Minnesota has widespread water quality impairments due to nonpoint-source pollution generated by agricultural, urban, and other human-altered lands. Mitigation of these impairments requires implementing best management practices (BMPs) that are designed to limit soil erosion and nutrient transport from lands to receiving waters. Long-term data sets of water quality and land-use history are needed to tease apart the many factors that affect water quality. In particular, data sets that span periods before and after BMP implementation are needed to determine BMP effectiveness.
Examine the relationship between insect abundance, timing of insect availability and breeding success for multiple bird species across land-use intensities to develop comprehensive guidelines to conserve bird and insect diversity.
Project will purchase 13.8 acres and construct water quality, habitat, and recreational improvements to protect
the Mississippi River from contaminants in the 400-acre, highly impervious watershed in Baxter Minnesota.
Testing of best biocontrol microbes for controlling white nose syndrome (WNS) in bats: Mapping of fungal pathogen in environmental reservoirs and field testing with biological control candidates.
Project goals include installation of a 200-kW White Earth community-owned solar garden reducing GHG emissions, increasing economic development through environmental education and solar workforce training, and improving energy resilience.
Wild bees are important for their pollination services and for their contribution to species diversity; for example, many prairie-grassland plant species require pollinators for seed production. However, while the importance of plant-pollinator interactions is well recognized, there are large gaps in our knowledge of Minnesota’s wild bees. The only statewide list of bee species was published in 1919 and it reported only 88 species, whereas it is currently estimated that there are approximately 350-400 native bee species in the state.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
Wildlife is an integral part of the complex interrelationship between human, animal, and environmental health, yet there is no centralized system for collection of wildlife health data. The study of wildlife health is limited by the logistics and expenses involved with sample acquisition. Wildlife rehabilitation centers represent an untapped resource as they admit a larger number of wild animals with a greater variety of species than any other resource.
Wolves are a hot topic in Minnesota, with the public sharply divided on management issues such as wolf hunting. The complexity of the topic lends itself to a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation that is not always helpful to resolving the polarized debate.
This program will provide hunters with information and hands-on experience involving non-toxic rifle ammunition and promote voluntary change in hunter ammunition choices to reduce unintended wildlife deaths.
Youth Energy Summit (YES!) expands its successful model to improve local waterways by mobilizing over 20 youth-led teams in Minnesota communities to complete water quality related projects, moni-toring and reporting.
Students from YES! teams in over 20 communities will help fill the urgent need for citizen participation to protect and clean-up Minnesota waters through hands-on youth-led water related action projects
There has been a sharp decline in participation in outdoor recreation and education amongst youth, particularly in urban areas. Some argue that youth who have meaningful outdoor education experiences are more likely to become engaged in environmental stewardship and invested in outdoor resources as adults.
Adoption of renewable energy technologies and energy conservation practices can contribute in a variety of ways to the environmental and economic health of rural Minnesota communities through costs savings and emissions reductions. Engaging and coaching students as the leaders in the process of implementing such practices provides the added benefit of increasing knowledge, teaching about potential career paths, and developing leadership experience.
Zebra mussels are an aquatic species that are invasive in Minnesota and severely threaten native fish and other aquatic species by disrupting food webs and damaging spawning habitat. Their range continues to expand within Minnesota lakes and rivers, where they are spread through the transporting of water, vegetation, or equipment from an infested water body. Once established zebra mussels are very difficult to control and there is an immediate need for safe and effective control measures to reduce their impacts in the state.
OVERALL PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS This project identified and prioritized areas in the Zumbro River Watershed that were determined critical for restoring and protecting water quality. Studies suggested that small areas of the landscape contribute disproportionately to nonpoint source pollution. So implementation of conservation projects that focus on those areas will maximize water quality benefits and ensure efficient use of resources.
