Spring has officially sprung, and with it comes those familiar signs of life: plants begin to green, flowers bloom, migrating birds return, and fires burn through the prairies at FMR restoration sites!

Learn more about how we use fire to restore wildlife habitat, and the impact of a recent unplanned fire on an FMR restoration site. >>

To celebrate our 25th year, each month in 2018 FMR staff will profile places along the metro Mississippi River that are near and dear to us, places that connect to FMR but that we also enjoy in our own downtime. By the end of our silver year, we'll have built a map of 25 special river places for you and yours to learn about, visit and enjoy.

This month: Spring waterfalls

Snow melts and cold spring waters trickle down our yards, driveways, and gutters, ultimately swiftening our creeks, swelling our rivers and making our waterfalls roar. Be sure to check out these two falls — one famous, one not so much, but neither to be missed during spring peak. >>

Ten bad water bills have been introduced this legislative session that are going to the House and Senate for passage. These bills undermine basic environmental science, roll back existing protections or block public participation in environmental decisions.

Learn more, or take action now.

As we noted in the State of the River Report, chloride or salt pollution is a growing problem for Minnesota's waters. This session, FMR and our allies have been advancing a bill in the Minnesota Legislature to reduce it.

We're happy to report that the bill has garnered bipartisan support. However, it will most likely be wrapped into the House and Senate omnibus bills, making its fate murky at best. >>