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This website has multiple references for conservation planning for pollinators, monarch and beneficial insects.

The MN NRCS’s grassed waterway design spreadsheet uses the same methodology as the EFT waterway program and is an acceptable design tool. In this Tech Talk Elizabeth Oolman, NRCS engineer, will use the design spreadsheet and review data entry for the waterway design tab, data entry for the out-of-bank flow, and how to use the cut sheet tab. The spreadsheet is available for download on MN FOTG  > Section IV > Engineering Tools. This Tech Talk is intended for staff who know how to design a waterway but are looking for training on this particular tool.

This training covered the planning phase of streambank erosion projects to better equip staff to visit with landowners when asked about this type of project. Topics covered include the following:

1) Defining stream restoration and protection terminology as well as which resources and NRCS standards apply

2) Identifying the cause and scope of stream erosion problems

3) Project goals and objectives of the landowner and agency staff

4) Different types of streambank practices including vegetative, bioengineering, and structural type practices

5) How to discern between different options as well as how to document decisions

6) Job Approval Authority (JAA) discussion for stream projects

These supporting practices are only a small part of the designs for waterways, WASCOBs, and other main practices. Fundamentals for following practice standards 620 and 606 are usually briefly covered. This Tech Talk goes deeper into the practice standards, terminology when using these “tile” practices, and explain their connection to their main counterparts like 412 and 638. This session is for those who would like to get a better understanding of the “why” when utilizing and meeting these standards in your design.

(Time: 58:00) Webinar 1 of 7 from U of M's Ecological Restoration Training Center; Maintaining project records is essential for keeping long-term restorations on track. In this webinar, Mark and Karen will discuss the importance of reviewing records of past management actions and inputs in order to guide ongoing decision making and ensure that restorations achieve the desired outcomes despite staff turnover and other challenges of long-term restoration. 

Tim Weisbrod, NRCS Geologist for MN and WI, discusses why the four Nutrient Management (590) Groundwater Resource Concerns need to be inventoried and assessed during the planning process. Tim discusses the scientific background on how groundwater and nutrients move through the landscape and how those resource concerns can effect excess nutrient content in groundwater and surface waters.

(Time: 41:25)  Webinar 2 of 7 from U of M's Ecological Restoration Training Center; No manager wants to lose a restoration project to planting failure or adverse conditions. Join our panel as they discuss how project planning can minimize restoration risk. In this webinar, we will explore how stating specific restoration outcomes, factoring in contingencies, and selecting the management actions best suited to achieving desired outcomes can help managers avoid pitfalls that can hinder restoration success.