Friends of the Mississippi River

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

Where we work: Vermillion River Aquatic Management Area

smclaughlin — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:16:57 +0000

Redirect to: https://fmr.org/vermillion-river-aquatic-management-area

Explore all of our Conservation updates.

Better understand this work

Where we work: A map of our conservation and restoration sites

How we choose sites to protect and restore

Planning + the special importance of wildlife corridors

Ecological restoration: A practice in patience

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Land Conservation

Special places

restoration

Minnesota's native thistles: Big benefits for birds, bees and more

aroth — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 20:57:31 +0000

A common eastern bumblebee, goldenrod soldier beetle and European honeybee all forage on the flowerhead of a field thistle (Cirsium discolor) at the William H. Houlton Conservation Area in Elk River. (Photo by Kiley Friedrich)

Thistles are some of the most maligned species in the plant world. Almost no one seems to like them, and it's easy to see why. Their formidable spines and prickles limit the ability of many herbivores to eat them. Those same prickles can look downright scary and cause most people to steer clear too. Who hasn't been pricked by a thistle while walking through a field or while pulling the plants (even with thick gloves!) at an FMR volunteer event?

Exacerbated by their experience with Canada thistle and an unfamiliarity with the differences between thistle species, people tend to lump all thistles into the category of "bad plant." They tend to think that if it's a thistle, it should be removed before it spreads and creates a problem.

But non-native, invasive thistles aren't the only thistles. In fact, Minnesota has a few native thistle species that provide important ecosystem benefits.

Meet Minnesota's native thistles

There are actually five native thistle species in Minnesota. These species have existed in Minnesota's prairies and wetland for centuries and are common, yet balanced, components of these plant communities.

Species like field thistle, Hill's thistle, Flodman's thistle, tall thistle and swamp thistle can be found throughout the state in various habitats. Because many are biennials, meaning they have a two-year life cycle, they can seem to pop up all at once, leading many to worry that they're beginning to take over a site. But they don't tend to outcompete other native plants and will likely be far less abundant the following year. In fact, they provide many important habitat benefits.

Whereas the non-native Canada thistle often only grows between 1-4 feet tall, some of our native thistles tower over their prairie and wetland counterparts, growing as tall as 7 feet tall (field thistle) and 10 feet tall (the aptly named tall thistle). Their height difference makes these two native thistles valuable, especially in prairie systems, where they can provide varied habitat structure important for birds and insects.

A towering field thistle attracts monarch butterflies at Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area.

Many grassland birds use thistles for perching and resting. By flowering above even the tallest grasses, birds and pollinators are easily able to see and reach their flowers and seeds.

Our native bees use all thistles for nectar and pollen, and various bird species eat the seeds produced by thistles' large flower heads in the fall. While that includes the more invasive species such as Canada thistle, their ability to form monocultures and crowd out the myriad other plant species used by pollinators and other wildlife outweighs their role as a pollen and nectar source.

"Is it good or bad?" Rethinking language around invasive species

Thanks in part to learning from our partners at local Indigenous organizations, we've been revising how we talk about invasive species — and in turn, how we think about our relationship with the living world around us.

What about the non-native, invasive thistles?

Minnesota has its share of non-native, invasive thistles, those that spread rapidly through disturbed sites and thrive along roadsides and habitat edges. Indeed, quite a few of the plants on Minnesota's noxious weeds list are thistles. The agriculture and restoration communities constantly struggle to prevent species like Canada thistle, musk thistle and bull thistle from limiting crop yields and dominating restorations.

Canada thistle is the poster plant for a successful non-native, invasive species, showing up in almost every county in the state and almost every state in the U.S. In all likelihood, it's present in every county in Minnesota but is underreported.

Canada thistle can spread rapidly, preventing other plants from growing. (Photos by Jim Kennedy)

How to tell the difference between native and non-native, invasive thistles

It takes a discerning eye to differentiate between Minnesota's native thistles and some of their more invasive or non-native relatives. In some cases, you'll need to get up close. So if you've stumbled upon a thistle, how do you tell the difference? Here are two questions to guide you:

Is the underside of the leaf bright white and not a dull green? You may have a native thistle on your hands! Can you actually touch the plant — the stem, the leaf, etc. — without recoiling in pain? That's another indicator that the species might be one of Minnesota's five native species.

Of course, if you're still unsure, you can use a plant identification app like Seek or Google lens to help. Or you can check out this Xerces Society guide to native thistles.

So before you yank that thistle out of the ground in the name of stewardship, it might be worth a second look to make sure you're not unintentionally doing more harm than good.

Volunteer with us!

Want to help us restore habitat across the metro? Volunteer with us to pull invasive plants like Canada thistle and support habitat-making plants like our native thistles.

Explore all of our Conservation updates.

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Land Conservation

Invasive plants

Pollinators

Q&A: What the latest data says about the Mississippi River's health

smclaughlin — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:42:43 +0000

Almost every mile of the Mississippi River from headwaters to the Iowa border is considered impaired. One of the main challenges is sediment pollution, which is the result of eroding croplands, stream banks, bluffs and ravines. (Photo by David Wheaton for FMR)

Which of Minnesota’s rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands are healthy? And which ones are polluted?

This is what the impaired waters list helps us understand.

Released every two years by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the list is like a regular health check-in for the state’s waters. The agency looks at a host of pollution indicators — things like mercury, nitrate, sediment, PFAS, fish populations and more.

A body of water is considered impaired if it fails to meet one or more state water quality standards. These standards define how much of a pollutant can be in the water before it is no longer drinkable, swimmable, fishable or acceptable for other designated uses.

In June the agency released a new draft list, which will be finalized later this year. There has been tangible progress since the 2024 iteration: 45 impairment designations have been removed, the single biggest reduction in the list’s history. However, there are now 46 additional lakes, rivers and streams that fail to meet pollution standards.

"Overall, we see the list as evidence that while Minnesota's clean water investments are starting to bear fruit, much more must be done to get to clean water. Since the bulk of runoff pollution is from agricultural sources, that means addressing the role of cropland agriculture."

As MPR News explained, it’s a sign the state is indeed making progress cleaning up its waters, but at the same time, better testing is uncovering issues that have likely gone unnoticed for years.

The Mississippi River is part of this biannual check-in, and we wanted to know more about how it fared. Who better to ask than FMR Water Program Director Trevor Russell?

Q: Let’s start with the Mississippi River. What are the most prevalent impairments in the river through the Twin Cities, and what’s behind those?

Trevor: Every reach of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities is impaired for at least one parameter — either pollutant levels, habitat concerns or toxins in fish and wildlife.

Portions are impaired by excess sediment, bacteria and phosphorus, degrading aquatic habitat and recreation. Meanwhile, fish consumption guidelines are in place throughout the river due to elevated levels of contaminants like PFAS and mercury.

All of this is in line with what we found in our 2016 State of the River Report.

Overall the biggest challenge is agricultural runoff pollution, because it’s the predominant source of many of these impairments. That’s why FMR is so focused on scalable solutions to agricultural pollution through our work with Forever Green at the University of Minnesota.

Q: The Mississippi’s water quality is heavily influenced by tributaries, particularly downstream of major confluences. How did tributaries fare in this most recent list?

Trevor: Not surprisingly, the river’s major tributaries are also impaired. Let’s focus on the Minnesota River for a minute, which is considered heavily impaired.

Eroding croplands, stream banks, bluffs and ravines flush fine soil particles (like silt and clay) into the Minnesota River, and that sediment ends up in the Mississippi River at the confluence. This is where most of the sediment pollution in this stretch of the Mississippi comes from.

And you can see it. There’s a stark contrast where the two waters come together. The Mississippi becomes visibly cloudy, reducing sunlight needed by aquatic plants and making it harder for fish to feed and reproduce.

Sediment also carries other pollutants such as phosphorus, which feeds downstream algae blooms. As sediment settles on the river bottom, it can bury mussels, fish spawning habitat and aquatic insects that form the base of the food web. And in navigational areas, dredging the river to maintain safe passage for boats and barges is extremely expensive.

As a result of all this sediment pollution, the Mississippi downstream of the confluence with the Minnesota River is also impaired for excess sediment. This continues through Lake Pepin, about 50 miles downstream of the Twin Cities, where this sediment settles out as the river widens and the water slows. All that sediment is filling in the lake.

Q: This draft removes 45 water body impairments from the last impaired waters list. That’s 45 instances of a previously identified pollutant problem being fixed, the largest number of removals ever. What does that involve?

Trevor: Restoring polluted water often requires extensive research, planning, investment, and ongoing monitoring over many years. Thankfully, Minnesota has dedicated funding from the state’s Clean Water Fund to monitor and restore the state’s waters, and a lot of dedicated River Guardians that help make sure it's used for that purpose.

We’re seeing results from this long-term, focused work, and not just with these 45 impairments. The state has now resolved 125 waterbody impairments overall.

Q: Those numbers are focused on specific impairments, and a body of water might have more than one. So how many bodies of water have seen all of their impairments resolved — meaning they are no longer impaired at all?

Trevor: Minnesota has fully restored all impairments on 75 lakes, streams, rivers and other water bodies. The state details some of its successes in this report.

A water body can only be removed from this list after the state proves it meets a particular standard, and if the U.S. EPA agrees with the state’s conclusion. This is a high bar. The state is careful to make sure that an issue is resolved and on a trajectory to remain that way before delisting it. The state has never had to "re-list" a water body for an impairment that was previously cleaned up.

Q: How does FMR use this information from the impaired waters list? How does it inform what the organization works on?

Trevor: It’s an important snapshot and helps us understand the pollution challenges we’re facing, but the list alone is only part of the story.

It doesn't capture trends — waters improving or declining without crossing the impairment threshold and does not account for all the protection efforts that have kept waters off the list by preventing impairments from happening in the first place.

Video: How the 'big brown spot' pollutes the Mississippi River

The big brown spot is the predominant source of pollution to Minnesota's groundwater and river systems. And it's the biggest obstacle we face to achieving a clean, healthy Mississippi River.

Overall, we see the list as evidence that while Minnesota's clean water investments are starting to bear fruit, much more must be done to get to clean water.

Since the bulk of runoff pollution is from agricultural sources, that means addressing the role of cropland agriculture.

Q: Can you say more about what FMR is doing to address agricultural pollution?

Trevor: The state made its clear in the 2026 Nutrient Reduction Strategy: traditional voluntary conservation isn't enough to curb agricultural pollution.

To achieve clean water, we must embrace new, economically viable perennial and winter annual crops that clean up our waters while enhancing farm prosperity.

That's why FMR is proud to be a co-founder of the Forever Green Partnership, a network of farmers, agribusinesses, researchers, government agencies and nonprofits pulling in unison for a fundamental shift in what we grow and how we grow it in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.

The bottom line is, we will not see the Mississippi River come off the impaired waters list until we solve agricultural pollution. Forever Green is how we get there.

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.

Explore all of our Water updates.

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Agriculture

Forever Green

impaired waters list

Drinking water

New study highlights economic benefits of dam removal

ctoberman — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:19:27 +0000

Above, we see Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam near downtown Minneapolis. The left half is a photo by John Anfinson. The right is a reimagined rendering featuring whitewater rapids by LVBrown Studio courtesy of National Park Conservation Association.

As we consider whether dam removal makes sense for the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities, it can be hard to envision what a partially undammed river would look like — and how that might change how we relate to it.

Our partners at the National Parks Conservation Association recently answered some of these questions in a new report. “Reimagining the River” provides a first look at how removing two locks and dams — Lower St. Anthony Falls and Lock and Dam 1 (often called the Ford dam) — could impact the Twin Cities’ recreation and tourism economies.

Before we get into key findings, a quick note: FMR and the NPCA do not have a formal position on the removal of these two locks and dams at this time. With our River Guardians, we advocate for robust community engagement and thorough studies, such as this, as the Twin Cities considers this important long-term decision.

The report considered the economic impact of removing the two lower locks and dams in the map above.

Dam removal would open new recreation

Today, most recreation in the river gorge between the Lower St. Anthony Falls lock and dam in downtown Minneapolis and the confluence with the Minnesota River in St. Paul happens on shore: walking, biking, hiking, birdwatching and shore fishing are all popular.

Dam removal in this stretch would likely draw more people to the water as the river would become more accessible and varied.

Just below St. Anthony Falls, or Owámniyomni, whitewater rapids could draw thrill-seekers. The rapids would also provide vital spawning grounds for fish, including many species not present today.

Downstream, the river would gradually mellow. New islands, shorelines and braided river channels would be ideal for paddling, tubing, wade-in fishing and exploring.

These activities could draw new businesses to the river. Outdoor guides, gear rental and food and beverage vendors would be needed. Such services could be provided without big new buildings or development footprints, and could provide hundreds of jobs.

However, an undammed river would change some existing recreational uses. A shallower, faster river would no longer be suitable for rowing. The report estimates that 400 people each year row in the river gorge through the largest rowing programs, the Minneapolis Rowing Club and the University of Minnesota, and that roughly 600-700 people participate in an annual regatta. Large motorized boats, whether that be commercial operators or private boats, would have to stay further downstream.

Peer cities reap river restoration returns

The report discusses several peer cities that removed dams and/or made significant improvements in river quality, access and recreation. The James River in Richmond, Virginia draws 1.9 million visitors to its downtown river gorge each year for paddlesports, tubing and rafting.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania invested in closing river access gaps and creating routes where users can combine walking, biking, and paddling. Trail usership more than doubled and is now tied to $22 million in annual local spending.

These communities, along with others included in the report, have each seen $11-34 million in visitor spending each year along their rivers.

Much more to study and consider

This new study is exciting, but can’t answer all of our questions about whether dam removal is right for the Mississippi River. That’s why FMR is leading a study to examine the ecological, infrastructure and engineering aspects of dam removal. That study will be complete in 2028, and is funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, as well as by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.

Removing the dams and restoring the Mississippi River could be expensive. But it's important to take a long-term view about the costs of keeping the dams in place versus the benefits we could reap from restoration. This new report offers an intriguing vision for what our Mississippi River might be someday.

Learn more and get involved

The larger process of considering the fate of our metro locks and dams will unfold over many years, and FMR and our partners will be involved every step of the way.

We'll share updates in Mississippi Messages, and host a variety of workshops, tours and events. The best way to keep up with the latest news and hear about opportunities to get involved is to sign up as an FMR River Guardian.

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

Twin Cities locks and dams

Sneak preview: Children's book celebrates caring for the river

erogers — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:25:47 +0000

The picture book to be released later this year follows an adventurous mouse from storm drain to river to community cleanup. (Image by Kimberly Boustead)

This school year, our Environmental Stewardship Institute (ESI) youth council drafted a picture book for kids about river pollution and the power each of us has to make a difference.

"Little Mouse, Big River" follows the journey of a mouse through a storm drain and down a river. Along the way, he discovers the river isn’t as clean as he thought, and that pollution is hurting other animals. He decides to take action to help his new friends.

The council came up with the idea last fall, deciding to focus on urban storm drains and the river, since many people don’t understand the direct connection between the two. We hope the book will inspire young readers to take action to prevent and reduce stormwater pollution.

Artist Kimberly Boustead, who is illustrating the book, held several storyboarding workshops with the council. Council members enjoyed playing an active role in the book’s design, especially the character design. Writing the book was a collaborative process, and several council members noted that they now feel much more comfortable working in a large group and sharing their ideas.

Here's a preview of one of our draft page spreads:

(Illustration by Kimberly Boustead)

More ESI youth council highlights

The children’s book was just one of several projects the ESI council worked on this past school year.

The council illustrated the connection between storm drains and the river through a water quality mural, collaborating with St. Paul West Side artist Jesús Ramírez to design and paint this mural at Harriet Island. They stenciled storm drains with water quality reminders. And they visited with a St. Paul Public Works engineer, who provided scientific context on our storm drain systems for the book.

Council members also participated in FMR’s advocacy around Ford Area C, a toxic riverfront dumpsite in St. Paul. One council member spoke at FMR’s rally before the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency town hall and wrote a letter to the editor published in the local newspaper.

In the winter, the council snow-seeded FMR's prairie restoration site at Ole Olson Park in Minneapolis with our ecologists.

ESI youth council members collaborated with St. Paul West Side artist Jesús Ramírez to design and paint a water quality mural at Harriet Island. (Photo by Alexandra Retter Jabbarpour for FMR)

ESI council members stenciled storm drains with water quality reminders.

Council members participated in FMR’s advocacy around Ford Area C, a toxic riverfront dumpsite in St. Paul. (Photo by Anna Botz for FMR)

Council members snow-seeded the prairie restoration site at Ole Olson Park in Minneapolis with our ecologists.

Looking ahead

Work on the children’s book continues this summer, and we hope to release the final version later this year. Sign up for our enewsletter for updates.

In the meantime, our ESI summer intensive program kicks off on June 22, with 25 students joining us for a summer of paddling, team building and career exploration. Two of our council members from last school year will serve as our summer assistants, gaining more environmental and leadership experience.

Thanks to partners and funders

Thank you to Mississippi Watershed Management Organization for funding this project.

And thanks to our 2026 Environmental Stewardship Institute funders: 3M Foundation, Beim Foundation, Berglund Foundation, Cargill Foundation, George Family Foundation, HB Fuller, Langwater Foundation, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Musser Fund, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Right Track, Step Up, St. Paul Jaycees Foundation, Trillium Family Foundation, Xcel Energy Foundation, WM Foundation.

Explore all of our Stewardship & Education updates.

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FMR Updates

Environmental Stewardship Institute

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

Stream Health Evaluation Program starts its 16th year

sdowney — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:49:21 +0000

August 11, 2022

If you live in the Rice Creek Watershed District and you're looking for a unique, in-depth way to contribute to your watershed, join us as a SHEP volunteer!

On a Friday evening in July, a group of volunteers gathered to share food and celebrate the start of the Stream Health Evaluation Program's 16th year. In just a few weeks, these volunteers will be donning waders and grabbing nets to head into streams in the Rice Creek Watershed District and start sampling. The data they collect will help provide a snapshot of each stream's health and whether it's improving or declining over time.

Since 2006 FMR has coordinated the Stream Health Evaluation Program (SHEP) in the Rice Creek Watershed District. Scientists train SHEP volunteers to evaluate stream biological health by sampling benthic macroinvertebrates (small, stream-dwelling bugs) and then studying these samples to assess stream quality. Volunteers contribute roughly 40 hours to the program between August and December. Each team of 10 samples three sites along Rice Creek, Clearwater Creek, Hardwood Creek and Locke Lake.

SHEP volunteers truly wade into their watersheds, like this volunteer in 2020.

Volunteers keep coming back

Between field and lab training, sampling with groups and hours spent identifying bugs, SHEP volunteers give a lot of their time to this program. Many volunteers have been involved since day one, accumulating 16 years of experience. This year, the SHEP teams include city officials hoping to gain knowledge to enhance their environmental programming, parents and their children, and friendships forged through volunteering together. Community and friendship play a large part in why volunteers stay involved.

"I come back for the science — it's always changing and always interesting," says Jo Ann Morse, a longtime volunteer. "And for the people, who are so fun to work with."

Why monitoring makes a difference

Macroinvertebrates have different reactions to pollutants and stream conditions. Some can live in polluted waters while others are more sensitive and can only survive in healthy waters. This makes the presence or absence of certain macroinvertebrates a strong indicator of the conditions of our local streams, rivers and lakes.

Our well-trained and dedicated volunteers produce reliable data that can be used to inform water resource management decisions throughout the watershed. SHEP volunteers typically score 90-99% accuracy on their identification, producing high-quality findings every year.

And with 16 years of data, this information plays a valuable role in determining the watershed's future. After all this time, certain trends are starting to take shape. One stream, for example, appears to have a five-year cycle of improvement and decline that repeats over time. Volunteers have also recorded how changes in the environment (such as drought) affect water quality. Findings can help shape policy and practices to protect these streams in the future.

"It is so interesting to look through the microscope," says volunteer Tere O'Connell, who describes herself as having a history background rather than a science background. She explains her dedication to the program as "making sure [the streams] stay healthy and get better."

SHEP volunteers kick off the 2022 season with a report from Katie Farber from Bolton & Menk, who runs the SHEP trainings and analyzes the data.

Get involved

This year, our SHEP teams have openings for a few more volunteers. Rice Creek Watershed District residents are especially encouraged to apply. (Check this map to see if you live in the watershed.) You can learn more about volunteering here. Contact Alex Jabbarpour at ajabbarpour@fmr.org or 651.477.0934 if you're interested in signing up.

Project support

SHEP is made possible through funding and support from the Rice Creek Watershed District, as well as technical support from Bolton & Menk. And thanks to our members for making all our programming possible.

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