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 »
Guest article by Sheila Farrell Johnston There are about 12,000 loons in Minnesota, our land of 10,000 lakes, so it is no surprise that some of them fall victim to illness and injury. The three leading causes of loon deaths are human caused: lead poisoning, boat and jet ski strikes, and fishing line entanglement or… Read more »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Lake advocates working with resorts to prevent starry stonewort spread. An important aspect of dealing with aquatic invasive species is monitoring their prevalence or absence in as many lakes and streams as possible. In the summer of 2022 two volunteers and the Cass County AIS technician took on that task: sampling nearly 40 resort harbors… Read more »
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 »
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 »