Friends of the Mississippi River

VIDEO: Restoration done right — Community, conservation and the Vermillion River

erogers — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:21:09 +0000

Trout populations are already responding to restoration work along the Vermillion River. (Photo by Rich Wahls for FMR)

South Branch Vermillion River Aquatic Management Area is a true gem, and the site of a partnership we're extremely proud of. Located in Dakota County along Highway 52 in Vermillion Township, this state AMA and Mississippi River tributary boasts a remeandered trout stream, acres of prairie restoration and a stunning restored oak savanna.

FMR has been leading upland habitat restoration at this site since 2017, turning impenetrable buckthorn thickets into diverse riverside floodplain forest and blooming oak savanna. Since our work began, we've seen increases in downstream trout populations, wildlife and plant diversity, and visitor usage.

We've also deepened our partnership with the Hmong American Farmers Association, whose land is adjacent to the site. Together, we've hosted public volunteer events on both properties and begun restoring some of the Hmong American Farmers Association's forested acres as well.

Better together

One of our main goals in any FMR restoration project is to build a community of conservation around the site, with project partners, neighboring landowners, volunteers and people who use the property for recreation.

Working together ensures that different strengths, knowledge bases and perspectives are incorporated and makes both the project and site more resilient. When people care about a restoration site and about the work that went into protecting or restoring it, they're more likely to stay involved and work hard to ensure its long-term success.

To quote Hmong American Farmers Association Executive Director Janssen Hang, "When we all do better, we all do better!"

See the site and meet our partners in this video

Thanks to support from Fishers & Farmers Partnership and the Environment and Natural Resource Trust Fund, and in partnership with the Minnesita Department of Natural Resources Fisheries program, the Hmong American Farmers Association and Twin Cities Trout Unlimited, together we've restored 62 acres along the Vermillion River, turning former crop and pasture lands and degraded riverside woodlands into diverse native habitat and improving public access. Check out this Fishers & Farmers video celebrating our collaboration.

Thanks to partners and funders

This work is made possible by Fishers & Farmers Partnership, Hmong American Farmers Association, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and our many volunteers.

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

Tags:

FMR Updates

Land Conservation

restoration

Sign the petition: '1% for Ecosystems' in Minneapolis

aroth — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:57:50 +0000

This spring, Minneapolis residents have an opportunity to advocate for natural areas stewardship.

FMR is proud of the habitat we've restored at many parks and natural areas in Minneapolis, with flagship projects at Ole Olson Park (pictured above) and Nicollet Island, and throughout Mississippi River Gorge Regional Park, where we've been working with volunteers and community groups for over 20 years.

But most Minneapolis natural areas remain ecologically degraded, with many untouched by restoration efforts. This is, in part, due to staffing. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's Natural Resources department is one of its smallest, with just three permanent, full-time staff.

The park board prioritizes 19 managed natural areas where staff devote their time and resources to restoring and enhancing habitat. Through a combination of volunteers and partner orgs like FMR, a number of additional sites get attention. (Over the years, FMR has brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to planning and restoration efforts, overseen contractors restoring over 50 acres, and, just since 2020, engaged 3,620 local and metro-area volunteers who have dedicated almost 8,300 hours at these sites.)

Still, this accounts for just a small fraction of the roughly 2,800 acres of natural areas in the city park system. There's much more to be done for wildlife, water quality and climate resilience.

That's why FMR enthusiastically supports efforts to increase staffing of the park board's natural resources department. More staff wouldn't just mean more positions. More staff would mean much more capacity to access and manage grants, contract for restoration and engage additional partners and volunteers.

Now is the time

As we enter the upcoming two-year budget cycle, this is a key moment to call on park board commissioners to make that investment.

As the Minneapolis Natural Areas Alliance explains, despite making up only one-half of 1% of the staff, the three Natural Resources staff "are responsible for managing nearly one-quarter of the land in the Minneapolis park system — its natural areas." Doubling that to 1% of staff (six total workers) "will [help] fix an imbalance that is severely limiting our progress towards a better future," the group continues, adding: "We need 1% for Ecosystems."

Many commissioners seek to protect and restore natural areas, but they need to hear from residents and park users that better caring for the park system's habitat and natural areas should be a top priority.

Minneapolis residents: Sign the petition

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?

Tags:

Endorsement

Land Use & Planning

parks

FMR Updates

Advocacy

planning

restoration

Earth Day and beyond: Celebrate and steward the river this spring!

sdowney — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:08:09 +0000

Whether you're looking to get outside, join an indoor event or advocate online, FMR offers many opportunities to help the river this Earth Day and beyond!

Spring and Earth Day will be here before we know it! Join our big traditional cleanup or celebrate throughout the season at volunteer habitat restoration, education and advocacy events, in-person or online.

Join the Earth Day cleanup

As part of the larger citywide Minneapolis Earth Day cleanup, FMR's river gorge cleanup has become an annual family-friendly tradition. Hundreds of people from nearby neighborhoods and community groups come together to celebrate Earth Day and contribute to the health and vitality of the Mississippi River. This year's event is on Saturday, April 18.

To join the cleanup and experience the beauty of the river gorge, simply show up between 9:30 a.m. and noon at either location (E 36th St & W River Parkway for individuals and groups under 10 people, or E 44th St & W River Parkway for groups of 10-20). If you plan to come with 10 or more people, please register on the event page so we can send you updates and instructions to share with your group.

The day of the event, FMR staff will sign you in and provide all the supplies you'll need. However, if you have your own work gloves, feel free to bring them, as they may fit better. We strongly suggest wearing sturdy shoes and dressing in layers for the weather. And we suggest bringing your own water bottle and sunscreen.

Schedule your storm drain stenciling outing

From May to October, we stencil storm drains on St. Paul streets with educational messages about protecting water. Storm drain stenciling is a great activity for families, clubs, classes and groups to get outside and help the Mississippi River.

We also offer kits that make it easy for groups of 25 or fewer to volunteer independently.

Beyond Earth Day: Help restore habitat

Earth Day is important, but we often need helping hands at later spring habitat restoration events. We particularly need volunteers in May and June at natural areas around the Twin Cities! Check our events listings or sign up for Mississippi Messages to receive our event calendar and updates each month.

Volunteers are welcome to participate just once or join us throughout the season. No experience is necessary. If you volunteer at four or more events and/or contribute 20+ hours, you become an FMR SuperVolunteer!

Advocate for the river, Earth Day and every day

Earth Day lands in the middle of Minnesota's legislative session.

You can take action on FMR's legislative priorities by becoming a River Guardian advocate now. Sign up to receive invitations to advocacy opportunities this Earth Day and beyond, as well as webinars and in-person events, like community meetings and social hours.

You can also join us at the Earth Day Rally in the St. Paul Capitol Wednesday, April 22.

Support FMR and 10 other environmental nonprofits through One Day, One Earth, One Minnesota

Instead of competing for support this Earth Day, environmental nonprofits in Minnesota are collaborating. Together as the Earth Day Collaborative, we’re raising $100,000 to strengthen community-based environmental work across our state. Donate between now and April 22 (Earth Day) to support all 11 organizations' work protecting Minnesota's environment.

Make your gift on the Earth Day Collaborative's GiveMN page.

Help the river all year

We hope you'll celebrate the river with us this spring in whatever ways work for you! If you're looking for even more ways to help the river, here are 30 more ideas you can try throughout the year.

Whether it's through volunteering, advocating, donating or taking action at home, we're grateful for all you do. Thanks for caring for our metro Mississippi River!

Partner event: Earth Day rally in the rotunda

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - 10:00am to 11:00am

Minnesota Capitol Rotunda, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, St. Paul, MN

Join us in the capitol to advocate for clean water and environmental justice this Earth Day.

Read more about Partner event: Earth Day rally in the rotunda

Become a member

Join us to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River.

Give today

Tags:

Stewardship

Events

Volunteer Events

Advocacy

River Guardians

The results from our multi-year bumble bee research study are in

erogers — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:45:50 +0000

FMR's bumble bee research will help us and others improve habitat for pollinators like this federally endangered rusty-patched bumble bee we found at an FMR project site.

How can we improve habitat for bumble bees? That's the question our latest research project sought to answer.

Because habitat loss and fragmentation are among the main drivers of the alarming decline in pollinator populations, Friends of the Mississippi River has made supporting pollinators one of our Land Conservation team's strategic goals.

We designed a multi-year research project to aid this effort, funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Over the 2024 and 2025 field seasons, we conducted 144 bumble bee surveys across FMR's network of restoration sites to better understand what makes a high-quality restoration. During this fieldwork, we observed over 1,200 bumble bees of 14 species, including eight federally endangered rusty-patched bumble bees.

Now we're sharing our full results to help FMR and other natural resource professionals refine our approaches so that bumble bees and other wildlife have the homes and resources they need to flourish.

We observed three times as many bees in restored prairies compared to remnant prairies.

Since relationships between specific plants and pollinators often evolve over millennia, you might imagine that a remnant prairie — a prairie that has existed since before European colonization — would sustain more pollinators.

Our research revealed that we found three times as many bumble bees at restored prairie sites as at remnant prairie sites. Additionally, we observed a greater diversity of bumble bee species in restored sites than in remnant ones.

Digging into the data, we found that this pattern was associated with several factors, including a site's overall habitat score and the number of blooming plant species during bee surveys.

The takeaway for us here is that our process for restoring habitat for bumble bees is working! That's encouraging, given that so much of our native prairies have been lost.

These findings don't diminish the importance of conserving remnant prairie, particularly for plant species that are difficult to establish in restoration areas or to obtain from seed producers, such as pasque flower, puccoon, bird's-foot violet and porcupine grass. Higher proportions of bees that specialize on resources from specific flowers have been found in remnant prairies, too, likely due to the absence of their required host plants in restorations.

Bumble bees love bee balm.

The most frequently visited flower species in our study was bee balm, followed by Canada goldenrod, field thistle and anise hyssop. Over 70% of all bumble bee visits to these species occurred in restorations.

Bee balm establishes quickly and can spread aggressively, making it an excellent native plant species to include in restorations — and the bumble bees love it! But it's important to plant more than just bee balm. Less-abundant flowers matter too, as does flower diversity.

Despite similar numbers of flowering plant species and foraging resources in both restored and remnant prairies, bumble bees primarily foraged on different flower species in each context. Bumble bees visited 13 distinct flower species in remnant prairies, 30 distinct flower species in restored prairies, and only 11 flower species across both prairie types.

We observed bumble bees visiting bee balm more than any other flower.

Higher diversity of native plant species in seed mixes paid off.

In areas seeded with more native plant species, we found more flowering plant species in bloom during our surveys and, in turn, higher rates of bumble bee foraging activity. We found more bees foraging in units seeded with 70 native species than in units seeded with 50 or 30 species.

That result might seem unsurprising, but it's helpful to have data showing the efficacy of seed mixes. Knowing that seeding more plant species really does increase habitat quality can give us confidence to prioritize that diversity as we craft seed mixes and budgets for restoration.

Bumble bees foraged on 54 flower species over the course of our study, highlighting again the importance of floral diversity for quality pollinator habitat. And while several flower species attracted the most bumble bees, some of the rarer bumble bee species were primarily visiting less abundant flowers. For example, we found rusty-patched bumble bees primarily on hoary vervain. Figwort, an unassuming plant with nearly colorless flowers, attracted multiple bumble bee species.

How we seeded plots didn't increase or decrease bee findings.

We primarily use two methods to seed prairie restoration sites: broadcast seeding and drill seeding.

Broadcast seeding scatters seeds across the surface of a site by hand or with light equipment. When done on a large scale, it can be more time-consuming but also mimics the way seeds are naturally deposited on the soil surface.

Drill seeding, on the other hand, uses equipment to plant seeds at a set depth and distribution, which can result in higher germination rates but also has a greater impact on soils.

We found no significant difference in the number of bumble bees or the number of bumble bee species between units where we broadcast seeds and units where we drill-seeded.

This finding can help conservation practitioners budget effectively, since each seeding method has its own costs and benefits, as well as logistical considerations. At a large scale, drill seeding typically costs less than broadcast seeding. The use of drill seeding at suitable sites could free up funds to invest in higher-diversity seed mixes, providing a net benefit to bumble bees.

We observed many other pollinators during our prairie surveys, including quite a few monarch butterflies.

Good for the bees, good for the river

Friends of the Mississippi River works at more than 45 restoration project sites near the metro Mississippi River. As a river-focused organization, we care about restoring habitat to improve water quality and support the wildlife and systems the river sustains.

In this work, we practice adaptive management, which requires monitoring and understanding the effects of past management decisions in order to plan for the future. Our pollinator research not only enables us to share valuable information with the restoration and scientific communities about what bumble bees need, but also to evaluate our restoration practices and apply the findings to our own work.

We have shared the results of this study through conference presentations at the 2025 Entomological Society of America annual meeting and BeeCon. In the coming months, we will share reports with partners and the practitioner community.

Get involved

Want to help bumble bees and other pollinators too? Check out our tips for supporting pollinators and get to know Minnesota's native bees.

Thanks to our funders and partners

Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

Thank you to our land-owner partners: the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Scientific and Natural Area Program, 3M Cottage Grove, Flint Hills Resources and the City of Elk River. Thank you also to interns who assisted with data collection and management: Nick Levine, Ethan Phan, Lauren Schmelzer, Rashi DaSilva, Aaryan Awasthi and Tori Duckworth. We are grateful to professional colleagues who consulted on study design and methodology.

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

Tags:

Research

FMR Updates

Land Conservation

Wildlife

Pollinators

Spring ephemerals: 9 Minnesota wildflowers you can find between snow-melt and leaf-out

erogers — Wed, 08 May 2024 19:32:29 +0000

Bloodroot blooms in the river gorge.

Every spring my daughters and I celebrate "leaf-out" when the first hints of green dot the tree branches. Leaf-out means we've made it through winter. Leaf-out also means we're in peak spring ephemeral wildflower season.

A whole guild of woodland wildflowers bursts up through barely thawed soil and the matted layer of last fall's cast-off leaves in early spring. Their green spears bud, bloom and fruit before trees fully unfurl to shade the ground for the rest of the summer.

When it seems the world is mostly still brown and waking between March and May, native spring ephemeral wildflowers manage to live out their whole reproductive life cycle. Look overhead and you might see birds migrating north on the Mississippi River flyway. Look down, closely, in the forest, and you might see these blossoming heralds of the verdant days ahead.

Why are spring ephemeral wildflowers important?

We're not the only ones who appreciate these plants. Pollinators that emerge early from their overwintering sites haven't taken in energy since the fall. But in early spring, there aren't many blooms around. Some bees and other insects have coevolved with these early native wildflowers over thousands of years, relying on their nectar and pollen.

When we lose patches of spring ephemerals to development or degradation, we lose a key food source for pollinators, and a key part of our interconnected ecosystem.

And when we lose spring ephemerals, we might lose them for good. Spring ephemerals are some of the most challenging plants to bring back to the land once they're gone. It takes years for seeds to collect enough energy underground before they can flower, and many of them are notoriously difficult to grow in greenhouses. Our best bet is to work to save those that remain.

In spring, many invasive species sprout and leaf out earlier than native plants. Garlic mustard, for example, begins flowering in April and May — like our spring ephemerals. But this invasive plant doesn't offer the same benefits to insects here, and can quickly spread through large areas of woodlands to form monocultures. So when FMR volunteers hand-pull garlic mustard with care at our restoration sites, they're helping special spring ephemerals like the nine listed below survive.

Thanks to our collective stewardship, you can find patches of these wildflowers in the Minneapolis river gorge, Crosby Farm Park and other FMR habitat project sites.

Nine early-spring woodland wildflowers in Minnesota

Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) from left to right: red, cup-like spathe (photo by Justin Meissen); field of skunk cabbage in wet soil; cabbage-like leaves

Skunk cabbage

Tips for identification: This plant's name provides two keys: It looks like cabbage and smells skunky. Before its leaves come out, you'll be able to see its distinctive red spathe — a cup-like wrap around the flower.

When to find: Skunk cabbage is one of Minnesota's earliest-blooming flowers.⁠ Look for it coming up in mucky areas around February or March.

Wildlife connections: This species can bloom so early because it's one of the few plants capable of producing heat. Its warmth melts nearby snow and keeps the inside of the spathe much warmer than the outside air, offering a valuable spot for pollinators to find shelter even as temperatures dip below freezing.⁠

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) from left to right: blooms open; closed flowers in the cold; fruit after blossom

Bloodroot

Tips for identification: Each plant has a single, lobed leaf clasped around a stem turned red by the blood-colored sap that flows through its roots and rhizomes.

When to find: The early half of spring ephemeral season, usually March-April

Wildlife connections: Inside the pod that fruits after flowering, bloodroot seeds (like those of other spring ephemerals) are capped with a gooey clear substance called an elaiosome, which is packed with fats and nutrients. Ants carry seeds back to their nests, eating the tasty elaiosome and leaving the seed safe underground.

Sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) from left to right: clump of flowers; close-up of blossom; fuzzy stem

Sharp-lobed hepatica

Tips for identification: Fuzzy stalks hold up their white to pinkish-violet blooms. The three-lobed, liver-shaped leaves on this plant open after the flower opens, then darken to maroon and remain through winter.

When to find: Early to middle spring ephemeral season, usually April-May

Wildlife connections: These wildflowers actually make no nectar, reserving their energy for making pollen, which carpenter and sweat bees need. Like other spring ephemerals, hepatica will close up its flowers overnight or on a cold day, then unfurl again when pollinators are more likely to be active.

Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) from left to right: flowers; red admiral butterfly perched on the plant (photo by Mary Rogers for FMR); a patch of leaves and blooms

Dutchman's breeches

Tips for identification: Named for flowers that look like tiny pairs of white pants hanging from a laundry line, Dutchman's breeches resemble their popular garden relative, bleeding heart.

When to find: The middle of spring ephemeral season, usually April-May

Wildlife connections: These leaves are actually toxic to mammals, so deer will steer clear. But bees are attracted to the flowers' bright yellow lobes. As bumble bees with long tongues gather nectar stored at the "foot" of the flowers' spurs, pollen brushes their abdomens.

Large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) from left to right: twisted yellow blossom; a clump of bellwort (photos by Rose McLaughlin for FMR)

Large-flowered bellwort

Tips for identification: Swirls of yellow flowers hang down like bells from their relatively tall stems. You won't often find just one — bellwort usually grows in clumps.

When to find: The middle of spring ephemeral season, usually April-May

Wildlife connections: Deer love to eat bellwort. The bellwort seed's elaiosome attracts ants that carry the seed away from its origin and back down into the earth, where it can eventually germinate.

Cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata) from left to right: blossoms and toothy leaves; carpet of toothwort; seeds and final flowers (photo by David Wheaton for FMR)

Cutleaf toothwort

Tips for identification: If you know what garlic mustard looks like, the toothwort's cross-shaped white flower will look familiar since both plants are in the mustard family. But the toothwort's leaf shape is distinctive, like a hand with five fingers. Its name comes from its jagged leaf edges and toothy rhizome underground.

When to find: The middle of spring ephemeral season, usually April-May

Wildlife connections: Often found in patches, cutleaf toothwort attracts animals, like the white-footed mouse, looking to nibble fresh spring greens. That includes mustard white butterflies, who lay their eggs on toothwort and other mustard plants so when larvae emerge, they have plenty to eat.

White trout lily (Erythronium albidum) from left to right: flower in patch of trout lily; mottled leaf; flower inverting (photo by Jessica Bolser/USFWS)

White trout lily

Tips for identification: Trout lily often grows in colonies across the forest floor. Its dappled green leaves look like a trout's mottled coloring or patches of sun and shadow in the woods.

When to find: The middle of spring ephemeral season, usually April-May

Wildlife connections: Butterflies, skippers, flies and various bees all visit trout lilies for early-season nectar and pollen. One mining bee, the trout lily andrena, is even named for its close association with the plant.

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) from left to right: early growth; the pulpit-like spathe (photo by Allan Tokuda for FMR); large leaves

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Tips for identification: When fully grown, a maroon and green pulpit-like cup (or spadix) folds over a green spathe beneath one or two big, three-lobed leaves.

When to find: The later half of spring ephemeral season, usually April-May

Wildlife connections: Jack-in-the-pulpit smells a little like fungus to attract its pollinator, fungus gnats. Thrushes and other birds and mammals eat the red fruit clusters.

Large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) from left to right: bud with leaves (photo by David Wheaton for FMR); open blossoms

Large-flowered trillium

Tips for identification: We have a few native species of trillium in Minnesota. They all have three petals, three green sepals around those petals, and three big leaves.

When to find: The later half of spring ephemeral season, usually May

Wildlife connections: Some believe that the large-flowered trillium's white petals turn pink after pollination, signaling the job done to pollinators. But most research shows that petals turn pink with age regardless. Still, the trillium is an important source of pollen for early-season bees.

How you can help spring ephemerals thrive

In fleeting early spring, when you see these beauties in the forest, treat them with care — don't pick them or walk through them. Join us as a volunteer to actively support them by hand-pulling invasive species at our woodland restoration sites. You can also create microhabitat in your yard by planting spring ephemerals in shady spots. Just make sure to buy from ethical native plant vendors — never dig them up or collect seed from the wild.

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

Tags:

Land Conservation

Pollinators

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

Tags:

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.

Tags:

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.

Tags:

Stewardship

Watershed Protection

FMR Updates

Time is running out to stop invasive carp

ctoberman — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:24:03 +0000

Silver carp can jump up to 10 feet in the air when startled by a boat, such as during this electrofishing removal effort on the Cumberland River in Kentucky. (Photo credit: USFWS)

For decades invasive carp (silver carp, bighead carp, black carp and grass carp) have been working their way up the Mississippi River. Because they outcompete other fish for food and space, their spread can diminish ecosystem diversity, lower water quality and limit recreation in tributaries from Minnesota to the Gulf.

Though we don't fully know the extent of their population in Minnesota's portion of the Mississippi River, invasive carp have been recorded as far north as the Twin Cities metro as well as in the St. Croix and Minnesota rivers. However we believe that most of their population, and likely their reproductive activity, is still further downstream, meaning that we still have the opportunity to stop carp from reproducing in many of Minnesota's waterways — if we act right now.

One method the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) uses to monitor carp is to attach tracking tags to some fish and allow them to continue living in the river as "traitors" to help us understand where fish go. This led to a stunning recent event.

High water levels in the Mississippi this spring helped one tagged silver carp swim 35 miles upstream in a single day through or over several locks and dams. The carp traveled from Pool 8 (near LaCrosse, WI) to Pool 5A (upstream of Winona, MN, just 22 miles short of Lake Pepin) in mere hours.

The Star Tribune and Rochester's KTTC TV were among the outlets that interviewed FMR staff and brought attention to this distressing finding.

State action is overdue

Invasive carp are introduced predators, brought to the U.S. in the 1970s as a way to clean aquatic farms and canals. As introduced species, it's easy for them to outcompete native fish, leading to native fish population decline, which harms ecosystems and recreational activities. Silver carp can even injure people; weighing over 40 pounds, these fish can jump high enough out of the water to hit boaters.

It's difficult to study how large a fish population is. However we do know that carp populations often explode unexpectedly and take us by surprise. We don't know when a population will reach a tipping point of no return, which means that no one can decisively say that Minnesota can afford to wait to stop them.

For this reason, FMR and other members of the Stop Carp Coalition have been asking the DNR to take more action to prevent invasive carp's spread in the Mississippi River. In October 2020, the coalition asked the DNR to update its Invasive Carp Action Plan to guide these expanded actions and support funding requests and policy changes.

Nearly two years later, we're still waiting for the updated plan. The DNR hasn't even started creating it yet.

Inaction has a cost

Invasive carp prevention and management is not simple; several tools and tactics will need to be deployed. One potential tool is a barrier at Lock and Dam 5, for which a feasibility study has been done. We know that carp are knocking at the door of Lock and Dam 5, and we know that the dams upstream are unlikely to be as effective as this barrier.

No one tactic will be sufficient on its own. Carp management will also need to include fish removal programs, strengthening the resilience of our native ecosystems, continuing research on additional options and other efforts.

The DNR has told us that it can't expand its current set of tactics without a full revision of its Invasive Carp Action Plan. Of course we support the need to review the science, learn from other localities, engage stakeholders and carefully examine the pros and cons of different management options. That planning should get underway immediately.

But just as action has its costs and consequences, so does inaction. With no timeline for completing an action plan or expanding its carp prevention efforts, the DNR has left our waterways and residents at risk.

We don't know how many invasive carp are in Minnesota, but we do know that the threat is imminent and that our state isn't ready for what's to come. Our state leaders need to act with far more urgency to evaluate and implement prevention strategies before it's too late.

Join us

Become a River Guardian today to hear about future opportunities to advocate to stop the spread of invasive carp and other ways to protect our river and enhance riverfront communities.

Tags:

Land Use & Planning

FMR Updates

Invasive carp

Mississippi River News