Updates and Articles

Welcome, Matt & John!

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

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Matt Cook and John Czyscon
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.

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

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. >>

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Evaluating the final Clean Water Fund bill

HF 707 betrays the expectations of Minnesota voters by raiding $22 million in Clean Water Fund money for administrative costs for local governments, while failing to heed the recmmendations of Minnesota's Clean Water Council.

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FMR calls for more open space at St. Paul Ford site

Plans for this 135-acre redevelopment go to the planning commission Friday, June 30. While we're in favor of the overall vision for the site — which calls for a higher-density, transit-friendly and mixed-use neighborhood with an emphasis on sustainability — FMR is pushing the city to add more open space and working with city staff to address possible impacts on scenic river gorge views.

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The massive Ford site along the Mississippi River in St. Paul. Photo used with the permission of the Metropolitan Design Center. ©Regents of the University of Minnesota
Learn about a huge N Mpls riverfront redevelopment and weigh in

Affordable housing. Parks and trails. A 10,000-seat riverfront amphitheater. A business incubator. All have been suggested as part of the redevelopment of the long-closed port of Minneapolis, the 48-acre Upper Harbor Terminal site in North Minneapolis. Come learn about the options and weigh in on what you'd like to see at a series of community meetings late-June through September. 

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The massive Upper Harbor Terminal site along the Mississippi River in North Minneapolis.
Get that beaver a Super Volunteer T-shirt!

With the second phase of native prairie restoration set to begin at Ole Olson Park along the North Minneapolis riverfront, FMR is grateful for the help of an unlikely partner.

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Thank you, beaver!
Nature Notes: It's a sign! Giant stonefly found in downtown St. Paul

This surprise visitor to the Robert Street lift bridge is commonly found in trout streams and is considered an indicator of good water quality.

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giant stonefly 1.6 inches long
FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark named transformational leader

FMR is proud to announce that our very own executive director, Whitney Clark, won the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits' 2017 Transformational Leader Award. 

Whitney has often expressed that he strongly relates to E.B. White’s comment, “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.” But to his friends and colleagues, these appear to be one and the same. 

Our metro Mississippi River and its communities would not be what they are today without your leadership. Congrats, Whitney! 

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Whitney Clark

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Upcoming Events

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Friends of the Mississippi River office in St. Paul
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Our River Campaign:
It all starts here

At the heart of this new campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River.