Updates and Articles

October 22, 2025

After years of delays, the St. Paul City Council is poised to vote on a Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area ordinance to guide riverfront development. Residents can join FMR in advocating for the addition of a bird-safe glass requirement. Read more

Ripple effects: The government shutdown and MN's national parks

October 16, 2025

Titles should be sentence-case. Skip "Teaser Image" above! But please enter a draft teaser here. You'll get cut off at 250 characters. The # of remaining characters will show below. Skip "Legacy Fields" below. Read more

A sign on a USFWS bathroom door saying it is closed due to the federal shutdown.

What about water quality? 3 takeaways from our time at the SAF Conference

October 14, 2025

Two members of FMR's Water program attended to be a voice for the river and clean water in discussions around Sustainable Aviation Fuel policy. Read more

FMR's Meghan Anderson and Trevor Russell speaking to attendees at the SAF Conference.

Ford Area C: The overlooked toxic waste dump along the river

by Colleen O'Connor Toberman

October 12, 2025

Did you know that Ford Motor Company owns a hazardous waste dump right on the river's edge in the middle of St. Paul? FMR has been a longtime advocate for cleaning up this site. Join us to take action. Read more

Cleanup plan for toxic Ford Area C dump finally moves forward

October 10, 2025

A draft cleanup plan will be released any day now — and advocates will soon have a chance to call for full cleanup of this toxic riverfront site. Tour the dumpsite this fall, sign our petition and get the latest. Read more

Map showing Ford Area C tucked between parks on the riverfront

Volunteers monitor small insects to gain big insights into water quality

October 9, 2025

FMR’s Stream Health Evaluation Program has delivered vital scientific data for nearly two decades. Read more

Slideshow: A preview of FMR's river-inspired, juried art exhibition

October 9, 2025

FMR's first-ever juried art exhibition, "Our River: Mississippi Muse," will open in early December. Artist and FMR Board Member Jake Keeler talks about the show and offers an early look at some of the artwork. Read more

Thank you for joining us for Meander on the Mississippi!

October 6, 2025

Meander on the Mississippi attendees took a boat ride through the river gorge and Lock and Dam 1 in St. Paul while learning about the possibility of dam removal at the third Our River event. Check out our photos and a recap of the program. Read more

A brief history of the Ford Area C dumpsite

October 1, 2025

While many articles look back at the life of Twin Cities Ford Assembly Plant, not many focus on Area C. In fact, most stories about the Ford plant don't even mention it. Here's a basic timeline of this floodplain dumpsite to lend historical context. Read more

It's official: FMR is a Monarch Joint Venture partner

September 30, 2025

We're excited to connect with others studying monarchs, collaborate on research, and share our own expertise and volunteer-collected findings to protect monarchs for generations to come. Read more