Volunteers plant pollinator patches aplenty
Never unederestimate the power of a pollinator patch!
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.
Endangered species recovery at FMR restoration sites
A trio of endangered species recently found at FMR conservation and restoration sites. Left to right: Loggerhead shrike, Blanchard's cricket frog and Henslow's sparrow. Photos by Terry Ross, Greg Schecter and Scott Krych.
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!
Beer release party for '72 Stretch'
Join us at Fulton Taproom on Tuesday, August 2, beginning at 5 p.m. to celebrate the release of 72 Stretch, a limited-edition Fulton gose brew benefiting Friends of the Mississippi River.
'State of the River Report' Launch + Presentation
How is the health of the Mississippi River? Can I safely swim in it? Is water pollution improving? Can I eat the fish I catch? What can we do about Asian carp? Do I need to be concerned about bacteria in the river? How are bald eagles faring?
At FMR we hear questions like these all the time. That's why we've partnered with the National Park Service's Mississippi National River & Recreation Area unit (MNRRA) to update "State of the River Report," first released in 2012, for a current look at the river.
Join us for the highly anticipated release of the updated "State of the River Report" at the Science Museum of Minnesota, Thursday, September 22! (Tickets are free but capacity is limited.)
In the Media
FMR is proud to serve as the voice for the Mississippi River and the people who care about it — at the Capitol, in our communities, and, increasingly, in the media. Many thanks to the reporters who take the time to cover important river issues.
Students track FMR restoration's impact on wildlife
Students from Elk River High School sample invertebrates from a stretch of the Mississippi River. These aquatic insects are excellent indicators of water quality.
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.
'Rebirth: The Mississippi's National Park' (Video)
Produced for FMR by award-winning local filmmakers John Kaul and Tom Reiter, and narrated by Minnesota Public Radio's Steve Seel, this 30-minute documentary tells the story of how one man’s vision — combined with smart citizen advocacy and effective political leadership — created the Mississippi River's first and only national park right here in the Twin Cities. Enjoy the film online, request a copy for your local library, school or organization.
Swing Bridge Park: Our newest restoration & volunteer site
This unique location blends historic renovation with ecological restoration along today's working river. Learn more about its history, ecology and our first public volunteer event at this riverfront site, Saturday, June 4.
Help remove invasive garlic mustard at Pine Bend [FULL]
Thank you for your interest in this event, however it has reached capacity and registrations are no longer being accepted. Please consider another event scheduled on the FMR calendar.
New report highlights major flaws in state's agricultural water quality certification program
The MAWQCP may declare farm fields to be meeting water quality goals when limited data suggests that farm pollution levels may greatly exceed state standards.
In January 2012, the state announced plans to launch the newly created Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). While the concept of a farm certification program has promise, FMR has serious concerns the state implementation of the program.
These concerns are validated in a new report from our friends at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA).