Heritage Park volunteers in Inver Grove Heights
Come plant oak trees to restore a riverfront savanna!

Latest News

Act now to protect the river from excess fertilizer!

River Guardians advocate for the river

Your voice is needed to let the Minnesota Department of Agriculture know that they should revise the draft nitrogen fertilizer rule to protect our drinking water and groundwater. Act now! Comments are due by August 25.

And if you're looking for a place to direct friends or family interested in advocating for the river — check out our new River Guardians page. You can take action, check out previous action alerts and FMR's advocacy letters on behalf of members, and see a map (soon to be interactive!) of FMR's current advocacy projects.

And, of course, if you haven't already, you can sign up to be an FMR River Guardian.

August 2017

Big woods now protected in heart of Dakota County!

In the heart of Dakota County, surrounded by farm fields, rises Hampton Woods. The only forest for miles in all directions, the woods provides critical habitat for forest-dwelling animals, especially birds.

Thanks to an FMR partnership with local landowners, Dakota County and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 191 acres of Hampton Woods has been permanently protected and is now open to the public as a wildlife management area. Check it out, and enjoy the hawk's eye view!

July 2017

Neighbors save River Heights Park

River Heights Park, Inver Grove Heights

Part of our local national park — River Heights Park in Inver Grove Heights — is no longer slated to be turned into lots for private homes.

The city of Inver Grove Heights was considering selling River Heights Park, part of our local Mississippi River national park, for housing. But neighbors stepped up to defend it, and with a little support from FMR, the park has been preserved!

Inver Grove Heights is a valued FMR habitat restoration partner and we look forward to continuing our work together.

By Alicia Uzarek
August 2017

Whose view? From where? — August 2017

This month's view is easy to recognize, but do you recall what used to be here? Can you identify the buildings that blocked this view until they were recently demolished?

August 2017

It’s a bee! It’s a bird! It’s a … moth?

The aptly named hummingbird moth or clearwing moth is not uncommon, but with its beautiful colors and wing patterns, it's a delight to see one hovering over flowers seeking nectar.

By Karen Schik
August 2017

Write to the River — Summer 2017 Prose & Poetry

"Lonesome Whistle" (the photo above) inspired a surprising diversity of prose and poetry for the summer 2017 edition of Write to the River. Enjoy flash tales of near-misses, tense crossings, goddesses in sandstone cliffs, fond recollections and a prayer from the Big River itself.

Thank you, authors and poets Jim Larson, Captain Bob Deck, Winnie Martin, Connie Baker and Judie Erickson!

July 2017

As featured in the Hmong Times: Earth Club restoring local river habitat

Harding High Earth Club

Chao Xiong (left) and Aliya Mohamed (right) enjoy giving back to their community by preserving the river.

We're so excited that the Harding High Earth Club is on the cover of this month's Hmong Times for their work with FMR! These young citizen scientists and habitat restorers have been essential to our work at Indian Mounds Regional Park and at the riverfront forest below it in East St. Paul. 

By Kate Clayton
July 2017

Welcome, Matt & John!

Matt Cook and John Czyscon

Matt Cook (left) and John Czyscon (right) 

FMR is delighted to welcome communications intern Matt Cook and development associate John Czyscon to the FMR family!

July 2017

FMR Advisor Deb Swackhamer stands strong before Trump's EPA

When the Environmental Protection Agency’s chief of staff pressured Deborah Swackhamer, the top scientist on the agency’s scientific review board, to alter her congressional testimony to play down President Trump's dismissal of expert advisers, Swackhamer stood strong.

We didn't think it was possible, but we are more proud than ever to have Ms. Swackhamer on FMR's Council of Advisors. Learn more from the New York Times, MPR, MSNBC and Science magazine.

July 2017

'Don't worry, I come in peace!' Meet the one-of-a-kind pelecinid wasp

Check out that pointy abdomen!

As young bees and wasps mature, you're more likely to spot this unusual pollinator: a pelecinid.
Photo by Kristin Lee, Creative Commons license

Of the 18,000 species of ants, bees and wasps in North America, the pelecinid wasp is among the most interesting. This insect is so unusual it shares its family (Pelecinidae) with just three other species in the world, with no others in North America. But don't worry, that 'stinger' isn't what it looks like.

By Tom Lewanski
July 2017

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