Surveys funded by the MN Ornithologist Union, 3M Cottage Grove, the MN Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative‐Citizen Commission on MN Resources and completed with partners Carolyn & Denny Emrick and the MN Department of Natural Resources.

This year, Schik analyzed her work and found that the number of bird species at these surveyed FMR-restored prairies has increased across the board.

“It's great to see the number of Species of Greatest Conservation Need grow at our sites. Rare and endangered bird species even showed up at relatively small, 25-acre sites, demonstrating that even small sites can provide critical habitat for prairie-dependent species,” says Schik.

This year, birds flocked to FMR-restored prairies

('Henslow's sparrow' by Jim Hudgins/USFWS. CC BY 2.0)

The Henslow's sparrow, an endangered species that relies on prairie habitat, is one of the many birds we found during nesting season at our prairie restoration sites.

As development edges out and fragments natural areas, it's crucial that we work to restore protected land for wildlife. That's our goal when we embark on a restoration project. But how do we know if we're successful?

To find out, FMR Senior Ecologist Karen Schik has conducted breeding bird surveys on several FMR restoration sites for over 10 years. In many cases, we even have baseline data on how many bird species nested in croplands or old fields before we began restoration.

Houlton restoration made possible with funding from the Outdoor Heritage Fund and partnerships with the City of Elk River and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photos by Karen Schik, Alex Roth and Chris Smith.

Videos by Tom Reiter

Listen to the amphibian

chorus at Houlton

Houlton restoration this summer

Houlton before restoration

Alex Roth, FMR ecologist and Houlton restoration lead says of the early days of the project:

“When I first visited in 2015, it really hit me that the site was a blank canvas to which we could restore the colors and sounds of vibrant native habitat. I knew we had the opportunity to make a lasting legacy here.”

More prairie means more prairie wildlife

More than 20 species of prairie plants bloomed in the first year after our fall seeding, including bluestems and black-eyed Susans. We expect even more plant diversity next summer.

Soybean fields ran right up to the riverbanks. Throughout the past century, farmers grew soybeans and corn here, fostering little habitat for river wildlife.

Gray tree frog

Amphibians are finding our newly created wetland

Monarch butterfly

One of many pollinators returning to the restoration site

Prairie skink

This lizard native to MN can only survive in prairie

This year, we found clear evidence that our restoration efforts are working. FMR ecologists and our wildlife consultants, along with local Elk River High School students, have found reptiles, amphibians, and pollinator species that need this newly blooming prairie and restored wetland to survive.

Project in partnership with Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and partly funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and United States Forest Service. Photos by Will Stock.

We envisioned the future of Nicollet Island

“I'm happy to be making the island a more vibrant and sustainable place for everyone. It's been fun seeing the whole process.”

—Tim Lynch, local high school teacher

“I wish for this tree to stand tall forever.”

—Oliver, a neighbor, who tied a note around one of the trees he planted

“I’m excited to come back in a few years to see what we've done.”

—Angie Andresen, with her daughter

This project was made possible with support from the City of St. Paul Public Works Department, District 10 Como Community Council and St. Paul Parks and Recreation. Photos by Kate Clayton.

Artist Gustavo Lira presented his finished creation. You can visit this colorful, water quality-themed mural at Como Lake! (And in 2019, our artists are heading to Lake Phalen.)

Volunteers learned about the important connection between our yards, streets, lakes and rivers, then helped paint the mural at Como Park.

Artist Gustavo Lira designed storm drain murals with input and support from the Como Active Citizen Network. The process celebrated the community and our water.

Artists and volunteers visualized the connection between our river and our land

This year, we had a record-breaking 105 SuperVolunteers

This year, 2,000 River Guardians took action

When threats to the river arise, more than 2,000 people are now at the ready to contact their representatives on behalf of the Mighty Mississippi. This year, River Guardians reined in water quality rollbacks at the Capitol, worked for improved public access to the riverfront in North and Northeast Minneapolis, voiced support for drinking water protection and more.

Thanks to the city of Inver Grove Heights and RBC Wealth Management for project support.

Photo by Tom Reiter

“In our neighborhood, we had a strong opposition against the sale of River Heights Park. But I contacted Friends of the Mississippi River and we began hearing voices from all over the community. It's important to have a group like FMR and the River Guardians to speak up for the river and environmental values.”

—Tom Wilkens, River Heights Park neighbor and FMR River Guardian

Photo by USFWS

This year, we initiated a lawsuit to restore our trust

In the eleventh hour of the 2018 legislative session, legislators borrowed more than $100 million from Minnesota’s Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund without public testimony. We made every effort to restore the constitutionally dedicated environmental funds without success, ultimately initiating a lawsuit with a coalition of other organizations in fall 2018.

Fortunately, we were able to work with Gov. Walz and 2019 legislators on a bipartisan basis to fund projects through proper sources, helping to restore our trust and protect the integrity of our constitutionally dedicated funds.

Photo by Tom Reiter

“Whether it's migrant or immigrant communities or communities that labored on behalf of this great city, they've always had some sort of connection to the river. However, over time there's been a disconnection that's happened. I really see our work as bringing that back and making sure that everyone benefits from this great amenity, this great natural resource that sits in our backyard and that all can thrive from it.”

—Adair Mosley, Executive Director of Pillsbury United Communities on our work together in North Minneapolis

Photo by Tom Reiter

We worked toward equity and inclusion

At FMR we believe that the Mississippi River belongs to us all, and its gifts should flow equally to everyone in our community. Furthermore, we know that environmental problems disproportionately burden communities of color, indigenous peoples and low-income communities. For these reasons, we are committed to the ongoing work of becoming culturally competent, welcoming and inclusive of all people both within our organization as well as in the range of issues and challenges that we engage in.

This year, to move our intentions into action, we worked with consultants to write our Equity Strategic Action Plan. This plan outlines concrete action steps, timelines and needed resources for achieving our equity goals. Every staff member assessed their own individual cultural competence and committed to ways they could move along the continuum of cultural competency in their work.

Photos by Anna Botz

Thanks to our artists

In September, we celebrated the river and our 25th anniversary with a sold-out crowd at Aria in Minneapolis. Our sincerest gratitude to all those who supported and attended this event.

This incredible evening featured the premiere of our 25th-anniversary video, and performances of river-inspired pieces by local artists, writers and musicians. Relive some of the performances and find out more about the artists below.

And we honored our river

Without you, we could not have welcomed pollinators and prairie skinks back to a former soybean field, begun restoration of an urban island, engaged thousands of Twin Cities neighbors or supported our communities' calls for access to the river.

Advisory Board

Paul Aasen

Shirley Hunt Alexander

Michelle Beeman

Peter Bell

Charles K. Dayton

David Durenberger

Ron Kroese

George Latimer

Lynn Moratzka

Dr. Michael Osterholm

Phil Riveness

Sen. Tina Smith

Dr. Deborah Swackhamer

Liz Wielinski

Our Team

Susan Vento, Chair

Ronnie Brooks, Vice Chair

Perry McGowan, Treasurer

Peter Gove, Secretary

Dr. John Anfinson (Ex-Officio)

Marcia Avner

Paul Bauknight

Stewart Crosby

Chad Dayton

George Dunn

Forrest Flint

Diane Herman

Chris Higgins

Julia Kaemmer

Ryan Mallery

Hokan Miller

Deanna Wiener

Board of Directors

Staff

Whitney Clark, Executive Director 

Kate Clayton, Youth Coordinator

John Czyscon, Development Associate

Betsy Daub, Conservation Director

Sara DeKok, Associate Director-Development Director

Sophie Downey, Program Assistant

Tessa Enroth, Individual Gifts Officer

Adam Flett, Stewardship & Education Program Director

Sheila Gothmann, Finance Director

Jennifer Schuetz Hadley, Database Coordinator

Barb Heintz, Accountant

Irene Jones, Senior Policy Advocate 

Amy Kilgore, Volunteer Coordinator

Daurius Mikroberts, Program Assistant

Colleen O'Connor Toberman, River Corridor Director

Raynette Prince, Administrative Assistant

sue rich, Communications Director

Ellen Rogers, Communications Associate

Alex Roth, Ecologist

Trevor Russell, Water Program Director

Karen Schik, Senior Ecologist