FMR Updates

New Mississippi River critical area rules on the way

by Irene Jones

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April 11, 2016

At long last, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has published the official notice to adopt new land-use rules for the Mississippi River critical area and our local national park. FMR led the charge to revamp the rules several years ago and has maintained a strong voice for river protection throughout the extensive rulemaking process. While we haven't completed our final analysis, here are a few highlights of the proposed rules, including better protection of scenic views and river bluffs, and an overview of the process. If all goes well, new rules could be in place by the end of 2016!

Critical area rules govern land use along the river throughout the Twin Cities metro.

Harnessing fire as a conservation tool

by Alex Roth

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April 11, 2016

Fire was once commonplace on the American landscape. After nearly a century of suppression, it’s making a comeback. Find out why fires are on the rise, and how FMR uses fire as a tool to restore habitat on many of our restoration sites.

FMR restoration efforts emphasize pollinator health

by Alex Roth

article

March 7, 2016

Pollinators have had a rough go of things lately, with habitat loss and overabundant pesticide use leading to declines in many bee and butterfly species. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. These declines have sparked a renewed interest in pollinators, leading to new initiatives and funding for the conservation of these species. Find out what FMR and others are doing to protect pollinators in Minnesota.

Making the most of the Governor's Water Summit

by Alicia Uzarek

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March 1, 2016

When over 800 Minnesotans gather in a windowless basement on the first beautiful spring-like day, there must be a compelling reason. In this case the reason was water. Residents of the Land of 10,000 Lakes showed up in droves to show their care and concern at the Governor's Water Summit. Among them, of course, were staff from FMR and our fellow water protection colleagues, plus 30 volunteer FMR River Protectors. Together, we made sure our top priorities for clean waters were heard loud and clear. Next up: Turning these basement conversations into noticeable improvements for Minnesotans' waters, communities and wildlife.

Governor Dayton opening the first ever MN Water Summit

Haul buckthorn at the Vermillion Aquatic Management Area [FULL]

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February 24, 2016

Volunteers help restore the shoreline of a trout nursery by removing precut invasive buckthornuckthorn

The real costs of pumping up White Bear Lake

by Trevor Russell

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February 4, 2016

Recently the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources released a much-anticipated report detailing cost estimates for pumping water from the Mississippi River to refill or "augment" shrinking White Bear Lake. The potential price tag?: $107 million, plus up to $4.1 million in annual operating costs. Given this, along with previous analyses casting doubt on such a system's potential effectiveness, FMR opposes any further state investment in such direct augmentation efforts.