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

How can we reduce buckthorn and preserve native plants? The results are in!

In 2018, we started a three-year research project at Hampton Woods Wildlife Management Area to find out which methods of buckthorn control best protect and encourage native plants. And now the results are in!  >>

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Meet five new FMR restoration sites

Our ecologists actively restore and maintain habitat at more than 30 sites across the metro region. But we're always looking for additional projects that can support wildlife, protect our water and increase climate resilience. In 2021, we added five new restoration projects totaling 273 acres to our restoration portfolio.  >>

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Welcome Laura, FMR's new ecologist

FMR is excited to announce the hiring of Laura Domyancich-Lee, FMR’s new ecologist.  >>

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Measuring success: recent pollinator surveys at FMR-restored prairies

Just as our breeding bird surveys have shown more birds and more species using FMR-restored prairies, our latest pollinator surveys further demonstrate the wildlife benefits of restored habitats.  >>

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Where we work: Old Mill Park
At the William H. Houlton Conservation Area — one of the largest undeveloped riverfront properties in the metro — we're restoring 160 acres of soybean field and grazed grasslands into prairie and oak savanna. Read more
Where we work: Nicollet Island
The industrial uses that once dominated half of Nicollet Island have given way to a mix of homes, trails and a beloved park where we're restoring pockets of prairie and a forest of maples and climate-adapted tree species. Read more
Fall intern helps map out FMR conservation strategy

FMR has permanently protected 45 sites in the greater metro area since 1993. Our fall 2021 Land Conservation intern, Nick Jacobson, created a tool to help us answer the question of where to focus next. Which lands can we most effectively protect, restore and enhance along the Mississippi River for its wildlife and human communities?  >>

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Where we work: River Oaks Park

A tiny 2-acre remnant bedrock bluff prairie in Cottage Grove holds mighty habitat diversity and offers stunning 180-degree views of the Mississippi River and its surroundings.  >>

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Climate change, climate justice and FMR's Land Conservation program

Land protection and restoration for ecological diversity can keep urban areas cooler and more resilient in the face of climate change. Learn more about how our Land Conservation program fights climate change and its impacts.  >>

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Upcoming Events

Tuesday, July 30, 2024 - 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Rotary Pavilion at Levee Park, Hastings
Saturday, August 3, 2024 - 9:00am to 2:00pm
Mississippi River Gorge, Minneapolis
New date: Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 5 p.m.
Hidden Falls Regional Park, St. Paul