restoration

Losing our cottonwoods: What’s at stake?

by Karen Schik

November 7, 2016

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.

Installing cottonwood live stakes in the floodplain forest near Hastings

Creating 'Prairie Park'

by Karen Schik

September 12, 2016

Two phrases not often used together are “prairie planting” and “oil refinery,” but many years ago employees at the St. Paul Park Refinery noticed a small patch of native prairie on company property and they've been taking care of it ever since. Recently, they worked with FMR to expand the natural area and also install a demonstration garden, hoping to inspire even more native plantings for pollinators.

Earthworms invade our forest floor

by Alex Roth

September 1, 2016

When people think about natural seasonal changes, we usually look up — bud break, bird migration, leaf change, etc. But what about the natural world under our feet? There's a buzz of activity, including the effects of one particularly damaging invasive species: earthworms. >>

Volunteers plant pollinator patches aplenty

by Adam Flett

August 8, 2016

What can a small planting of milkweed and other natives really do for pollinators? More than you might think.

Hastings Environmental Protectors and FMR teamed up to create three new pollinator patches, helping to provide much-needed habitat for a variety of insect and pollinating species in the Vermillion and Mississippi river watersheds.

An FMR Vermillion Stewards volunteer plants a pollinator patch.

Endangered species recovery at FMR restoration sites

by Alex Roth

August 8, 2016

Plant and animal populations decline for many reasons — habitat loss, climate change, pollution and other factors. The Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973 to prevent the decline and extinction of at-risk species and aid their recovery. At FMR, one of the ways we can best benefit endangered species is through the enhancement or restoration of native habitat. FMR’s many restoration sites do just that, providing much-needed habitat for both common and endangered plants and animals.

While the Endangered Species Act has benefitted countless species, we’d like to think our restorations have as well. We've spotted three endangered species — loggerhead shrike, Blanchard's cricket frog and Henslow's sparrow — at our sites so far this year!

A trio of endangered species recently found at FMR conservation and restoration sites.

Students track FMR restoration's impact on wildlife

by Alex Roth

June 13, 2016

With restoration work at the William H. Houlton Conservation Area slated to start this fall, students from the local Elk River Senior High School have begun to collect baseline data to help FMR track the restoration's impact on local amphibians, plants, trees and aquatic invertebrates.