featured – Page 15 – East Metro Water

Meet the rare plants and animals of Washington County

By: angiehongmn April 21, 2023April 21, 2023

Aquatic Biology, Wildlifeendangered species, featured, Minnesota, Wildlife1 Comment

Minnesota is home to 2000 known native wildlife species, 346 of which are identified as Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN).

The world comes back to life

By: angiehongmn April 13, 2023April 12, 2023

Yards and Landscapingfeatured, spring yard careLeave a Comment

As you cast an appraising eye toward your yard, here is some advice on which chores to tackle now, and which to delay for later.

A healthy shore is a happy lake

By: angiehongmn April 6, 2023April 5, 2023

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Yards and LandscapingChisago SWCD, featured, lakes, lakeshore, Minnesota lakes, native plants, shorelineLeave a Comment

Shoreline landscaping workshops: April 18 and May 8

In the Land of 10,000 lakes, more and more lakeshore landowners are turning toward natural solutions that combine bio-engineering with deep-rooted, native plants to stabilize the land along the water’s edge while also maintaining connected corridors of habitat for beneficial insects, fish, birds, frogs, turtles, and other kinds of wildlife

Bee Lawns and Slow Mow Summer

By: angiehongmn March 30, 2023March 30, 2023

Yards and Landscapingbee lawn, bees, featured, lawns, No Mow May, pollinators1 Comment

A movement is underway to transform our residential landscapes into something that is a little softer, a little wilder, and much better able to support wildlife and clean water.

Continuing a legacy of soil and water conservation

By: angiehongmn March 16, 2023March 15, 2023

Partners and Updatesconservation, featured, Minnesota, soil and water, Washington Conservation DistrictLeave a Comment

Last week, SWCD staff and supervisors from around the state met with state legislators during the annual Soil and Water Conservation Districts Day at the Capitol.

Trout return to Afton’s Trout Brook

By: angiehongmn March 9, 2023

Aquatic Biology, Local Achievements, Partners and Updates, WildlifeAfton Alps, Afton State Park, featured, south washington watershed district, trout, Trout BrookLeave a Comment

The stream restoration project creates different types of habitat that fish need, including deep pools with slow-moving water, shallow riffles with fast, turbulent water running over rocks, and runs with deep, fast water and little to no turbulence.

An end to fish favoritism?

By: angiehongmn March 2, 2023March 2, 2023

Aquatic Biology, Wildlifeecology, featured, fish, fishing, rough fish1 Comment

This spring, Minnesota lawmakers consider new legislation, known as the “No Junk Fish” bill, which would provide funding for the DNR to study native fish species that are currently classified as rough fish and propose updated regulations to better manage and protect their populations.

Busy buzzing bees and such

By: angiehongmn February 23, 2023February 23, 2023

Yards and Landscapingbees, butterflies, featured, native gardens, pollinators, waspsLeave a Comment

It is said that one out of every three bites of food we eat is created with the help of pollinators. Unfortunately, many species of pollinators are declining due to loss of habitat and the use of insecticides, including neonicotinoids. Happily, regular people like you and I can help to create pockets of biodiversity and protect pollinators, simply by incorporating flowering native plants into our yards to provide blooms throughout the growing season.

Growth and change at William O’Brien State Park

By: angiehongmn February 16, 2023February 14, 2023

Outdoor Adventures, Partners and Updatesfeatured, Minnesota State Parks, William O'Brien State ParkLeave a Comment

By 1947, there were 30 state parks in Minnesota but none located close to the Twin Cities area. That’s when Alice O’Brien stepped up to donate 180 acres of land near Marine on St. Croix, which formed the seed for a new park to grow.