Friends of the Mississippi River

Thank you, Tahera. Welcome, Corrie and George!

srich — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:27:28 +0000

Corrie Besse, FMR's new finance director, and Dr. George Annor, our newest board member.

Tahera Mamdani, our finance director, retired this summer after a 5-year career with Friends of the Mississippi River. We celebrate her service while also welcoming Corrie Besse as she steps into this important role.

We're also delighted to announce that Dr. George Annor, a long-appreciated colleague from the Forever Green Initiative, recently joined the FMR Board of Directors.

Thank you, Tahera, and welcome, Corrie!

The staff and board of FMR bid a fond farewell to Tahera Mamdani, who retired this summer after 5 years as FMR’s finance director.

"In Tahera's time with FMR, she managed significant growth in the organization's budget size and complexity with professionalism. She also brought a warmth and joy to her work that her colleagues will dearly miss," said FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark.

Not one to seek the spotlight, Tahera was known for her smile, patience, love of the river and keeping FMR’s systems humming. We are deeply grateful to her for her foundational role and wish her all the best in her well-earned retirement.

FMR is now excited to welcome Corrie Besse to the finance director role.

"She's a seasoned pro with a reputation for competence,” said Whitney.

Corrie brings more than 20 years of nonprofit experience to the table. Most recently, she led finance, human resources and organizational operations at Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis. Her work in arts administration shaped a human-centered approach to leadership rooted in stewardship, collaboration and creative care.

Corrie has hit the ground running, quickly learning all the complexities of a new and multi-faceted organization. We are deeply grateful to have her on the team.

Welcome, Dr. George Annor!

Internationally, Minneapolis is known as a center of food manufacturing and research. The Twin Cities is also known for the Mighty Mississippi, a world-class river flowing through the heart of our metro. In his role as a researcher and teacher, Dr. George Annor contributes to both, helping to feed the world while caring for it.

As part of the Forever Green Initiative team at the University of Minnesota, a keystone FMR partner, George is helping to develop innovative food systems that improve human health while advancing environmental sustainability.

In addition to his research and academic strengths, George is renowned as an engaging collaborator.

“Few experts can communicate their knowledge and bring together different groups like George. Whether you're with a nonprofit like FMR, a farmer, a government agency official or a corporate executive, George builds connections and finds common ground,” said Whitney. “We've worked with him in our work to transform agricultural systems and now we're excited to have his expertise and talents on our board.”

Meet the rest of our staff and board.

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FMR Updates

Star Tribune publishes FMR, farmer commentary on ag pollution

smclaughlin — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:15:01 +0000

The commentary makes the case for clean-water crops (like the winter camelina seen here) as a foundational solution for agricultural runoff — the main source of pollution to the Mississippi River. (Photo by Dodd Demas)

What should be the future of a decade-old program that aims to improve water quality by incentivizing farmers to adopt conservation practices, but hasn't lived up to its promise?

That conversation has been playing out in a very public way since the July release of a legislative audit of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.

After media highlighted the critical report, Minnesota's Commissioner of Agriculture, Minnesota Farmers Union and FMR weighed in with a series of commentaries, focused on the program and how to most effectively move forward.

Critiques and rebuttals

Legislative auditors concluded that the program's purpose "is not well defined" and its impact on water quality "is not clear." Auditors also found that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture was sometimes certifying farmers that hadn't met program standards.

The audit's release prompted news stories from MPR News and Agweek, summarizing both the shortcomings and the report's recommendations. Op-eds and commentaries soon followed.

"The [Office of the Legislative Auditor's] findings aren’t exactly reassuring," wrote Star tribune editorial writer Jill Burcum on July 27, "and lawmakers should take note. Reforms are in order."

A week later, MDA Commissioner Thom Peterson defended the program's record in a rebuttal (the agency maintains a regularly updated tally of pollution reduction estimates) while arguing "key aspects of the conversation mischaracterize" the program's operations.

In the Minnesota Reformer, farmer and vice president of the Minnesota Farmers Union, Anne Schwagerl, detailed her experience with the program, describing it as a "trusted, science-based resource focused on water quality."

Most recently, the legislator that authored the bill establishing this program called for it to be outright repealed. Taxpayer dollars, wrote former Rep. Jean Wagenius, should be used on “strategies that will make a real difference.”

What is that strategy? We’ve got one that can work on its own or in tandem with a reimagined Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.

FMR Star Tribune commentary gets to the solutions

Agriculture pollution is at the heart of our water quality work at FMR. Traditional conservation practices like no till and traditional cover crops at the heart of the Ag Certification Program are helpful steps, but they're not enough. There is no way to get to clean water in Minnesota without making meaningful changes to our cropping systems — and that means finding financially beneficial ways to cover the ground year-round, using the clean-water crops being developed by Forever Green.

We felt it was important to add this perspective to the public discourse.

'Opinion | Cleaner water and farm profits can go together'

Read the full commentary from FMR and farmer Paul Novotny in the Star Tribune.

We submitted a commentary to the Star Tribune, written by FMR Water Program Director Trevor Russell and Chatfield farmer Paul Novotny, to expand the discussion.

"As Burcum makes clear, we urgently need to embrace more effective solutions to reduce ag runoff, particularly the nitrate and phosphorus that are the leading source of pollution in the Mississippi River and continue to contaminate drinking water, including both public and private wells, throughout the state," they wrote. "Planting perennial grains (such as Kernza) or winter-hardy cash cover crops such as winter camelina can keep living roots in the soil year-round to anchor topsoil, block erosion and absorb leftover nutrients. Better yet, producers can harvest and sell these crops for a profit, boosting farm prosperity and water quality at the same time."

They also pointed out the state's newest plan to reduce nutrient pollution strongly emphasizes the importance of increasing living cover on farm fields year-round.

Read the full piece published Aug. 6 by the Star Tribune, then sign up for our newsletter to make sure you get all the latest developments.

Become a River Guardian

Sign up and we'll email you when important river issues arise. We make it quick and easy to contact decision-makers. River Guardians are also invited to special social hours and other events about legislative and metro river corridor issues.

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Agriculture

Forever Green

Drinking water

St. Anthony Falls cutoff wall: No immediate threat, advocacy still needed

ctoberman — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:40:45 +0000

A three-story concrete cutoff wall beneath the riverbed helps support St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis (above). A new study shows no immediate risks, but reinforces the need for monitoring. (Photo by Tom Reiter)

Many readers may recall FMR’s concerns about a potential hidden hazard in the downtown Minneapolis riverfront: a little-known, aging concrete wall (known as the cutoff wall) built underneath the riverbed just above St. Anthony Falls.

Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1870s, the wall helps stabilize the riverbed around the falls and maintain the water levels needed for our drinking water supply. But who owns the wall, and its condition, were unknown.

Thanks to years of advocacy by FMR and River Guardians, the Minnesota Legislature funded a $1 million study of the cutoff wall.

The University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory and Hennepin County recently completed this investigation into the cutoff wall’s history, condition, and what might happen if it failed.

Study says: OK for now, but risks remain

We highly recommend reading this Minnesota Star Tribune piece by Susan Du on the completed study if you can, but the most important takeaway (and good news) is that researchers “did not find any evidence of impending or immediate failure of the St. Anthony Falls region related to the cutoff wall or other subsurface infrastructure.”

Thanks to this study, we also know a lot more about the condition of the wall and surrounding tunnels, how a structural failure could play out, what infrastructure in the area would be at risk, and how to prepare for those situations.

In the cutoff wall's current state, a structure failure is highly unlikely. But we need to build on what researchers have documented about the wall’s condition with continuous monitoring to alert us if conditions change. The cutoff wall, which is 40 feet tall and over 1,800 feet long, needs to be monitored in the same way we routinely inspect bridges, locks, dams and other structurally significant infrastructure.

We need to determine who owns it

This study was never intended to resolve ownership of the cutoff wall. It’s more critical than ever to determine this, so the responsible party can begin inspecting and monitoring to safeguard all the structures surrounding the falls.

Researchers also emphasized that ownership of the historic tunnels around the wall — including the Eastman and West Branch tunnels, and others — is also unclear. Those tunnels need the same level of attention as the wall itself. (Dams, bridges and other structures around the falls all have assigned owners and are frequently inspected.)

FMR and our partners are sharing the study findings and advocating to elected leaders to act to resolve this ownership issue and begin monitoring and inspections as quickly as possible.

When there’s a moment for the public to help push for a solution, we’ll let our River Guardians know. Join our River Guardians to hear from us about advocating for the river.

To see the full progression of this issue over time, see our full history of updates.

Become a River Guardian

Explore all of our Land Use & Planning updates.

Better understand this work

Rules to protect our special river corridor

How do we evaluate development plans?

What we weigh in on: development and parks map

What's our deal with density?

What's going on with Twin Cities locks and dams?

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Land Use & Planning

Cutoff wall

Twin Cities locks and dams

Advocacy

Explore the river

erogers — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:04:01 +0000

At any given spot along the metro river, our staff could point to something — a riverbank, a confluence, a forest — and tell you a story. So we made guides to three of our favorite river routes in the Twin Cities, each with a dozen notes from FMR staff.

These guides include access info and a map marked with tips on wildlife, geology and plants, plus stories of real change brought about by our work with supporters like you. As you paddle, hike, bike or roll along the river, you’ll be able to witness the effects of the advocacy and restoration work we do together.

Three metro Mississippi River route guides

Route guide: Paddle scenic backwaters beside rugged cliffs

This one-way paddling route wends through lesser-known backwaters that braid and meander around islands off the main channel of the Mississippi River south of the Twin Cities. Steep, short bluffs define this stretch of riverfront from Lion's Levee Park in St. Paul Park to Hazen P. Mooers Park in Cottage Grove.

Paddle this route

Route guide: Hike the only gorge on the entire Mississippi River

Walking the Winchell Trail from West River Parkway and 44th Street to 34th Street in Minneapolis brings you through the only river gorge on the entire Mississippi River. The gorge formed over the course of 12,000 years and is now an oasis of steep limestone and sandstone bluffs, rugged ravines and natural springs in the heart of the Twin Cities.

Hike this route

Route guide: Bike or roll beside the Mississippi and Vermillion rivers

Follow two greenways in Hastings, public trails that match two habitat corridors along the Mississippi River and the Vermillion River, to experience firsthand the value of connected natural areas. On this out-and-back route, you can find an oxbow lake, a dry river, the ruins of an old mill, a prairie demonstration garden and a must-see waterfall.

Roll this route

More special places

We've featured more than 30 of our favorite spots to explore the metro Mississippi River on the map below.

What do you want to do?

See waterfalls

When the snow melts, cold spring waters trickle down our yards, driveways and gutters, ultimately swiftening our creeks, swelling our rivers and making our waterfalls roar. We suggest visiting two waterfalls — one famous, one not so much, during their spring peak:

Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis
Vermillion Falls, Hastings

Explore prairie wonderlands

Enjoy the popping colors and buzzing pollinators in a few of our favorite metro prairies. Spanning from Elk River to North Minneapolis to Hastings, they're located in many of our favorite parks and natural areas. Learn more about these prairies that FMR has helped protect and restore:

Grey Cloud Dunes SNA, Cottage Grove
Sand Coulee SNA, Hastings
Ole Olson Park, North Minneapolis
Pine Bend Bluffs SNA, Inver Grove Heights
River Oaks Park, Cottage Grove
Spring Lake Park Preserve – Archery Trail, Rosemount
William H. Houlton Conservation Area, Elk River (our largest prairie restoration yet)

Dine by the river

While there are many tasty restaurants and dining options near the Mississippi, there are only a few right beside the Mississippi. Here are two favorite spots to grab a cocktail (or mocktail) and watch the river flow by:

Red River Kitchen at City House, St. Paul
Mississippi River Pub, Inver Grove Heights

Enjoy stunning river overlooks

Want to see the river wend its way through floodplain forest, past our Twin Cities or through bluff country? Check out these stunning river overlooks:

Pine Bend Scientific and Natural Area, Inver Grove Heights
River Oaks Park, Cottage Grove
Wic̣aḣapi, St. Paul
Ole Olson Park, Minneapolis

Visit major river confluences

Over its entire journey from Itasca headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi collects 7,000 tributaries. Here are two confluences you can visit in the metro where major rivers alter our Mississippi and make it the mighty river it is:

Where the Minnesota River meets the Mississippi in St. Paul
Where the St. Croix River meets the Mississippi in Hastings

Paddle the river and its backchannels

If you've never paddled the Mississippi River, it can seem intimidating. The river is already pretty mighty by the time it reaches the metro. But with some caution and education, many local stretches are safe to canoe and kayak. Check out a few routes we love:

Protect the river while you enjoy it

Time on or near the water rejuvenates so many of us, inspiring us to continue the work of protection and restoration. Check out our guide to ways you can protect water and wildlife while you're enjoying the many beautiful places or river stretches here in the metro.

Stay connected

There are countless more places to explore along this stretch of the Mississippi River. To learn more about these places and related projects, opportunities and river news, subscribe to our e-newsletter, Mississippi Messages.

New curriculum available: Farming for People and Water

erogers — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 20:22:54 +0000

What we do on the land has a major impact on our waters. Our new curriculum helps students see how. (Photo by Dodd Demas)

Friends of the Mississippi River offers free downloadable curricula on topics like watersheds, erosion, wetlands and more.

Now we're excited to share our latest addition: the Farming for People and Water curriculum, designed to engage students in critical thinking about where food comes from, how people and communities are connected to water, and how farming can sustain both people and water.

Though created with teachers and other educators in mind, this curriculum on agriculture and water is available for anyone to download via the form below.

Why agriculture?

At Friends of the Mississippi River, we know that what we do on the land has a major impact on our waters. In fact, runoff from agricultural land is the main source of pollution to Minnesota’s groundwater and river systems. It’s a major cause of decline in habitat, soil health and pollinator populations throughout the Midwest. And it’s the biggest obstacle we face to achieving a clean, healthy Mississippi River.

This curriculum is part of FMR’s broader commitment to building knowledge, connection and care for the river, and to supporting the next generation of environmental stewards through hands-on, place-based learning.

What the curriculum covers

Farming for People and Water's three unit plans are rooted in Minnesota state science standards for students in grades five through nine. Here's what each unit covers.

Unite one: Where does your food come from?

Students think about and explore where food comes from and how food travels. Students will learn about food miles by learning the journey a banana takes from a plantation to their local grocery store. Students map where food items from home come from. Videos from local organizations bring the concept of eating locally to life.

Unit two: How are land and water connected?

Students learn the impact of traditional agriculture on water quality. They research the largest source of pollution to the Mississippi River and a root cause of unsafe nitrate levels in drinking water wells throughout the state. That pollution is also one of the main contributors to the dead zone, more than 2,000 miles away in the Gulf of Mexico. A hands-on experience or demonstration immerses students in the concept of erosion and runoff.

Unit three: Farming for people and water

Students learn about how people can make choices to decrease the runoff, including alternative agricultural practices such as cover crops. They will hear directly from local farmers who utilize sustainable agriculture. Students explore the benefits of community gardens and what local organizations are doing to make a difference. We hope that this curriculum helps your students build a connection with food, land use and the impact on water!

Download the curriculum

Complete the form below to download the curriculum. You can also learn more about FMR's education and volunteer opportunities for K-12 groups and individual youth.

Questions? Reach out to the FMR education team at education@fmr.org.

Thanks to our funders and partners

This curriculum was made possible by the generosity of The Cargill Foundation and was originally developed in partnership with Dr. Meg Cavalier. Thanks to all the inspiring educators and youth participants who have provided input and feedback to improve this curriculum.

Explore all of our Stewardship & Education updates.

We're hiring!

erogers — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:55:30 +0000

Come work with Friends of the Mississippi River!

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FMR Updates

Land Conservation

Take action: Submit a comment on the proposed sulfide mine

smclaughlin — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:10:44 +0000

The site of the proposed nickel-copper sulfide mine, which would be near the area you see here, is located in both the Mississippi and St. Croix watersheds. (Photo by FMR)

This summer and into early fall, the public has its first opportunity to weigh in on a proposed new nickel-copper sulfide mine in Minnesota.

Talon Metals wants to build the mine in Tamarack, Minnesota, located about 120 miles north of the Twin Cities, 30 miles northeast of Mille Lacs Lake, and in both the Mississippi and St. Croix watersheds.

No sulfide mine in the U.S. or Canada has operated long-term without polluting nearby waters. FMR has serious concerns about the potential negative impacts this mine could have on the Mississippi River and nearby communities, including the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

Right now is a crucial time to get involved.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting public comments on the first stage of an early environmental review (read more about this process below) through Sept. 14.

You can use our form to write a message that will be delivered to the agency. We’ve prewritten a comment you can send as-is, but you are also welcome to make edits and personalize your message before submitting.

Want to know more about how the DNR will use these comments and the type of feedback that is valuable at this stage? Keep scrolling, and we'll walk through it in more detail.

Submit a comment + get informed

Submit a public comment here

Use this form to write a message that will be delivered to the Minnesota DNR. We’ve pre-written a comment for you and it’s fully ready to be sent as-is, but you are also welcome to make edits before submitting. Note that all public comments submitted will become a part of the public record and will list commenters' addresses.

Sign up to be a River Guardian

This public comment period is one step in a lengthy process. Sign up to be a River Guardian using this link to receive updates on future opportunities to take action on this issue.

Watch the webinar: 'Sulfide mining's looming threat to MN'

Watch a replay of our July 28 partner webinar, featuring staff from FMR, Water Over Nickel and Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. They explain what's at stake for the Mississippi River and its watershed and how this project threatens communities far beyond the mine site.

How the public comment period works

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is in charge of producing an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed mine. It's a detailed report that analyzes how a potential project might impact the environment, and helps provide information to decision-makers and permit-writers down the line. There are three phases to this impact statement process, and we’re currently in stage one: scoping.

From July 14 through Sept. 14, the public can submit comments to the DNR about the scoping stage.

It’s the first opportunity for everyone to formally weigh in on the mine proposal, and one of the most important ways we can influence how the state protects clean water, downstream communities and Tribal resources.

Protecting the Mississippi River from the impacts of nickel mining

Learn more about how the proposed copper-nickel sulfide mine would operate, as well as the communities, ecosystems and waters that could suffer the negative consequences.

The DNR is seeking feedback on which environmental and land-use issues should be addressed in the final Environmental Impact Statement. This is an important time to demonstrate public support for a close eye on the potential environmental impacts of this proposed mine.

Once the public comments are submitted, the DNR will read and compile them and they will become part of the public record. They may use these comments to update and amend the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement. This is important for ensuring that the environmental review process for this mine is as exhaustive and complete as possible. We want to ensure that every possible environmental outcome for this mine is considered at this stage to fully understand the risks and dangers it poses.

There is a lengthy process ahead. Before any mining takes place, Talon Metals must still obtain permits from the DNR, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies.

The Environmental Impact Statement itself does not grant permission to mine, but it is an important advisory document to guide future decision-making about the project.

Want to stay up to date as this mine proposal moves forward? Sign up to be a River Guardian and you'll get all the latest info, including more opportunities to take action.

Explore all of our Water updates.

Become a River Guardian

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Tamarack mine

Land Use & Planning

Advocacy

River Guardians

Drinking water

2022 Annual Report

erogers — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:26:59 +0000

Enjoy online

fmr_ar2022_print.pdf

What do you dream for the river?

erogers — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 20:56:14 +0000

The river has the power to spark imagination, catalyze action and inspire. That's why the theme for FMR's fall gala this year is The River Dreams.

As we get closer to the Big River's biggest night on September 29, we want to know: What do you imagine we can make possible together for the Mississippi River, its wildlife and communities?

Tell us your dreams for the river

Our work is stronger because of our supporters, and we're inspired by your visions for the Mississippi. Tell us your dreams for the river using the form below. We'll weave your answers throughout our event.

Our dreams for the river and this year's fall gala

We hope you can join us for An Evening Celebrating the Mississippi River: The River Dreams on Thursday, September 29. We're back in person this year for the first time since 2019 and we couldn't be more excited to celebrate the river with our community.

From our historic venue on the Minneapolis riverfront, we'll savor refreshments and seasonal fare, and enjoy a river-themed auction, live music and interactive learning exhibits. You'll have the chance to taste-test foods and beverages made with perennial clean-water crops, play river Jeopardy, meet three Environmental Stewardship Institute fellows, try to stump our ecologists, and more!

This year's program will feature stories of our hopes and dreams for the Mississippi River, as well as the work we're spearheading to achieve them.

We'll hear from staff, interns and participants on the front lines of our critical work who daily envision a brighter future for our river and communities, and whose imaginations, skill and effort drive those dreams closer to reality. Here's a preview:

Water Program Director Trevor Russell and Agricultural Policy Manager Peter LaFontaine

Our dream is as simple as it sounds: a cleaner, healthier Mississippi River. We envision acres of farmland across the Midwest planted with continuous living cover — crops and systems that significantly reduce the amount of nutrient pollution running into the river, as well as enhance farm prosperity.

Conservation Director Alex Roth and Ecologists Karen Schik and Laura Domyancich-Lee

Our dream is to create corridors of protected and restored land, green ribbons winding and weaving through the metro landscape. We envision more diverse, vibrant native habitats that support our buzzing pollinators, our feathered friends and all the other wildlife and people that depend on the natural environment.

2022 Community Engagement Interns Aldric Martinez-Olson and Yumi Kashihara and Grassroots Organizing Coordinator Maddie Miller

Our dream is that your dreams and perspectives will shape policy and decision-making on critical river issues. This summer, as we led tours and events for more than 600 people on the potential for dam removal in the Twin Cities, every conversation taught us something. Your responses and engagement make us hopeful and excited for the river's future.

2022 Environmental Stewardship Institute Fellows Li Le Kaplow and Sarah Hu, Stewardship & Education Program Associate Samantha Mie Armacost and Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Sophie Downey

Our dream is that everyone has access to outdoor spaces, and everyone feels safe in them. We are working to deepen connections with BIPOC neighbors through our BIPOC River Stewards Program and to grow our career pathways program for youth, building relationships between our communities and our river.

Learn more and join us

Visit our event page to RSVP and find out more about An Evening Celebrating the Mississippi River: The River Dreams.

If you have questions, would like to RSVP over the phone or have an access or disability-related request to make your evening more enjoyable, please contact FMR Member Relations Manager John Briel at 651.222.2193 x19 or jbriel@fmr.org.

Photo credits on page: Kernza by Dodd Demas, River Heights Park by Tom Reiter

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Supporting FMR

FMR Updates

Thank you, summer 2022 interns and assistants!

erogers — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 21:18:47 +0000

Our internship program helps us support the next generation of environmental leaders on their career paths. This summer, we had three interns and three assistants working with our teams. Together, we doubled the size of our high school career pathways program, led more than 20 engagement events around lock and dam issues, and surveyed wildlife at restoration sites around the metro.

Here's a little more info about these amazing people and the efforts they made possible.

Yumi Kashihara: Community Engagement Intern

Yumi helped engage community members in the forthcoming studies about the future of two Mississippi River locks and dams, with a special focus on reaching youth. She also assisted with our Environmental Stewardship Institute, for which she had been volunteering for several months. Yumi helped mentor emerging environmental leaders, led lock and dam tours for dozens of people, and created curriculum and activities that we'll use to engage more youth in the future.

Yumi is extremely driven and focused. She worked hard to learn everything she could about FMR, the river and future employment opportunities in our field.

Yumi's reflections

"After working on the issue of the locks and dams at FMR, I learned about the Mississippi River itself and what it has gone through in the past. On top of that, I re-realized that many entities intertwine in the community along the river. People, animals, plants, infrastructure and geography significantly impact the river. It is necessary to focus on each separately as well as their relationship as a whole.

Besides the projects I worked on, I really enjoyed working at the office. I connected with other staff and learned what they were working on, which helped me explore my future career potential.

I strongly hope to continue having experience outside of school before finishing my undergraduate program in a year. Thanks to the opportunities at FMR, I reaffirmed that I want to work on building a healthy relationship between humans and nature. I'd like to seek opportunities in city planning, natural disaster management or environmental consulting."

Aldric Martinez-Olson: Community Engagement Intern

Aldric helped design, plan and lead tours and other outreach events to engage folks in the upcoming studies about the future of the locks and dams. He spoke with hundreds of community members about this huge opportunity for the Mississippi River, equipping them to be involved advocates in this process for years to come.

Aldric can have a great conversation with anyone. He's skilled at connecting with people and inviting them into our work.

Aldric's reflections

"I was the most excited to interact with the community regarding the lock and dam. I wanted to know each person's relationship to the river, and if they didn't have one, help them form one!

I think the stories that I heard were very powerful, it seems like a lot of community members developed a connection to the river by visiting it during their childhood, and it has still stuck with them. I learned about the importance of access and how simply existing by water can have positive effects on people.

This fall, I'll be starting my junior year at Macalester with a focus in urban geography. I hope to work with other nonprofits on other community-building issues."

Keeley McCall-Tunell: Field Ecology Intern

Keeley assisted the staff ecologists on bird and vegetation surveys and data entry from our restoration sites across the metro. She brought her native landscape background to lead a request for proposals process and helped to plan a new prairie restoration and select contractors. Independently she led volunteer trainings on pollinator, monarch and soil invertebrate surveys, and compiled the recorded data. She monitored a wildlife camera and assisted on a small mammal survey.

She came with good basic skills in plant identification and accomplished all new endeavors with great competence. Keeley's interest in learning and strong work ethic contributed so much to FMR and will no doubt set Keeley up for success in her natural resources career.

Keeley's reflections

"This summer, I've had the opportunity to work with FMR on a variety of components of restoration. I've been able to conduct bird, monarch, pollinator, small mammal, and my personal favorite, vegetation surveys. This internship also allowed me to be a part of the beginning stages of a restoration project and meet other professionals in the field. Throughout my internship, I've increased my native plant ID skills, learned bird calls, and deepened my understanding of what considerations and decisions need to be weighed when working on a land restoration project.

This fall I will continue to study horticulture at the University of Minnesota. My time at FMR has strengthened my desire to continue working in the restoration field after completing my schooling, and I am excited to see what the future holds!"

Environmental Stewardship Institute Assistants

As part of the growth of our career pathways program, we're able to offer paid leadership positions primarily to Environmental Stewardship Institute (ESI) graduates and prior FMR interns. These assistants help plan and facilitate the summer program and provide support for fellows. We had three wonderful assistants this year.

Our ESI assistants (from left to right: Holly, Ivy and Riya) made it possible to grow our program to accept even more fellows this year.

Holly Swiglo

Holly supported our community and team-building activities this summer for the ESI fellows. This was an important component this year especially; with a larger ESI cohort from the previous year, we wanted to make sure fellows had an opportunity to develop relationships with their peers. She also worked with fellow assistants to create an ESI guidebook for future assistants that will include some of the collaborative activities she led.

Holly is a great leader and very organized! She's detailed-oriented and knows how to prioritize tasks. She is also a very skilled facilitator — she even led one of our Stewardship & Education meetings with our program staff and ESI team.

Holly's reflections

"My favorite part of the summer was the enthusiasm and energy at our first meeting with the fellows. It was so awesome to see all the hard work we put into planning the program come to life! I really enjoyed getting to know and work with other youth interested in environmental issues. Seeing how their projects came along was so exciting. I learned so much about the behind-the-scenes of the program too — there are so many moving parts! It's great to see how everyone's unique skills and abilities come together to create an awesome program. The ESI team is amazing, and we have so much fun together!

I will be a senior at Roseville Area High School next year, and I plan on continuing my journey with ESI during the school year as a member of the ESI Youth Advisory Council. After high school I plan on attending a liberal arts college to major in environmental studies. I look forward to seeing where life will take me next!"

Ivy

Ivy managed communications between FMR and the ESI fellows, sending out weekly emails with assignments and reminders, and creating a calendar for the fellows to give them a complete picture of the program schedule. Her work broadened the role of the assistants and produced clearer guidelines for ESI communications.

Ivy was very insightful and took initiative to fill gaps she saw in our planning. Her attention to detail and organization skills were a great help with our fast-paced summer schedule.

Ivy's reflections

"I was excited to work with FMR because I wanted to get to know others in the field, other youth and environmental groups, and to build connections. I also wanted to work with and learn about the environment and ways to help it. I learned many things at FMR, some of which include leadership skills, event planning, time management and many others.

I will be a high school senior in the fall, graduating in 2023. I plan on going to college and pursuing environmental studies."

Riya

Riya managed ESI's Instagram page, bringing together reflections from fellows and photos from staff to expand our social media presence. She also put together our ESI resource list, which allowed us to quickly create assignments and activities for the fellows.

Riya jumped right into her role as assistant, despite having never worked with FMR before. She was always quick to suggest new ideas for ESI. Her willingness to try new things made her fun to work with for staff and fellows.

Riya's reflections

"Being an ESI assistant this summer has completely broadened my understanding of the Mississippi River's significance and the importance of stewardship on Indigenous land. It also opened up opportunities for new relationships and collaborations with fellow youth advocates and the BIPOC community.

I'll join the ESI Youth Advisory Council this fall to continue supporting our social media and plan the ESI Environmental Career Day next spring. I'm excited to learn more about what environmental careers are out there."

Learn more about our internship program

We've expanded our capacity for hosting paid opportunities for youth and young people. Learn more about internship openings or, to see future announcements, sign up for our e-newsletter Mississippi Messages.

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FMR Updates

Internships

Environmental Stewardship Institute