Category: Lake Stewardship

A New Approach to Policy Making – Emily Mining Information Group

By Lily Carr, Civic Leader and Program Coordinator, MLR In the midst of ever complex and contentious mining debates, the Emily Mine Information Group (EMIG) is making a case for the effectiveness of Civic Organizing as a method by which to inform and organize community members in a completely new way- not against mining, but… Read more »

Read More

2024 Lake Steward Webinar

In October 2024, we hosted a milestone celebration for our Lake Steward program, marking five years of exceptional contributions from dedicated Lake Stewards across Minnesota. If you missed the live session, now is your chance to catch up on the impactful work being done to protect our precious lakes and learn how you can play… Read more »

Read More

MPR – Trouble by the Water Series

“The (Lake Steward) program has spread to dozens more lakes across Minnesota. Supporters view it as part of a strategy to help change societal norms and expectations around lakeshore development, and help slow the loss of natural shoreline that protects lakes from pollution.” – Kirsti Marohn, MPR Minnesota’s lakeshores are disappearing at an alarming rate—over… Read more »

Read More

MLR Intern Leads Summer Swim and Conservation Camp

by Judi Lee At the swim camp for nine kids recently housed at the Lakes Crisis and Resource Center, our focus was not only on the improvement of their swimming skills but also on the development of an environmentally conscious mindset. Those three weeks were jam-packed with art projects, field trips, and outdoor adventures, many… Read more »

Read More

Significant Shift in DNR Roundtable With More Lake Advocate Voices in the Rooms

Lake Steward and Natural Shoreline Break Out Session Highlights On Friday, January 19th, more than 400 people, 75 of them DNR personnel,  gathered at the DNR Roundtable to have conversations with other leaders in conservation, strengthen partnerships, and define challenges and opportunities in conservation efforts in fisheries, wildlife, and ecological and water resources in Minnesota.… Read more »

Read More

MLR’s Stop Starry & AIS Efforts to expand in 2024 & 2025

In late August of 2015 the invasive algae, Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) was confirmed in Lake Koronis at the Highway 55 public boat access. It was the first time that this Aquatic Invasive Species was confirmed in Minnesota. Starry stonewort is a stringy algae that can grow from two to twenty-five feet deep, can overwhelm… Read more »

Read More

How Grass Roots Advocates Built a Statewide Movement to Protect Lakes – A Case Study of the Keep It Clean Effort

by Robyn Dwight, Upper Red lake Association Up at Lake of the Woods, straddling the Minnesota-Canadian border, concerned local residents have spent over a decade looking for sustainable solutions to a human waste problem that occurs every winter because of leftovers of human activity. More recently, advocates from Upper Red Lake and Mille Lacs Lake… Read more »

Read More

Case Study: Square Lake Conservancy, May Township, MN – 2022-23

October 6, 2023 Jim Seidl This is the story of an all-volunteer team of committed conservationists who mobilized our community to rise-up and take action to protect & preserve a beloved lake and surrounding forest from commercialization, development, and environmental degradation. It’s an important, much-needed, example of successful conservation and community action – for other lake associations… Read more »

Read More

Emily Mining Group Providing Information on Proposed Manganese Mine in Cass County

Emily Mine Information Group meets By Joan Hasskamp – Crosby-Ironton Courier Approximately 30 people attended the Emily Mine Information Group’s listening session and letter-writing event on Monday, Oct. 16 at the Outing Crooked Lake Township Townhall.  Dan Brennan, one of the group’s founders, explained a primary purpose of the group is to gather and share information… Read more »

Read More