Neighborhood habitat takes root

Gardeners who live near Big Eagle Lake in Sherburne County are working with Sherburne SWCD to create pollinator habitat in their yards. The work is supported by a $29,760 BWSR Lawns to Legumes demonstration neighborhood grant awarded last year.

Watershed funds update septic systems

Cook County and Lake County have increased water quality and habitat protections in the Lake Superior North watershed — one of the original One Watershed, One Plan pilot projects — over the past four years by updating septic systems and septic system records.

BWSR report assesses quality of restored wetlands

A recently published BWSR study suggests that conservation practices commonly used to restore wetlands result in wetlands of similar quality to naturally occurring wetlands. The study was primarily funded by a $290,474 Wetland Program Development grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with a 25% match from BWSR.

Le Sueur SWCD stokes conservation

In the Jefferson German chain of lakes watershed, Clean Water Funds spark water quality improvements. The practices farmers implement to slow and filter runoff here affect the Cannon River, a Mississippi River tributary. Le Sueur County SWCD has worked to unite farmers and lake association members around a common goal.