My name is Lily. I am a college student at the University of Minnesota majoring in environmental policy with interest in community organization and sustainable urban design. I started interning for MLR this spring, working on the Lake Stewardship program. Let me tell you why I love it; I grew up in a Minneapolis neighborhood that… Read more »
by David Glass, President of the Cedar Lake Conservation Club, May 30, 2023. The Cedar Lake Conservation Club (CLCC) and the Wright Soil and Water Conservation District (WSWCD) are pleased to announce the addition of a second CD3 (clean, drain, dry, dispose) station on Cedar Lake in Wright County. A CD3 station is a solar… Read more »
2023 Legislative Outcomes – Gains Made in Advancing Clean Water and Property Tax Relief on Shorelands St. Paul, 6:30 PM, May 18th, 2023 – Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates’ (MLR) professional lobbying and the grassroots advocacy of lake associations and MLR members combined to promote passage of the sweeping 450 page Environment and Natural Resources… Read more »
Washburn Lake Eradicates Eurasian Watermilfoil (mostly) In about 2007, I received a call from Ted Johnson, the President of the Lake Washburn Association, LWA about Aquatic Invasive Species. Ted was concerned that Lake Washburn was susceptible to AIS following the construction of a MN DNR water access site. I could offer little comfort. This was… Read more »
During the 2022 election cycle, for the first time, Minnesota Lakes and Rivers applied the Civic Organizing framework as a strategy to advance the public good policy positions we have identified. MLR’s work is cyclical. During the first part of the year much of our time is spent working at the State Capitol, attending hearings,… Read more »
The MPCA reports that 56% of the lakes and rivers in Minnesota are impaired. The sources and reasons for water degradation are both plentiful and complex, but degraded shoreline is a contributor. The simple fact is that if we want to improve water, we must improve land management. Unfortunately, the trends are towards more development… Read more »
by Sheila Johnston The Common Loon is Minnesota’s state bird and it is beloved for its haunting calls and dramatic beauty. Minnesota is home to an estimated 12,000 loons! Alaska is the only state with more loons. With 12,000 loons in the state, it is no surprise that some of them succumb to illness andRead More
Sen Carrie Ruud Named 2022 Lake Advocate On Sept. 24th, at a meeting of over 20 lake association leaders from across the state,Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates Executive Director Jeff Forester awarded Sen. CarrieRuud the 2022 Lake Advocate of the year award. In presenting the award, Jeff Forester said, “There is no legislator more focused… Read more »
Our Lake and River Shorelines are at a Turning Point Our lakes are in trouble and the situation is urgent. If we want to manage water, we must manage land. As lake shore property owners we have both a significant opportunity and exposure to negative impacts from water quality decline. According to shoreline specialists at… Read more »
Guest blog by Dr. John Richard Saylor – Author of “Lakes: Their Birth, Life, and Death,” (https://johnrichardsaylor.com/index.html). The environmental segment of a typical popular science magazine or news show can be prettygloomy. Stories on global warming, as just one example, point toward a future of rising sealevels, torrential floods, and searing droughts. While these stories… Read more »