And now, one
day late…
The Confluence is a monthly electronic
newsletter for members of Minnesota Waters providing up-to-date
information and resources to help citizens protect
In this
issue:
~
Whole Foods Shoppers Needed,
too!
Minnesota Waters is seeking
volunteers to help out at Whole Foods 5% Day,
And if you can’t volunteer, please
mark your calendars to shop at Whole Foods that day, knowing that 5% will go
towards MN Waters’ work to get citizens involved in saving our rivers and lakes.
WHOLE FOODS MARKET,
Minnesota
Waters’ annual River Night awards celebrate individuals and groups who have
demonstrated extraordinary commitment to improving and protecting
River-Friendly
Community/Group of the Year
Outstanding
Citizen Volunteer Monitoring Program
Volunteer
of the Year
Click here for award nomination
forms.
Awards
will be presented at Minnesota Waters’ annual RiverNight celebration,
Nominations
are due by
Winners
will be announced mid-June, 2008
Minnesota Waters would like to
offer our
If your Association talks to any restaurant, bar, convenience store, etc. that sells pulltabs and they agree to have Minnesota Waters as their designated charity we will share the proceeds. This share portion depends on your participation and could be has high as 50%.
To learn more details call our
Gambling Manager, David Bachman, at 218-245-1356.
~
Stream macroinvertebrates are a
great biological indicator of stream health. Long-term monitoring of
macroinvertebrate populations may help detect environmental stressors such as
low dissolved oxygen, toxic pollutants, excessive sediment, high temperatures
and other factors affecting streams. Examples of aquatic macroinvertebrates
include insects in their larval or nymph form, crayfish, clams, snails, and
worms.
Do you live in the Hinckley or
If you are interested in
participating, please contact Minnesota Water’s citizen monitoring coordinator,
WHO:
Members of citizen-led lake and creek groups throughout the metro
area
DATE:
Wednesday May 21
LOCATION:
TIME:
REGISTRATION
DEADLINE: Tues,
May 13
Sponsored by the Watershed
Association Initiative, a partnership between Minnesota Waters and the Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District, the workshop will equip citizens
to:
For
more detailed information about and to register for the Understanding and
Influencing Local Governments workshop visit: www.minnehahacreek.org/citizeninvolvement.php
and click on WAI Citizen
Training Workshops
Ever wonder what all those plants
are growing in and around your shoreland and why they’re there? Then join
us for an exciting day of learning about aquatic and emergent plant
identification and monitoring basics for lake and lawn. Session is interactive
and informal. All materials, including a laminated field guide for aquatic
plant identification and a laminated field guide for invasive plant
identification will be provided. Minnesota Waters and Fortin Consulting
will be teaming up to teach this workshop.
Lunch and refreshments are included.
Registration is
$15
Funding for this project was provided by
the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR). For information or
registration contact:
Courtney Kowalczak, 218 343 2180,
courtneyk@minnesotwaters.org
2008 Living Green
Expo: Six Tents, Two Days and 48
Hours of Eco Education
At the Living Green Expo on
Buffer
Zone Expo to be Held August 9
Do you want to help preserve the
quality of your shore land and adjacent waters, protect your property values,
and enhance your joy of lake- or river-side living? If you do, plan to attend the “Shore
Land Buffer Zone Expo ’08” on
The Value of
May 6 from 12:45 to 5 p.m. at the
Shoreland properties often require
special consideration such as maintaining property value, landscaping to protect
the shoreland and lake, and understanding shoreland ordinances and
regulations. This workshop is designed for realtors, contractors and
builders so they may help current and prospective shoreland property owners
protect their investment and the lake. Who should attend: Realtors,
contractors, and builders. Others welcome. Fee: This
workshop is free to members of the Greater Lakes Association of Realtors who
have purchased an education card. The fee for others is $40/person.
For registration information contact Paula West, Leech Lake Area watershed
Foundation at (218) 838-5010 or westcom@brainerd.net. For
information on content or education credits contact Eleanor Burkett at UM
Extension, (218) 828-2326, burke044@umn.edu.
Saturday, July 26-
Join Friends of the
The Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources (
All open houses will take place in
the evening from
Windom
Brainerd
Northland Arboretum
Tuesday
June 17
Additional information and details
about these meetings will be available later in May. If you want more
information about the shoreland rules update project go the
Acting Locally to Protect Our
Legendary Lands and Waters
The first annual statewide
conference on invasive species will be held for the purpose of exchanging
information on aquatic and terrestrial invasive species topics. The focus
is to strengthen awareness of invasive species issues at the local level, as
well as act locally on prevention and management activities. Expected audiences
include researchers, land managers, natural resource professionals, university
personnel, landscapers, nursery, agricultural or forestry employees,
environmental specialists, lake association members, and agency and
non-governmental organizations.
The Minnesota Invasive Species
Council (www.mda.state.mn.us/misac/) who is hosting the conference, along with
the conference co-chairs, Minnesota Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation
Society and
The
Kettle River Paddle Festival is this weekend! Gather up the family for a day of
fun, or load up the car for the whole weekend.
Saturday's
high-light is the "Kettle River Run", and on Sunday Accent Paddles sponsors the
White Water Rodeo. Other events
include: fireworks on Saturday evening, paddling making tips from Lee Dybvig,
and Bernie King performing Friday night at the Gas Light Bar. Test paddle a Bell
Canoe or a Jackson Kayak. Demo
boats will be available in Robinson Park on Saturday and Sunday. The camping is free in Robinson Park or
stay in style at the Grand Casino Hinckley.
For more
information: http://www.kettleriverpaddlefest.com/
Sustainable
Organizations: Building Shared Leadership for
Change
A Signature Program from the
Institute for Conservation Leadership:
This program helps leadership teams proactively manage change, engage
people with diverse perspectives, and create strategic impact. Teams of
three organizational leaders will strengthen their ability to lead, assess
and plan for successful organizational growth and
transition.
Effective organizational systems
and practices
Increased memberships and stronger
partnerships
A sound resource base
Clear board roles and commitment
A dynamic vision and
direction
WHEN
Maumee
Bay Resort and Conference Center in
Applications
are due
Apply early and receive
http://icl.org/programs/SustainableOrganizations.php
FOR MORE
INFORMATION:
Please
contact:
Barbara Rusmore
(406)582-1838x2
or email barbara@icl.or
or Bonnie Haigh
(406)582-1838x1
or email bonnie@icl.org
The North Central Lakes
Collaborative (NCLC) produces columns and radio announcements entitled
"
A natural lakeshore can help protect water quality and your real-estate investment. For many people this may require re-thinking what a home landscape should look like. It means giving up the close-cropped, lawn-to-the-lake look in favor of a buffer strip with native plants along the shore.
The first step to having a
landscape that is better for your lake and still something you enjoy, is to
assess your shoreline and your needs. Are there erosion problems on the bank or
upland? Are geese on the shore having more fun than you? How much area for lawn,
and lake access for boats and swimming are needed? Do you want to attract birds,
butterflies, fish and other wildlife? Are you seeking more privacy from people
using the lake or a neighboring property? A shoreland buffer could meet
your needs and enhance the experience of living on waterfront.
Click here to read the article in its
entirety.
Free Kit to Help “Get the Lead
Out!”
Order a free “Get the Lead
Out!” kit for your next lake, river or watershed association gathering and help
us encourage anglers to use environmentally friendly lead-free fishing
tackle. This is the fourth year educational kits have been offered to
Minnesota-based lake, river or watershed associations. The attractive kit
includes a table top sign, fact sheets, wildlife posters and sample packs of
lead-free jigs and weights.
Lead poisoning of loons, eagles and
other wildlife is avoidable. Help us spread the word about safe and
effective alternatives to lead tackle. For more information visit www.pca.state.mn.us/sinkers
or contact Dan Miller of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at 651-297-8319,
toll free 800-657-3864 or by email at daniel.miller@pca.state.mn.us.
~ The Bucks Start Here - Funding Resources ~
Minnesota Waters’ Lake and
Stream Conservation Partnership Grant Program has been funded for a second year
with support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Anheuser-Busch.
The grant program provides funding assistance for
innovative lake and river groups across the state carrying out shoreland habitat
improvement and restoration projects, aquatic invasive species management,
and/or lake and river inventorying and assessment projects to guide water
resource improvement, restoration and management. The Conservation
Partnership program aims to further opportunities for
Application materials and grant
guidelines will be available at www.minnesotawaters.org by May
31. The grants are open to all Minnesota
Waters members and affiliates. A minimum 1:1 match with cash or
in-kind services is required. Funded
projects will be
short-term (12 months) in duration to demonstrate quick, tangible results and
proposals must be $5,000 or less.
When the Lake Superior Basin Plan
was completed in February of 2004, the over-riding theme focused on the need to
adopt a protection centered approach to the region’s fragile streams, watersheds
and coastal waters. This protection emphasis remains largely the same four years
later. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Lake Superior Basin
Coordinator, Brian Fredrickson, has targeted watershed organizing and volunteer
monitoring as two points of leverage to increase overall interest and
involvement in a protection centered approach. This approach also relies on a
plethora of partners promoting everything from innovative storm-water practices
to low impact development techniques and social marketing. The goal is to reduce
or minimize our collective footprint on the region’s water resources.
What is the ongoing challenge for
the Lake Superior Basin Plan and similar programs are the sheer number of
partners and organizations involved in managing land or water resources in the
basin. These partners include a range of organizations whose primary focus is
research or
If you’re burning garbage, you’re
making poison.
Backyard garbage burning may appear
to be harmless; however, it is a major source of pollution in
contains plastics, dyes, and other
chemicals that release hazardous toxins when burned. These chemicals settle onto
the soil, water, and plants and eventually get into the food we eat. Eating contaminated food can cause
serious health problems, like cancer.
What can you do? Don’t burn
garbage—not even at the cabin or in the campfire. Use recycling and garbage
services or drop-sites. Encourage
your neighbors to do the same. Reduce your waste when possible, compost or chip
yard waste, buy items with less packaging, and educate your family and neighbors
about the hazards of burning.
To find more information about local recycling and disposal
options at home or at the cabin, call your county solid waste or environmental
office or visit www.pca.state.mn.us/burnbarrel
for contact information for all 87 counties in
Telephone:
800-515-5253 320-257-6630
For questions regarding the Web site or Hosted Web sites please contact:
Dick Lacher, Telephone: 218-659-4511 or rglacher@paulbunyan.net
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