Friends of the Mississippi River - Working to protect the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities area

Seward Co-op SEED program picks FMR for February!

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:11:54 +0000

February is a great month to shop at the Seward Co-op in Minneapolis — all month long your shopping can benefit your river! Shoppers can donate to FMR straight from the checkout line by either rounding up their total purchase or specifying an amount to add to their grocery bill. As the Seward Co-op's website explains:

Throughout our 40-year history, Seward Co-op has been committed to giving back to our community. In 2011, we introduced a new way for customers to deliver on this committment. The SEED is an opportunity to make charitable donations on an ongoing basis, during your transactions at the register.

SEED is focused on organizations that share our commitment to a healthy community and/or support our P6 initiative — products that are local, cooperatively-owned/non-profit, and small farmer/producer. Through the SEED donation program, customers can donate to a different recipient every month. Choose to either "round up" your total purchase amount or specify an amount you'd like to add to your grocery bill.

For more information on the program, please visit seward.coop/seed. Thank you, Seward Co-op, for this opportunity to spread the word about — and raise some money for — important river-focused work.

RiverFIRST moves closer to reality

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:28:36 +0000

The Minneapolis Riverfront Development Initiative is developing a strategy for implementing an innovative park design along the Mississippi River upstream of St. Anthony Falls.

Graphic by TLS/KVA

After a whirlwind year of design competition and community meetings, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) will be making official recommendations next month about what, where and how to move ahead with the RiverFIRST redevelopment of the Mississippi riverfront.

Just one year ago, Tom Leader Studio of Berkeley and Kennedy & Violich Architecture of Boston led the design competition’s winning team that created the RiverFIRST plan — a park vision for five miles of river from the Stone Arch Bridge to the northern city limits. Focused on themes of water, health, mobility and green economy, the winning vision included restored islands and wetlands, expanded bike trails and bridges, urban agriculture and other green industries, and a land bridge over I-94 that connects Farview Park and northside neighborhoods with the river.

Community members were highly receptive to the RiverFIRST vision, but also sought to ground-truth it with the Above the Falls Master Plan, an award-winning plan and vision for redevelopment of the river in north and northeast Minneapolis officially adopted by the city several years ago. A year of meetings and stakeholder workshops ended with a proposed framework to begin implementing priority components of RiverFIRST over the next five years and offered strategic recommendations for developing, programming, managing and raising funds for expanded riverfront parks in Minneapolis.

MPRB recently wrapped up a 45-day comment period on RiverFIRST, and MPRB planners will be presenting their staff recommendations for next steps to the park board's commissioners in February.

One of the key recommendations will be to collaborate with the City of Minneapolis to amend the Above the Falls Plan. Concurrent to the RiverFIRST planning process, the city has been conducting its own review of Above the Falls policy and future land-use guidance. The amendment would bring the two processes together, encompassing both the results of this review as well as the RiverFIRST project. The amendment process will involve community meetings and formal adoption by the city council and MPRB commissioners. (Stay tuned for updates later this year.)

MPRB planning staff will also recommend specific sites within the RiverFIRST proposal that are ready to have an architect/engineer move forward and begin preparing schematic diagrams or designs, and others that require additional feasibility analysis. They will also recommend developing site-specific design guidelines for potential private development within and/or adjacent to new riverfront parks and trails.

To learn more, or download “RiverFIRST: A Park Design Proposal and Implementation Framework for the Minneapolis Upper Riverfront”, visit the Minneapolis Riverfront Development Initiative site.

For information about the February Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioner meetings, visit MinneapolisParks.org.

Whose view? From where? — January 2012

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:04:58 +0000

You could receive a small prize if you are the first to correctly identify the photo above, or if we use what you write in an upcoming issue of Mississippi Messages.

Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. We'll publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.

To submit your guess and response, e-mail Bob Spaulding, River Advocate, through our contact form. The respondent to provide the first correct identification of the view and hopefully some interesting thoughts about its significance will receive a valuable prize for their effort. All entries must be received by the first day of the following month for consideration.

Turnaround time: River Rats report!

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:54:32 +0000

Well folks, the time has come. For eight-plus years we’ve been dispensing phenological wisdom, but we think you’re ready to spread your own wings. So consider the tables turned — we want to hear from you! Let us know what you're observing in the natural world and we'll publish your observations in upcoming Mississippi Messages.

Wait, what is that you say? “But I don’t even really know what 'fee-knowledgie' is!” Sure you do. We bet you observe something interesting in the natural world (urban yards, skies and waters included), almost every day, you just may not realize it. Phenology is simply the seasonal changes that occur in nature; events tied to biological time. So if you see a wild turkey, that may not be a phenological event in and of itself since they're here year-round, but if you see a male turkey displaying his feather fan, that’s an indication that their mating season has began, which only happens for a brief period each year.

Phenology writings often note the first occurrence of an event — bloodroots starting to bloom, chorus frogs starting to sing — but that’s not required. So have at it. Go out, observe and tell us what you see!

Submit your observations, including the date and location, by selecting our names — either Karen Schik, Ecologist and Project Manager, or Tom Lewanski, Conservation Director — in the dropdown "Category" list on our online contact form. Feel free to also suggest a link to a good picture or two.

We look forward to posting your submissions in the next Mississippi Messages!

Banner year for FMR conservation efforts

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:10:26 +0000

Many native and migratory birds depend upon restored natural areas for habitat. This scarlet tanager was spotted at an FMR restoration site, Pine Bend Bluffs.

Photo: Karen Schik/FMR

2011 was a banner year for FMR-led land conservation projects. The array of projects reflects FMR’s three-prong approach of planning, restoring and protecting the long-term health of the uplands that support and enhance the Mississippi River.

FMR ecologists Karen Schik and Joe Walton developed Natural Resource Management Plans (NRMP) for eight sites in Dakota and Washington Counties. Five are privately owned and in the process of being permanently protected, while the remaining three are publicly owned. These NRMPs provide the landowner with information about the natural resources on the property as well as recommendations for their restoration and enhancement. FMR also completed bird surveys at several sites, a mapping project for the Swede Hollow Park in St. Paul and conducted an exotic plant species inventory at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource-Central Region Office near the river in St. Paul.

On the restoration front, FMR staff managed restoration activities at nine sites, including both private and public properties. Restoration activities completed in 2011 included controlling exotic invasive plants, planting prairie, conducting prescribed burns and installing native plants. All told, FMR improved the habitat on 250 acres through these activities. While some activities involve our much-appreciated volunteers, helping to stretch our restoration funds, we should also note that FMR hires private contractors to conduct many of these habitat restoration and enhancement activities; we're proud to help keep a number of Minnesotans employed.

Photo: Joe Walton/FMR

The conservation team is proud to play an instrumental role in the restoration of Camel's Hump in Cottage Grove (top) and the expansion of the Hastings Sand Coulee Scientific and Natural Area.

Photo: Karen Schik/FMR

And last but not least, FMR was actively involved in two important protection projects in 2011 that added 105 acres to the Hastings Sand Coulee Scientific and Natural Area. Both properties contain diverse sand gravel prairie and several rare species. These two acquisitions bring the number of acres in the SNA to 268.

We take our job of improving the land associated with the Mississippi River very seriously and we are proud of our accomplishments. We thank our members, volunteers many partners for supporting these important efforts.

Photo: Karen Schik/FMR

Rare or uncommon native plant species, such as kittentail and trillium, can be found in FMR-restored areas.

Photo: Karen Schik/FMR

St. Paul’s Great River Passage plan enters public review

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:50:41 +0000

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation staff are busy this month and next presenting the plan to district councils representing neighborhoods along the corridor.

St. Paul's ambitious plan to remake its 17-mile long river corridor is beginning to work its way through a process of public review. Building upon the city's past efforts to make the river corridor "more natural, more urban and more connected," a public-hearing draft of the Great River Passage Master Plan has been completed and is now available online at www.GreatRiverPassage.org.

The 50-year vision for the future of the river corridor envisions major changes and improvements. New recreation-based gathering centers will be built in Crosby Park and at a reused Island Station power plant. New trail access will be provided into Pig's Eye Regional Park and Crosby Park east of I-35E. A new river balcony will grace the bluffs along downtown, and new private development will dot key locations throughout the corridor. A redesigned Shepard Road will slow traffic, and new biking and walking connections will provide easier river access for people in surrounding neighborhoods.

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation staff are busy this month and next presenting the plan to district councils representing neighborhoods along the corridor. Next, the plan goes to the city's parks commission, which is accepting public comment up through its February 29th meeting (see below). After that, it's on to the St. Paul Planning Commission, expected to accept comments April 6th-May 18th, then onward to the St. Paul City Council and, finally, the Metropolitan Council expected to hear and adopt the plan mid-summer.

The plan is available here, and comments can be emailed to ParksCustomerService@ci.stpaul.mn.us or posted on the GreatRiverPassage.org comment page.

Questions about the plan can be directed to FMR River Planner Bob Spaulding at 651-222-2193 x29.

Previous FMR articles on St. Paul's Great River Passage

Seeing the Big River #196

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:26:03 +0000

There are many ways to experience the big river. In this regular feature we’ll "See the Big River" through the eyes of FMR’s volunteer Artist-in-Residence, Peter L. Johnson. Peter works alongside FMR’s staff and volunteers as we strive to protect and improve this cherished community asset.

Seeing the Big River #196

Saint Paul, MN 2011

Peter L. Johnson

Artist’s statement

“This photo is from the site where 30,000 cubic yards of hazardous waste from the Ford Motor Company sits ON the bank of the Mississippi River. My hope is that we insist that this threat to the health of the ecosystem of the Big River is completely cleaned up before there are any actions taken to develop the land. The upper left corner is the reflection of the stack from the steam plant whose power was provided by the River. Now it is time to clean up the mess that allowed for years of Ford profits.”

About the artist

Peter L. Johnson draws upon his varied background as a documentary photographer, solo street performance artist, painter and social activist to create the overall tenet of his artistic practice, “Seeing the Big River.” His lyrical photographs, collected "specimens" and gasoline-infested Mississippi Mud paintings discover beauty amongst the damage we do to our environment. Learn more at peterljohnson.com.

Mighty morsels and bizarre bulbous shapes

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:19:17 +0000

The large and messy hole in this gall indicates it was probably opened by a chickadee, which lacks the dexterous drilling ability of a woodpecker.

Here’s the prize — a goldenrod gall fly larva — all tucked in for the winter. It survives subzero temperatures by producing a glycol antifreeze.

The gall fly larva is only about 5-6 mm long (1/4 in.), but an important food source for downy woodpeckers, helping them survive the winter.

Once upon a time there was a downy woodpecker, we’ll call him “Dowo”. Winter had just fallen on the land in Minnesota. It was cold and snowy and Dowo was hungry. He had stashed away winter provisions, like seeds and nuts, in lots of nooks and crannies in the woods, but it was only December. If he ate his provisions now he would have nothing for the many cold days ahead. Sitting on a branch near an open field, something swaying among the grasses caught his eye. Swooping down to investigate, he discovered a woody sort of lump on the stem of a goldenrod. The average bird might think nothing of this, but Dowo was no average bird. He had a hunch this was something interesting (i.e. food). He took a few trial pecks, then a few more. It wasn’t long before his effort was rewarded — curled up in the center of this gall was his prize: a nice fat grub. With his long barbed tongue he snatched out the grub and devoured it. He went on to find many more of these grubs in the field, consuming them all over the next few weeks. Each one was a fatty, rich morsel that provided much needed calories for this small bird. And so, Dowo was saved and lived happily ever after. The end.

...Well, not quite. As usual, there is more to the story, and our inquisitive “Phenology” readers want to know: What kind of grub is that? and how does it survive the winter (if it’s not eaten by birds)?

Meet the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis). Though not the only goldenrod gall-maker, it is one of the primary ones. Its story goes like this: adult gall flies are small flies, about ¼- inch long, that do not fly very well and spend most of their lives walking up and down the stems of the goldenrod plant. (Something to look for next year!) The female is easy to identify because she has a large ovipositor (or egg-depositing organ) that she uses to lay eggs into the stem. The egg hatches and the larva begins to feed on plant tissue. It produces chemicals that mimic plant growth hormones, which cause the plant to enlarge around it. This creates a protective home and a nice salad bar for the larva. In the fall, the larva chews a hole to the edge of the gall, but not all the way through — an exit hole that it will use in the spring after it has pupated and emerged as an adult fly. To survive the frigid winter, the larva produces a glycol “anti-freeze.”

Woodpeckers tend to favor large galls, so areas with a lot of woodpeckers will tend to have small galls. Areas with a high parasite population will have larger galls, because they are less adept at penetrating thick gall walls. And if there are both high woodpecker and high parasite populations, the galls will be an intermediate size.

Downy woodpeckers aren’t the only ones to discover these mighty morsels. Chickadees will also occasionally snack on them, though they’re not as neat drillers as woodpeckers and tend to leave large messy holes. In addition to birds, there are other tiny predators, such as wasp parasites.

Canada goldenrod is a robust native plant that dominates many fields and roadside areas. Like most things, goldenrods have both their benefits and detriments. Those of us in the restoration business are not particularly fond of it because it crowds out other species and it’s a pain to walk through a solid stand. However, the plant is very important for the dozens of bees and other insects that call the plant home (or at least “kitchen!”) in the summer months.

Check out some of the resources below to learn more. Better yet, go to the nearest field and gather some galls and investigate for yourself!

A trio of FMR goodbyes

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:42:31 +0000

Some familiar faces are leaving FMR this month. From our restoration and education events to the Mississippi River Challenge, we were to proud to work with Kristin Nierengarten, Erika Frost and Gillian Tomasini and wish you all the best.

Kristin Nierengarten

Many of you know Kristin Nierengarten as one of the key organizers of the Mississippi River Challenge. Some of you know her as one of the people who handles your membership questions. For the past three and a half years, Kristin has been a valued and integral member of FMR's staff and development team. Her energy, enthusiasm, intelligence and ability to take on a multitude of tasks at once have been greatly appreciated by all of us.

Last year Kristin started law school, and at the end of the year she will be leaving FMR to take a new position at a local law firm. Please join us in wishing Kristin much success and fun as she enters this new stage in her career!

Erika Frost

Erika Frost recently wrapped up her job as FMR's 2011 program assistant. Erika did an amazing job coordinating FMR's storm drain stenciling program in St. Paul, and the Stream Health Evaluation Project (SHEP) in the Rice Creek Watershed. She also played a lead role in coordinating volunteers for the Mississippi River Challenge, helped launch a new stewardship effort at Mounds Park and provided invaluable assistance with volunteer outreach, registration and event coordination for many of FMR's stewardship programs.

Erika was a wonderful member of the FMR team and is considering returning in 2012 for another season. We are all very grateful for her contributions and wish her well on whatever path she chooses to take next.

Gillian Tomasini

FMR thanks our fall restoration and education events intern, Gillian Tomasini! Gillian interned with us through the Higher Education Consortium on Urban Affairs (HECUA) Environmental Sustainability program. While at FMR, Gillian assisted with outreach, implementation, and photo documentation of our stewardship events, and such projects as cleaning and sorting volunteer-collected native seed for future habitat restoration work. Gillian also helped conduct an end-of-season survey of our 2011 volunteers.

We thank you for your contributions to the health of the Mississippi River, Gillian, and wish you all the best for your future!

Study suggests reuse for Hastings riverfront Hudson buildings

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:24:16 +0000

A 1927 view of the older Hudson Buildings

A 2011 view of the older Hudson Buildings

A concept of how the site might look as redeveloped with a small inn. Note the 1946 building that extends river-ward from the principal facility.

Photo: Stark Preservation Planning

The Hudson site is at a key juncture between Lake Rebecca Park (left) and Levee Park along downtown's riverfront (right), directly adjacent to the new US-61 bridge.

The City of Hastings is reviewing options for the reuse of the century-old Hudson Manufacturing facility and surrounding site.

Located along the riverfront in the shadow of the US-61 bridge in downtown Hastings, sprayer manufacturer H. B. Hudson called the site home for the last 98 years. Reconstruction of the US-61 bridge required tearing down one part of the facility. Earlier this year, Hudson Manufacturing relocated elsewhere in Hastings, and the city bought the building for $2.3 million.

Now the City of Hastings must determine the site's future. At a critical juncture on the downtown riverfront, the site has long drawn the eyes of local planners as a pivotal place for redevelopment. Just downstream is the historic core of the downtown, with Levee Park acting as a ribbon of green along the riverfront. The new US-61 bridge was designed to enhance this connection between the site and downtown. Just upstream is lovely Lake Rebecca Park, which includes an expansive lowland green space, a focus for FMR restoration efforts. The principal link the site and the park has been a narrow, uncomfortable path that ran along the back (river) side of the facility.

As part of their US-61 bridge construction project, the Minnesota Department of Transportation funded the reuse study. Study author Stark Preservation Planning put together three scenarios that they believe represent economically viable concepts for redevelopment. All three scenarios include roughly similar amounts of restaurant and coffee-shop, retail, art gallery and interpretive space, as well as recreational equipment rental.

The proposals substantially differ on these key items:

A large inn as anchor; this would include a 50-room hotel.
A small inn as anchor; this would include a 25-room hotel, plus 13 market-rate condominiums.
a restaurant/banquet center would serve as the as anchor, complemented by 35,000 square feet of office space.

Each of the scenarios could be undertaken by a private developer, but are expected to require some local government participation, in line with the approach taken by similar adaptive reuse projects. Sources of revenue might include state and federal historic tax credits, favorable pricing for the land, and tax-increment financing.

The manufacturing buildings were constructed in phases between 1914 and 1974. The two-story structures were built from 1914 through the 1920s, and are the most likely to be saved. A more utilitarian 1974 addition will likely be torn down. The key question is whether to keep a 1946 building that is not eligible for historic designation today, but because it protrudes outward toward the river may provide design flexibility and valuable views up and down the river.

Tearing down the 1974 addition will provide additional green space along the riverfront to extend the park space back into the site, vastly improving the connection between Lake Rebecca Park and downtown. How a still-protruding 1946 wing might interact with that public space is an interesting design question for any developer.

The consultants summed up their work: "based on the findings, the reuse team recommends the building be adaptively reused with a tenant mix that may include restaurant, banquet hall, lodging, market-rate housing, office, retail, and tourist-related activities with a public component."

The city of Hastings intends to retain the whole structure and perform minimal maintenance while policymakers decide upon next steps, and as the real estate market likely improves.

Asian carp detected above Coon Rapids Dam

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:09:52 +0000

Traces of DNA from silver carp (above) were recently detected farther upriver than many experts expected.

Photo: T. Lawrence, GLFC

With the discovery of silver carp DNA further upriver than most experts expected, the Asian carp alarm recently went from loud to deafening. Environmental DNA (eDNA) from silver carp, one of four species of invasive Asian carp, has been found in water samples taken upstream of the Coon Rapids Dam several miles north of Minneapolis. Voracious eaters that consume copious amounts of plankton, snails, mussels and other small aquatic life, Asian carp threaten to disrupt and destroy Minnesota's prized freshwater habitat.

The presence of Asian carp so far north was unexpected, as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and others believed the Coon Rapids Dam would be an effective barrier to upstream migration of this and other invasive species. The state is poised to spend $16 million on dam upgrades to ensure its continuance as an Asian carp barrier — a plan that looks like it could be too little, too late.

"We have been concerned for months that, with or without the planned upgrades, the Coon Rapids Dam is not high enough to stop Asian carp from spreading into northern Minnesota," said FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark. "These fish tend to migrate and spawn during high water, which is exactly when the dam is ineffective as a barrier."

If actual silver carp (and not just their DNA) are this far north, they could be on their way to Lake Mille Lacs. Some researchers, such as fish biology professor Peter Sorensen of the University of Minnesota, think silver carp may have been this far upstream for 10 years. However, Sorensen is quick to point out that this possibility of a longer-term presence does not preclude opportunities to limit its spread. "We need to develop new technologies, tools, and understandings if we're going to win this war on invasive species, and it's not just silver carp, it's other species too," Sorensen said in a recent MPR interview (link below).

A coalition of nongovernmental organizations is calling for swift action that includes an immediate temporary closure of Lock #1 and the Upper Lock at St. Anthony in downtown Minneapolis until a long-term solution can be implemented. However, Congressional action is required to direct the Army Corps of Engineers to close the locks even temporarily, and such things typically don't happen quickly. The coalition also supports additional barriers downstream from Minneapolis and longer-term actions such as additional research and development of new technologies to safely eradicate Asian carp or manage their population.

One possible interim solution that has both broad support and could be implemented fairly quickly is the installation of a sonic or bubble-sound barrier at Lock #1 coupled with limited lock operations. This would require cooperation with the Army Corps of Engineers, but not Congressional action.

Gov. Dayton has been holding a series of summits on the invasive carp this fall with members of Minnesota's congressional delegation, state legislature and agencies, local governments, nonprofit groups and other stakeholders to refine the Governor's Action Plan and identify key next steps. The next summit is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 20, 2011.

For more information on this issue in general, please contact FMR River Corridor Program Director Irene Jones at 651-222-2193 ext. 11 or via our contact form.

Carp coverage

In the news:

Coalition wants locks closed to stem carp invasion, by Tim Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio, Dec. 14, 2011
Asian carp: Minnesota action needed, KARE 11, Dec. 14, 2011
Silver carp DNA found farther upriver, EcoWatch.com, Dec. 14, 2011

FMR Asian carp resolution and previous updates:

FMR’s Nov. 16, 2011 resolution in support of preventing the Asian carp invasion, Nov. 16, 2011
Asian carp detected in Twin Cities, Nov. 15, 2011
The race to stop Asian carp continues, Oct. 17, 2011
Gov. Dayton steps up to stop Asian carp, Sept. 20, 2011
Wake up call: Asian carp detected in Twin Cities, Aug. 15, 2011

‘Dirt on Sediment’ packs the house, reveals new research (such as the ‘fire-hose’ effect)

nmundahl — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:44:53 +0000

The verdict: FMR’s first event at the Science Museum was a resounding success.

Approximately 240 people packed the Science Museum of Minnesota auditorium November 17th to learn about one of the most important issues facing the river today: sediment pollution.

The main presenter was Dr. Dan Engstrom, Director of the St. Croix Watershed Research Station and Adjunct Professor of Geology & Geophysics, and Water Resource Science at the University of Minnesota. His presentation, “The Dirt on Sediment Pollution: Water Quality in the Mississippi River,” highlighted recent research that clearly connects agricultural landscape change and artificial drainage to the excessive sedimentation threatening to choke the life out of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.

In particular, Engstrom highlighted ongoing research that links wetland losses and the use of agricultural drain tile and drainage ditches with increased runoff volumes or higher flows in nearby streams and rivers. These artificially high flows create a “fire-hose” effect — ripping out vegetation, eroding banks and bluffs, and carrying vast quantities of sediment into the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin. These excessive “non-field” sources have now overtaken traditional field erosion as the largest sediment contributor to the Mississippi River.

Following the presentation, Dr. Julia Frost Nerbonne hosted a lively conversation with Dr. Engstrom, FMR Watershed Program Director Trevor Russell and Rural Advantage President and founder Linda Meschke as they took on a variety of well-crafted water quality questions from the highly engaged audience.

Additionally, art from FMR’s Artist-in-Residence Peter L. Johnson was on display outside the auditorium. His collection, “A Sedimental Journey” further highlighted issues of sediment pollution in the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin.

Photos from the event are available at FMR's Flickr site.

Thank you to our program partners the City of Saint Paul, Capitol Region Watershed District, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the National Park Service.

Stay tuned to Mississippi Messages for news, events and action alerts related to this important issue.

The still life of the river (Ask your doctor if Prozac™ is right for you!)

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:52:06 +0000

Even in the deepest and darkest parts of winter some, like this chickadee, seem to revel in life and find reason to sing.

Photo: Steve Burt

Field mouse with acorns

Photo: George McCarthy

Well, here we are in the melancholic month in Minnesota when the natural world quiets to a barely discernable whimper. Even the name of the month declares caution and restraint, "NOvember." It is the very antithesis of its arch nemesis, May, the month of possibilities. As in: "May I?" November would answer in the negative if presented with that forward-looking and hopeful question.

Most of our brilliantly colored bird friends have gone, leaving the rather dullish looking, if hearty, winter residents to face the coming winter with little water to drink and food all the harder to find. The many-hued green foliage has been replaced by the earthy tones of gray and brown, which suit the month well. None of the gaudy and loud colors of spring will do. Turtles, frogs, flowers, katydids, mushrooms, bears and woodchucks are hunkered down awaiting better times. One of these days winter will roar in, gobble up those creatures who for whatever reason evolution has sent down this path of trying to eek out a winter living, and spit them out thinner, weaker or without a pulse at all, upon spring's welcome return.

To be sure spring is biding its time to make a grand entrance once again. It will not and cannot be denied. The seeds of new life have been sown. Before we know it owls will be doing the mating thing, horned larks will be picking at gravel along county roads and willow catkins and skunk cabbage will emerge. But, for now, life is battening down the hatches for the snow and subzero temperatures surely on the way.

However, even in the deepest and darkest parts of winter some seem to revel in life and find reason to sing. The chickadee is one such creature and it is hard not to absorb some of the positive energy, despite attempts to push back this joy and wallow in the curmudgeonly frozen slush of the season. After all, winter is the time for quiet contemplation, planning and, yes, a certain amount of sadness.

Do venture out into the woods and prairie but please demonstrate some restraint, decorum and reverence. Winter is truly a difficult time for wildlife, approaching them may cause them to expend energy that they need to survive. Give them — and any suspected nests or habitat — space. And remember that sound carries farther in winter; keep voices down and let nature's sounds prevail.

Winter solitude

Winter solitude--
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.

— Matsuo Basho

Some good winter reading:

Whose view? From where? — November 2011

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:23:25 +0000

Well, we finally stumped you. Despite a couple subtle hints, nobody correctly guessed last month's Whose View from Where location.

Thanks to those who gave it a shot. Guesses included Grey Cloud Island, Watergate Marina in St. Paul and Fort Snelling State Park. "You picked a good one to challenge us," noted one of the guessers. Indeed we did.

And now for the big reveal (drumroll please): This photo was taken in Newport where 12th Street meets the river. While much of the Newport riverfront is private, many of the streets that run perpendicular to the city's riverfront end at small public riverfront parks. Elegant Works Progress Administration-era structures punctuate the roadway in the area. Some are heavily planted and cared for as public spaces, such as the lovely Grove Street Overlook, while others are in a bit of disrepair. Regardless, the small parks provide a meaningful way for the public to interact with the otherwise privately owned or developed riverfront.

Well, onward!

About “Whose view? From where?”

Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. We’ll publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.

Sue Vento joins FMR Board of Directors

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:16:02 +0000

FMR is proud to welcome Sue Vento to our board of directors. Sue is a longtime FMR member, supporter and volunteer with a lifelong history of community service and civic engagement.

A former elementary school teacher, Sue worked on behalf of K-12 educators, technical college faculty and state-employed educators for many years as a staff member and leader of the Minnesota Education Association, now Education Minnesota. She says she “allegedly retired in 2010, but failed miserably.” Currently, she is the outreach director for the Church of the Assumption in downtown St. Paul.

Sue has a wealth of board experience, having served with many nonprofits including the National Park Trust, the Carman Pampa Fund, Neighborhood House, Friends of the Saint Paul Library and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. She is also the former chair and spokesperson for the Committee to Protect Mesothelioma Victims and a former board member of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. Sue lobbied on asbestos and mesothelioma issues at both the state and federal levels, including aiding in the prevention of federal legislation that would have stripped patients and families of legal rights.

Sue is a native of Chatfield, Minn. near the headwaters of the Root River from which her love of rivers may have sprung. "The calm and tranquility that a river brings can't be taken for granted,” says Sue, “I am honored to join the Friends in their advocacy for our treasured Mississippi and for all rivers. The Mississippi played a critical role in our state's past as it does today. We must ensure that it will continue to be a treasure for future generations."

FMR featured in IQ's excellent river issue

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:10:56 +0000

FMR is frequently highlighted in the fall issue of Initiative Quarterly.

The Mighty Mississippi is a cultural icon, a defining characteristic of our communities and perhaps even our identities. So, why doesn't it float on our minds more often? The Initiative Foundation poses this essential question in their fall issue of IQ or Initiative Quarterly: "Mighty — Our River Resurgence."

Both the print and online versions of the magazine feature rich stories and luscious graphics that explore Minnesotans' connection to the river from multiple angles. FMR is frequently highlighted.

In "Mythississippi; Parting the waters of conventional water wisdom" writer Mike Mosedale brings to light popular misperceptions of the river's water quality with John Anfinson, chief resource officer for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Unit of the National Park Service (and an FMR Board member), and FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark. The river's waters appear to not only flow freely but are home to rebounding populations of walleye, eagles, otters and other wildlife. However, looks can be deceiving. In reality, the Mississippi is a highly controlled waterway. Yet while we can raise and lower water levels, we have few controls in place to protect its waters from their biggest threat: nonpoint source pollution from industrial agriculture and urban runoff.

Industrial agriculture's impact on the river is explored in Mosedale's "Destination Unknown; Humans pose the challenges - and solutions - clouding the future of the Mississippi and its tributaries." As many Mississippi Messages readers know, Lake Pepin is filling with excess sediment, carried by polluted waters from the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. In this excellent overview article, FMR Watershed Program Director Trevor Russell, Ron Kroese of The McKnight Foundation, representatives of the Lake Pepin Alliance and the Land Stewardship Project, and conservation-minded farmer Dave Legvold help connect the dots between unhealthy agricultural practices and our troubled waters, while leaving ample room for hope.

"Sidewalk Slurry," by Martha Coventry explores the urban runoff problem in greater detail. After a brief synopsis of how our yards, roads and rooftops contribute pollution to our waters, three promising solutions are profiled: raingardens, reducing leaf and grass runoff with gutter sweeps and vacuum trucks, and FMR's Blue Star program which encourages communities to assess and improve their stormwater management policies and practices.

There's much more to learn in this special statewide issue of IQ — from riverfront redevelopment efforts throughout the state to the top five things to know about hunting aquatic invasive species. Enjoy them all at IQMag.org.

FMR rated a top Minnesota nonprofit!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:29:53 +0000

Minnesota Philanthropy Partners is made up of community foundations that play an active role in helping Minnesota donors make the best possible giving decisions. Earlier this year, in partnership with philanthropic research company Philanthropedia, the Partners conducted a study of the state's environmental nonprofits to determine which do the most good and how donors and volunteers can help. FMR made the list of those with the highest impact, and we are grateful for this recognition of our effectiveness from community experts.

For the full rating, including expert comments, visit myphilanthropedia.org. To support our work, visit our online donation page or contact Heather at 651-222-2193 x20.