Tips and tales about keeping water clean
On a sunny Friday in April, the dog and I hiked at Sunfish Lake Park in Lake Elmo and found rue anemone, wood anemone, and an abundance of violets sprinkled on the forest floor. Higher in the trees, two barred owls enjoyed an extended conversation. Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all? I counted 17 painted turtles sharing one long skinny log in the lake, and was excited to see red breasted mergansers and a pair of mallards as well.
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In 1965, protests in Stillwater, Minnesota ignited a national conversation that eventually inspired Congress to pass the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968.
Two years later, Senator Gaylord Nelson (WI) helped to organize the very first “Earth Day” on April 22, 1970. During this inaugural event, 20 million Americans — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — participated in teach-ins and rallies, calling for sweeping changes to end the environmental destruction they saw happening across the nation.
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Way down south along the Mississippi River, great blue herons are on the move. This week they crossed the border into Missouri. By the end of the month, we’ll welcome them back to Minnesota.
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As we embark on the 100-year anniversary of Black History Month, explore examples of Black-led conservation from around the world – Botswana, Haiti, and Minnesota.
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Road maintenance in rural communities like Grant and Stillwater Township is significantly different than in larger cities like Oakdale and Woodbury. A new rural roads training module aims to help small communities stretch their limited public works budgets while also protecting local lakes and streams from salt and sediment pollution.
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The winter solstice is celebrated by many different cultures around the world with stories, festivities, and quiet moments of gathering, almost always filled with light. Though plants and animals don’t commemorate the winter solstice the same way as people, they do recognize and respond to the changes in warmth and daylight.
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Learn about Indigenous-led organizations, including the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Awanyankapi (formerly known as Lower Phalen Creek Project), Owámniyomni Okhódayapi (formerly known as Friends of the Falls), and Dream of Wild Health.
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At Chain Lake Pastures, Rick utilizes a holistic approach to farming known as regenerative agriculture, which aims to restore and improve the health of the land, water, and ecosystems. His conservation ethic also led Rick to become a board supervisor for the Chisago SWCD in 2023.
This fall, the Chisago SWCD celebrates its 75th anniversary and Rick Cedergren is happy to carry on a family tradition – growing healthy food and healthy soil in northern Chisago County.
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The Mississippi tops American Rivers’ list of Most Endangered Rivers. And yet, as we look toward the future, there are reasons to remain optimistic.
Learn more and find ways to engage during “Mississippi River Days of Action” on June 1 – 15.
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East Metro Water 