A professional historian was hired and research was conducted as preparation for a concert production of "Temperance and Temptation". Historical information, music and lyrics for temperance and anti-temperance songs and compelling images were incorporated into the performances. The result was an artistic performance grounded in Minnesota history.
At Battle Creek Regional Park, restore 200 acres of prairie and oak savanna providing additional quality habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including those of greatest conservation need (e.g. Meadow Larks, Bobolinks and other grassland birds).
This program is a part of a comprehensive clean water strategy to prevent sediment and nutrients from entering our lakes, rivers, and streams; enhance fish and wildlife habitat; protect groundwater and wetlands. Specifically the Riparian Buffer Easement Program targets creating buffers on riparian lands adjacent to public waters, except wetlands. Through the Reinvest in Minnesota Program (RIM) and in partnership with Soil and Water Conservation Districts and private landowners, permanent conservation easements are purchased and buffers established.
TMDL project in the Root River Watershed that will support surface water assessment, analysis of data, interpretation of southeast Minnesota's karst landscape, stressor identification, TMDL computation, source assessment, and implementation planning.
Rehabilitation of State Trails Bridges on the Sakatah - Singing Hills State Trail between Waterville and Madison Lake (LeSueur and Blue Earth Counties).
An entrance ramp was constructed and five doorways were widened to improve the accessibility of the historic Scwyzer Lodge. The ramp was consructed with green treated lumber and measures 36 feet long by 4 feet wide. Crushed limestone was put down on the trail leading from the parking lot to the foot of the ramp.
One exterior and four interior doors were widened to 36 inches. All trim and jams were stained to match the original woodwork as closely as possible.
A preliminary National Register assessment of Wayzata's Section Foreman House was prepared for the Wayzata Historical Society by a qualified historic preservation consultant. The final report included a description of the house, the context of its relationship to the Great Northern Railway and the city of Wayzata, the role of a section foreman and standard designs for section houses. The report was submitted to the MN State Historic Preservation Office for review. It was recommended that restoration commence before a National Register Nomination is completed.
The Seven Mile Creek Condition Monitoring project will maintain and build on the continuous flow and water quality data base at three stream sites and one county tile in the Seven Mile Creek watershed through the collection of approximately eighty five water samples per monitoring season in preparation for the Middle Minnesota Intensive Watershed Monitoring scheduled to begin in 2013.
To prepare a Historic Structures Report with a Comprehensive Energy Plan for building reuse at the Soap Factory, a contributing resource in the St. Anthony Falls Historic District and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
to complete restoration work on the Soo Line Trail in Pine County, including inspection of bridge trestles, surface improvements, culvert replacement, signing, removal of debris, trail widening, and bridge approaches
Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment raises revenue for Clean Water, Outdoor Heritage, Parks and Trails, and Arts and Cultural Heritage. Libraries are beneficiaries of a portion of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Funding.
Imminent Health Threat (IHT) systems are those that are discharging improperly treated human waste onto the ground surface or into surface waters. In addition to the potential water quality impacts, untreated sewage has the potential to introduce bacteria and viruses into the environment. When IHT systems are identified, county or city staff assist the homeowners through the process required to bring their systems into compliance with the septic ordinance.
Successful long-term treatment of sewage depends on a system capable of providing adequate treatment and effective on-going operation and maintenance. Clean Water Fund Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Program Enhancement and Inventory funds are used by counties to strengthen programs dedicated to SSTS ordinance management and enforcement. These funds are used for a variety of tasks required to successfully implement a local SSTS program including inventories, enforcement, and databases to insure SSTS maintenance reporting programs.
Volunteer Coordinator position to recruit, coordinate, and lead Natural Resource Volunteers in land stewardship and wildlife monitoring projects. A? The person would also lead volunteers in performing responsible natural resource and environmental work.
Education coordinator position to develop and implement environmental educational programs including general environmental programs and site specific programs including presentations, tours, lectures, field labs, and nature observations at St. Paul regional parks and trails.
Having current and accurate data on historic and archaeological sites is important to understanding our past and to preserving Minnesota’s history for future generations. In 2010-2011, the Minnesota Historical Society awarded contracts for these survey projects:
To grow the capacity of the organization to preserve and interpret history through a national training standard, the Firefighter's Hall and Museum completed four of six areas of the StEPs Program at the Bronze level. The areas completed were the Mission, Values and Governance, Management, Audience and Interpretation sections. The FHM does not have historic structures or landscapes so that area does not apply. The Collections area was too large to complete before the June deadline. The Museum plans to continue the StEPs work and the collections project is a top priority.
Partner Organizations: Anoka County Historical Society, Hennepin History Museum.
Suburbanization has reached nearly all corners of Hennepin and Anoka Counties. The two counties are bound together by the state's largest school district: Anoka-Hennepin. Working together, the Anoka and Hennepin County Historical Societies are gathering resources located in numerous repositories so that they, and future historians, will have a logical starting place from which to draw information about the suburbanization of Anoka and Hennepin counties.
Stubbs Bay on Lake Minnetonka is impaired for excess nutrients due to phosphorus loading. This impairment results in nuisance algae blooms that limit the recreational use of this water body. As a part of its surface water management planning process, the City of Orono has identified projects to help improve the water quality of Stubbs Bay and Lake Minnetonka. The Stubbs Bay Ravine Stabilization project is one of the projects scheduled for completion in 2011.
