FMR Updates

Climate change, climate justice and FMR's Land Use & Planning program

by Colleen O'Connor Toberman

update

July 11, 2021

Climate change impacts make park access and greenspace even more important for public health and equity, and guidelines for riverfront development need to respond to the shifting climate in order to protect our river. Here's how our Land Use & Planning program's work intersects with climate change and climate justice. >>

Federal Mississippi River initiative takes flight! Sign the petition

update

June 24, 2021

Learn more about how the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) Act could help restore the Mighty Mississippi. Read more

A bald eagle, wings spread wide, as it soars over water.

Annual park rankings highlight racial and economic disparities

by Colleen O'Connor Toberman

update

June 7, 2021

St. Paul and Minneapolis are known to have some of the country's best urban park systems. But how well do they deliver equitable park access to all residents? >>

Beat the heat with a paddle to Settler's Island

update

June 7, 2021

Looking to get out on the river? Pair your paddle with a visit to FMR's Settler's Island restoration and enjoy a respite in the shade of the island's canopy as you take in the quietude of the Mississippi River's back channels. >>

Write to the River's last chapter

by Ellie Rogers

article

June 2, 2021

After four years and 17 editions, we're wrapping up Write to the River, FMR's community creative writing project run by our dedicated volunteer Leslie Thomas. >>

Write to the River prompt photos of the river through the seasons

The clock runs out on the Minnesota Legislature

by Trevor Russell

update

May 19, 2021

On the final day of the 2021 legislative session, lawmakers agreed to a $52 billion two-year state budget, but the clock ran out before they could pass any meaningful legislation. Here’s where major water-related environmental bills stand as we prepare for a special session. >>

Our favorite take-aways from this spring's Pollinator Summit

by Karen Schik

update

May 7, 2021

At the recent Pollinator Summit, our ecologists picked up a few new ideas about how to restore land with pollinators in mind, and learned more about how pollinators restore the land themselves. Read on for our take-aways on soil scouting, goat grazing, our tiniest SuperVolunteers, and the 5,000 invertebrates under your feet at every step. >>