Updates and Articles

Concert venue, riverwalks — What should become of this retired Mpls port?

Calling all river and park lovers:  Help shape the future of this 48-acre riverfront site in Minneapolis!

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A schematic of the UHT site provided by in the development team proposal
Losing our cottonwoods: What’s at stake?

A key species of floodplain forests, Eastern Cottonwood trees aren't regenerating naturally in the floodplains. FMR ecologists and volunteers are using cottonwood cuttings or live stakes to re-establish a floodplain forest in Hastings.

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Installing cottonwood live stakes in the floodplain forest near Hastings
'Dead man's fingers' found at Pine Bend Bluffs

FMR Lead Ecologist Karen Schik found this spooky-looking fungus deep in the oak forest ravines at Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area.

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Dead man's finger found at Pine Bend Bluffs
South St. Paul stands strong to preserve open space

FMR would like to thank the South St. Paul City Council and celebrate their recent decision to preserve a city-owned 5-acre site as open space. The site is located near the Mississippi River and adjacent to the Mississippi River Trail scheduled to be constructed in 2017. The council rejected a push to change the largely tree-covered site into a paved industrial railroad storage area.

This is a big win that maintains the city’s commitment to a more public and green riverfront for future generations!

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South St. Paul City Council
Crown Hydro is back, but can it stand up to a new and exciting civic proposal?

Amidst strong community opposition, Crown Hydro continues to pursue its proposal for a new hydroelectric plant near the Stone Arch Bridge. One group is fighting back with an alternative idea to use the now-closed St. Anthony Falls Lock as an interpretive center and meeting space.

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The newly proposed Falls Park and Visitor Center
'State of the River Report' release a hit

FMR and our local unit of the National Park Service released the updated State of the River Report to acclaim in late September. Heralded for its approachable and engaging style, the report highlights the status and trends of 14 key indicators of river health. It was warmly received by the media, with quality coverage from local and some national news outlets.

Now, State of the River authors Trevor Russell and Lark Weller are hitting the road to present report findings to stakeholder groups across the state. And to help readers make use of the report, we’ve created three companion guides for residents, teachers and policymakers to take the most important actions to support a healthier Mississippi River. 

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State of the River Report 2016 media attention
Seeds for stewardship: Volunteers collect native prairie seed at Heritage Park

A flourishing prairie. Dozens of volunteers. Fall colors. Heaps of seed collected for future restoration efforts. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped collect native seed — and to photographer Rich Wahls for capturing such a lovely morning working for the river!

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Habitat restoration volunteers collecting native seed in the prairie.
'An Evening Celebrating the Mississippi River' a record success!

Thanks to more than 250 river lovers, we raised over $175,000 to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities at our biggest party of the year!

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Guests with FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark.
A writhing mass of … Indiangrass seed?

When things move that shouldn’t it’s a cause for investigation. The self-seeding motions of a pile of volunteer-gathered Indiangrass seed caught this FMR ecologist by surprise.

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Upcoming Events

Saturday, April 20, 2024 - 9:30am to 12:00pm
West River Parkway and 36th Street/44th Street, Minneapolis
Applications due Friday, May 3 by 5 p.m.
Virtual and in-person
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Hampton Woods Wildlife Management Area