All Projects

To hire a qualified conservator to provide pest and mold mitigation in collections storage and exhibit areas.

To develop a partnership between historic preservationists and university faculty to integrate preservation curriculum into existing educational programs.

Though many parts of the Twin Cities metropolitan area are urbanized, there are also has large areas of natural lands that continue to serve as important habitat for fish, wildlife, and plant communities. However, pressure on these remaining lands continues to intensify as population and development pressures increase.

This project restored and enhanced rare and unique plant and animal communities identified by the DNR's County Biological Survey. Over 293 acres of prairie, forest, wetland were restored and enhanced. Ultimately, the county was able to approach or exceed the goal of 20% increase in diversity across all three habitats based on plant surveys conducted.

This Legacy grant will focus on the too-often neglected local school districts that have generally not participated in the CDM SSP at the same level as distant schools in surrounding counties. A new CDM interactive exhibit is badly needed to draw back visitors who have been looking for something new at the Museum for children.

The St. Croix River is one of the most pristine, large river ecosystems remaining in the upper Mississippi River System. Washington County, in partnership with the City of Stillwater, is using this appropriation to acquire 15 acres containing 3,500 feet of St. Croix River shoreline just north of downtown Stillwater and parallel to the Brown’s Creek State Trail. The land will be turned into a local nature park for trail users, river users, tourists, and area residents with passive recreation including fishing, boat launching, walking, and picnicking.

Through this appropriation, The Nature Conservancy and Minnesota Land Trust protected 2,135 acres through fee acquisition and conservation easements. This includes over 7 miles of stream frontage. Three new Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) were created around the fee acquisitions, opening up 1,505 acres of habitat to public recreation. Restoration or enhancement work was completed on 225 acres of bluff prairies and forests, much of it on lands protected through this program.

This project will protect and restore declining habitats and watersheds for important wildlife species in strategically targeted areas of biodiversity significance in Southeast Minnesota. The project will result in increased public access and expanded habitat complexes critical to the state.

With these funds the DNR enhanced almost 3,100 acres on 140 different tracts within State Forests and Wildlife Management Area lands in southeastern Minnesota.  While a lot of forest management can be conducted with well-planned and carefully conducted timber harvests, these activities enhanced these forested habitats beyond standard harvest practices such as increasing hard mast production (acorns, hickory nuts, etc).  This will provide long-term benefits for a range of wildlife species and increased recreational opportunities for Minnesotans.

Priority lands were acquired within the Richard J. Dorer State Forest; protecting forests, habitat and providing public hunting, trapping and compatible outdoor uses as well as watershed protection.  This project protected 203 acres of forest land, reduced boundaries by 3720 feet, provided access to 1116 acres of state forest land, and protected 2000 feet of shoreline.

With roughly 70,000 residents, Minnesota is home to the largest Hmong population in the United States. The top spinning game of Tuj Lub (pronounced - too loo) has its roots in Southeast Asia and holds cultural significance to the Hmong community. Formal Tuj Lub courts, constructed near a multi-shelter picnic area at Keller Regional Park, seek

Though many parts of the Twin Cities metropolitan area are urbanized, there are also has large areas of natural lands that continue to serve as important habitat for fish, wildlife, and plant communities. However, pressure on these remaining lands continues to intensify as population and development pressures increase.

$530,500 of the allocated $600,000 was used to enhance 150 acres of Wirth Park habitat. This project included habitat enhancement of woodlands and wetlands involving invasive species removal and planting of native species. This project benefits animal species including the pileated woodpecker and the threatened Blanding’s turtle. Primary outcomes include better quality plant communities, reduced fragmentation, and higher functioning wetlands.

In 2016, VocalEssence WITNESS welcomes artist Melanie DeMore to help us explore the Underground Railroad in Minnesota—specifically how our state has been a place of sanctuary for refugees from the time of slavery through today. As part of this project, Melanie will help record absent narratives of those who have found sanctuary in Minnesota, and these stories will be shared in video and written form to explore the concept of sanctuary as part of the WITNESS School Program.

Wolves are a hot topic in Minnesota, with the public sharply divided on management issues such as wolf hunting. The complexity of the topic lends itself to a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation that is not always helpful to resolving the polarized debate.

To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the Woman's Club of Minneapolis.

Adoption of renewable energy technologies and energy conservation practices can contribute in a variety of ways to the environmental and economic health of rural Minnesota communities through costs savings and emissions reductions. Engaging and coaching students as the leaders in the process of implementing such practices provides the added benefit of increasing knowledge, teaching about potential career paths, and developing leadership experience.