Conservation

FMR works with public and private landowners, local government agencies and concerned community members — including thousands of volunteers — to protect and restore bluffs, prairies, forests and other lands important to our communities and the health of our metro Mississippi.

Here's what our conservation staff are currently working on and encountering in the field. 

Learn more about all our protection and restoration sites at our conservation map, as well as more information about our approach and program.

Conservation updates are also shared on social media (Facebook and Twitter) and in our Mississippi Messages newsletter.

POSTS

FMR ecologist makes the cover of Science for earthworm research

FMR ecologist Alex Roth's earthworm research made it on the cover of the highly regarded professional journal Science at the end of October, the same journal that published the human genome for the first time.  >>

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Volunteers create piles for habitat in the Minneapolis river gorge

Facing a steep climb up tall stairs, FMR staff and River Gorge Stewards opted for a creative way to dispose of invasive buckthorn at a recent volunteer event along the river: create habitat piles. >> 

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Have you seen a metro fox or coyote recently?

If you live in the Twin Cities Metro area and have seen gray fox, red fox or coyotes or their tracks, we could use your help!  >>

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Rusty patched bumblebee buzzworthy in the Star Tribune

This summer we found the Minnesota state bee at one of our restoration sites. Why is that newsworthy?  >>

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Mosquitoes, monarchs and memories: An FMR ecology intern's reflections

Daurius Mikroberts, one of FMR's 2019 summer ecology interns, reflects on a summer monitoring birds, pollinators, turtles and native plants at FMR restoration sites. Despite the mosquitoes, Daurius says the internship was "one of the best ways I’ve ever spent a summer."  >>

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Spring Lake regional park master plan open house Oct. 14

What's next for this special place (and FMR restoration site) on our great river? You can help decide. >>

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'Land conservation key to bringing back Minnesota bird population'

We didn't pay MPR to write that headline, but it's exactly the message we want people to understand. >>

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Collect them all: Invasive species identification cards

At this field season's volunteer events, we handed out invasive species collector's cards as a guide (and a thank you) for our intrepid, invasive-busting volunteers. Now that the field season is drawing to a close, we're sharing them with everybody.  >>

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Candid camera at Spring Lake Islands

We've trained a wildlife camera's eye on our turtle nest protection area in the Spring Lake Islands Wildlife Management Area near Rosemount. The camera's shots will help us find out if the nest enclosure is working to protect hatchlings. But as we dig through our footage, we're turning up some fun shots of more than just turtles.  >>

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The rusty patched bumblebee: What’s all the buzz about?

A lone male rusty patched bumblebee found in August at an FMR-restored savanna represents 0.2 percent of the known population worldwide. Necessary not only for native wildflower reproduction, but also for creating seeds and fruits that feed wildlife as diverse as songbirds and bears, our state bee could use your help. >>

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Upcoming Events

Saturday, April 19, 2025 - 9:30am to 12:00pm
West River Parkway and 36th Street/44th Street, Minneapolis
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April 8 through April 22, 2025
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