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Letter to the Editor - Ideas for the Minneapolis Riverfront
A nine part series capturing 3 brothers on a canoe trip from Lake Itasca to Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River. The brothers eventually paddle the 2,500+ miles to the Gulf of Mexico.
Downloads:
- Guiding Principles and Plan Overview
- The Complete Document (Heads-up - 48MB file!)
Video of the RiverFIRST presentation and vote from the February 15, 2012 Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board meeting:
A nine part series capturing 3 brothers on a canoe trip from Lake Itasca to Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River. The brothers eventually paddle the 2,500+ miles to the Gulf of Mexico.
A nine part series capturing 3 brothers on a canoe trip from Lake Itasca to Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River. The brothers eventually paddle the 2,500+ miles to the Gulf of Mexico.
From the Journal Sentinel:
With federal researchers in the midst of a search for long-term solutions to the threat of an Asian carp invasion into the Great Lakes, the Obama administration announced Thursday that it is updating its immediate strategy by committing $50 million to DNA sampling, underwater cameras, sophisticated tracking systems and projects exploring ways to poison the ravenous invaders without harming native species.
"I've been doing this work for 34 years, and this is as well as I've seen state and federal environmental agencies working together," said Charlie Wooley, deputy regional director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Minneapolis. "We want to do everything humanly possible to prevent Asian carp from getting into the Great Lakes.
Greetings, friend of the Mississippi River,
Voting is officially open for the 2012 MillerCoors River Network Grant Contest and Friends of the Mississippi River is one of the finalists for a $25,000 grant! With a few clicks, you can help FMR win $25,000 for river and watershed protection right here in the Twin Cities! Please vote for us, share this email, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and ask all your friends to vote, too! It's a vote for your river and your community.
From Minneapolis Park Watch:
The following is a letter to Charles Hallman, the reporter for the Spokesman-Recorder who wrote the February 12, 2012 article about employee criticisms of the Park Board:
Charles,
As a co-founder of Park Watch, I read your recent article with interest. Yes, we have been aware of MPRB employee dissatisfaction; but, as quoted in the article, "many of the deficiencies and issues noted are not new but have been present for years."
In the years prior to Superintendent Miller's arrival, there were many stories about long time employees who mysteriously disappeared from their positions at the Park Board. There is the one story about an employee who simply went in on a weekend, emptied his/her desk and resigned.The current administration inherited a dysfunctional organization that was known for its tactics of intimidation and retaliation. An article entitled "Angry Management" that was extremely critical of the former superintendent was published in a 2010 issue of City Pages. (This March 3, 2010 article can be found on www.mplsparkwatch.org)
Radical change does not happen overnight; we have observed recent staff hirings that indicate Superintendent Miller is serious about her role in transforming the Park Board.
We believe that her contracting with a consulting firm to conduct an organizational analysis of the MPRB demonstrates her intention to foster positive changes within the Park Board and the community it serves by implementing a proactive strategy to address and resolve long-standing problems.
"Providing the Best Environmental Outcome: The Right BMP in the Right Place"
Shawn Tracy, Landscape Restoration Specialist, Metro Conservation Districts
Friday, February 24, 2012. 8:00-9:30 a.m. (at the offices of Stantec (formerly Bonestroo), 2335 Hwy 36 West, 55113)
Light breakfast provided. Free. To RSVP, e-mail Lark Weller, Water Quality Coordinator, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
As attention increasingly turns to ensuring that effective water improvements are being made, stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) have become an important tool in communities' clean-up efforts. In order to achieve the magnitude of clean-up requirements, these BMPs must help communities make substantial improvements. To address this efficacy issue, the Twin Cities' metro area Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) developed an urban stormwater analysis tool to identify the highest-value stormwater treatment options.
The analysis identifies subwatersheds, catchment areas, and specific locations to target specific BMPs, and builds from the Center for Watershed Protection's "Urban Stormwater Retrofit Practices Manual" and Minnesota's Stormwater Manual. It ultimately provides a multi-year, multi-scale implementation plan for watershed managers. This allows decision-makers to confidently direct funds and labor toward the right BMP in the right place--all leading to the best environmental outcome. Come learn how to maximize the performance of stormwater BMPs!
The Mississippi River Forum is made possible by the generous support of the Mississippi River Fund and the McKnight Foundation.
From the River Talk Blog:
Usually when you read something like “six steps to…” the word “easy” is included. To his credit, Dennis Anderson, the outdoors columnist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, does not say that these are easy or simple. Still, a recent column outlines six things that Anderson argues must be done if Minnesota’s waters are not to be overrun with invasive carp.
Here are Anderson’s steps, followed by my comment. My summary of his points is only my summary; read his full column to get the depth of his views.
Contact: Julie Bodurtha, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, 612-626-6166
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (2/14/2012)—The University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) and the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics (NCED) will host the 3rd Annual Upper Midwest Stream Restoration Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 4-7, 2012. The event which draws more than one hundred stream restoration practitioners, researchers and scientists, and policy and regulatory advocates, is a signature program of the Partnership for River Restoration and Science in the Upper Midwest, a joint SAFL and NCED endeavor. A range of stream restoration topics will be explored during the symposium including design and related analyses, alternatives analysis, implementation and monitoring, as well as the planning, regulatory and funding context for stream restoration.
Now in its third year, the Upper Midwest Stream Restoration Symposium has grown both in program scope and participation into the leading stream restoration forum in the region. “This symposium provides an important forum for developing innovative solutions for the complex issues facing stream restoration efforts in the Midwest region,” said Barbara Burkholder, SAFL/NCED research scientist and symposium coordinator. “Participants from diverse backgrounds come together to share knowledge, and explore new approaches and best practices.”
Highlights of this year’s event include the following keynote presentations by nationally recognized speakers:
The symposium will be held at the Holiday Inn Metrodome in Minneapolis, with related evening events and networking opportunities arranged at nearby establishments. Several short courses on a range of topics precede the opening keynote presentation on Sunday, March 4. On Monday and Tuesday, the symposium features keynote presentations, followed by selected oral and poster presentations in a single track. The half-day session on Wednesday, March 7, will focus on considerations and approaches for stream restoration standards and certification. The event concludes with a tour of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory.
Individuals interested in attending may contact symposium coordinator, Barbara Burkholder, at bkb0811@umn.edu or 612-624-3931. For additional information, visit the Stream Restoration Symposium website.
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 11:00AM
