School of Art has drawing stations throughout the fairgrounds for fairgoers to actively draw. Individuals are given a one-on-one experience with a professional artist.
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.
The Washington County Fair brings many artistic programs to the fair each year. We are planning on having community bands and a long ago form of arts - a balloonologist. Keeping the community bands alive for enjoying the art of big bands is a much needed art. A balloonologist is a very old form of art, which is amazing to watch and an art that needs to be preserved. We will be having Paul Bunyan. Paul Bunyan explains the use of his ax for cutting down trees. He will depict how long ago homes were built by logs chopped down in the forests.
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.
Log carving is a form of art or craftsmanship that involves sculpting or carving designs, figures, or intricate patterns into logs or large pieces of wood. It often requires specialized tools like chisels, knives, and chainsaws to create detailed and often lifelike sculptures or decorative pieces. Artists use their skills to bring out the natural beauty of the wood while shaping it into various forms, ranging from animals and human figures to abstract designs.
We bring many artistic programs to the fair each year. We plan to have a balloonologist this year. It is an amazing form of art that needs to be kept alive. It is truly amazing to watch them twist and turn a balloon in no time, and turn it into art! That takes a lot of talent and practice to be able to do this.
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.
To allow visitors of the Washington County Fair to experience life in the 1800s. The fair will offer children's games from the era, dancing demonstrations, and educational fashion shows which will feature styles from the 1800s along with explanations of an item's function and symbolism.
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.
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been decimating ash throughout the Great Lake States and is currently advancing into Minnesota, threatening the future of the ash forests that occur across much of the state. Of particular concern is the impact EAB will have on the ecology and functioning of black ash swamps, which cover over one million acres in Minnesota and represent the state’s most common ash forest type. Black ash trees grow and thrive in swamps and occupy a unique wet niche where few other tree species grow.
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.
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.
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.
