Minnesota – Page 3 – East Metro Water

Three ways to help pollinators this spring

By: angiehongmn April 18, 2024April 18, 2024

Uncategorized, Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingbutterflies, featured, gardening, Minnesota, native plants, pollinators, prairieLeave a Comment

The single most important thing you can do to protect pollinators is to plant and preserve native habitat on your land and in your community. Washington Conservation District and Blue Thumb – Planting for Clean Water have resources to help you get started.

Pollinator Friendly Alliance, Washington County Parks, Washington Conservation District, and Wild Ones – St. Croix Oak Savanna are also seeking volunteers to help plant more than 1000 native plants at Lake Elmo Park reserve on Saturday, May 4 at 11am. Visit http://www.pollinatorfriendly.org to learn more and register.

713,495 Pounds of Schmooka and Counting

By: angiehongmn April 11, 2024April 9, 2024

Keeping water cleanadopt a drain, featured, Minnesota, stormwater, street sweepingLeave a Comment

In most cases, it takes less than five minutes to walk out your front door, grab a snow shovel and wheelbarrow, and scoop up the schmooka along the curb line in front of your home.

‘Tis the Season to Turn out the Lights

By: angiehongmn March 21, 2024

WildlifeBird City USA, birds, featured, Minnesota, Mississippi River, St. Croix River, Stillwater1 Comment

Allison Mcginnis might not be a twitcher, but she does love birds! In this week’s East Metro water blog, Mcginnis talks about leading Sustainable Stillwater’s Bird City Stillwater initiative and shares advice for area bird-lovers.

A few tips for the coming spring:
– Turn out exterior lights to protect migrating birds
– Protect against bird strikes with window applications
– Plant a native tree, shrub, and garden
– Join a birding hike near you or enjoy one of the brand new self-guided tours!

Shorelines and Fish Tales

By: angiehongmn March 8, 2024March 8, 2024

Aquatic Biology, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, lakes, Minnesota, shorelineLeave a Comment

“Unfortunately, we’re seeing more and more people removing the vegetation along their shorelines and it’s causing a chain reaction in the aquatic food web that’s affecting fish, as well as insects and other wildlife.”

Minnesota gains wetlands but not all are created equally

By: angiehongmn February 8, 2024February 7, 2024

Aquatic Biologyconservation, featured, Minnesota, WetlandsLeave a Comment

Minnesota gained roughly 43,000 acres of wetlands statewide between 2006 and 2020. Wetland health varies greatly across the state, however, and some types of wetlands are more at risk.

Do you caribou?

By: angiehongmn January 11, 2024January 9, 2024

Wildlifecaribou, climate change, featured, forests, Minnesota, wildlife habitatLeave a Comment

In the early 1800s, caribou were the most widespread species of the deer family in the northern forests of what is now Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Canada. Since then, wildlife species in Minnesota have changes dramatically as a result of logging, loss of prairie and wetlands, invasive species, and climate changes.

As cities work to reduce their salt use, more action is still needed to protect water resources

By: angiehongmn December 7, 2023December 5, 2023

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water cleanchloride, featured, Minnesota, salt, winterLeave a Comment

Communities across the Twin Cities are currently waging a battle against time, as they work to curb the flow of salt into lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater before it’s too late.

Green infrastructure and its maintenance a mystery for many Homeowners Associations

By: angiehongmn November 30, 2023November 30, 2023

Yards and Landscapingfeatured, green infrastructure, HOA, Homeowners Associations, Minnesota, stormwater1 Comment

There are 7,725 HOAs in Minnesota and nearly 27% of the state’s population lives in an HOA. These communities often struggle to budget for and properly maintain stormwater and green infrastructure practices such as ponds, raingardens, conservation easements, and native plantings.

A final push for pollinators before the snow begins to fall

By: angiehongmn October 26, 2023

Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, gardening, Minnesota, native plants, pollinators1 Comment

Minnesotans can apply for Lawns to Legumes cost-share funding between now and November 30
at http://www.Bluethumb.org. The grants are up to $400 and can be put toward pollinator planting projects such as pocket gardens, bee lawns, and flowering native trees.

Feeling Loony in Forest Lake

By: angiehongmn May 15, 2023May 4, 2023

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Partners and Updates, Uncategorized, Wildlifealum treatment, birds, comfort lake - forest lake watershed district, featured, Forest Lake, lakes, loons, MinnesotaLeave a Comment

At the Forest Lake Lake Association (FLLA) meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 6:30-8pm, Rob Rabasco, coordinator of Minnesota’s Loon Restoration Project, will talk about efforts underway to protect loon habitat across the state, augment natural loon nesting with artificial nesting platforms in targeted locations, implement loon-friendly lake management plans, and increase survival rates for loon chicks. Robasco is one of three invited speakers for the event.