Politics & Flying Carp

From the Star Tribune:

The sanctity of the Lessard-Sams Council is being challenged, and council members owe it to conservationists statewide and to future councils not to cave when threatened, directly or indirectly, by its legislative members. McNamara isn't the first and won't be the last to insist, in effect, that the council amputate its own appendages. Let him -- them -- make the cuts if they must, or dare.

Secondly, mere shillings won't beat back invasive species, and the sooner the Legislature -- and the governor -- own up to this obvious fact, the sooner an invasive species research center at the U can be developed, and the sooner real action can be made toward minimizing the impact that carp and zebra mussels have on all of us.

Think $30 million in the first year, and $20 million a year thereafter for at least five years.

Read the full article...

Telling River Stories: People and Places Along the Mississippi River

Telling River Stories is a project of the University of Minnesota's River Life Program.

This project populates a map with stories of how people shape, and are shaped by, the Mississippi River. If we are to continue to live richly on this River, we’ll need to design, plan, and build so that we enhance instead of degrade it. Stories of people improving lives along the River are told here too.

Video - Carp & Minnesota

From River Life Facebook page:

Here's a great video with some more information on carp, and what they mean to Minnesota.

Best of 2011 from Friends of the Mississippi River

Video - St. Paul's Great River Passage Plan Unveiled

The Great River Passage Master Plan is intended to transform Saint Paul in profound ways. Developed with hundreds of hours of citizen input, the Great River Passage vision is based on three principles – to be more natural, more urban and more connected.  These were outlined in the 2007 Great River Park chapter of the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework. These principles guide a grand vision for unifying the entire length of Saint Paul’s riverfront. Moving forward, the master plan will set the stage for the manifestation of sustainable parks and open spaces, ecological restoration and economic development, connecting the City, its neighborhoods and people, to Saint Paul’s unique Mississippi River resources.

What is the River Talk Blog?

From River Life:

Last week, I posted a set of accomplishments for 2011.  Now what?

We’ve thought a lot this year about who we are and what we should be doing.

We’re a university program, which means that we have a three part mission:  educate, research, and engage our community.  The previous list makes the first and last of these very evident; we’re “locked in” on community engagement and education.

Read the full article...

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area [Video]

The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area includes 72 miles of the Mississippi River stretching from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey, Minnesota to just downstream of Hastings, Minnesota. The diverse stretch of the river flowing through the park consists of numerous natural, historic, recreational and cultural resources of national significance.

Minnesota Starts New Mississippi River Cleanup Effort

From the Star Tribune:

Project will offer farmers incentives to clean up runoff, but critics say voluntary efforts haven't worked.

Minnesota will be the nation's first test site for a federal program designed to stem the flow of agricultural pollution strangling some of the country's great bodies of water, including Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River.

Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to announce Minnesota's leading role in the project at the Capitol on Tuesday morning, with Tom Vilsack, U.S. secretary of agriculture, and Lisa Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at his side.

They are promoting the pilot project as the start of an ambitious federal strategy that, in essence, would give farmers a green seal of approval if they voluntarily choose to put land conservation and water quality ahead of crop yields.

Read the full article...

A Totally Different View of the Mississippi River [Video]

Video shot in Iowa, looks like a tropical rainforest:

Compared to Downtown Minneapolis:

Virtual Tours of the Mississippi River with Ranger on Call

You can have a national park experience 24 hours a day with Ranger on Call, a virtual tour of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area from the National Park Service.

Ranger on Call is an audio guide to exploring some of the park’s most special places. The guide features a series of 20 stops designed to expand users’ knowledge of the Mississippi River and provoke exploration.

Users can listen to stories from all along the 72-mile corridor of the national park, and download podcasts and maps online.  For an all-encompassing park experience, users can visit the featured sites along the river in person and dial 1-877-727-1172 (toll free) for the cell phone tour.

Ranger on Call features narration by Don Shelby, who brings to life the stories from diverse communities along the river. Tour stops feature the Minneapolis Riverfront, Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Lock and Dam #2 in Hastings.

Ranger on Call was created by the National Park Service and the Mississippi River Fund. The national park’s 72-mile boundary stretches along the Mississippi River from Dayton/Ramsey, through Minneapolis and Saint Paul, to just south of Hastings. It includes a range of cultural, economic and natural resources — from historic sites like Fort Snelling to unique features including the river’s only waterfall and gorge, to public parks and wildlife refuges.

In addition to protecting the river’s ecosystems and water quality and providing access points for recreation, the park offers a range of volunteer and educational activities, including ranger-led canoe, fishing, biking and hiking programs and school programs.

The Mississippi River Fund is the official charitable partner of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The fund supports stewardship and community engagement programs that support the park and its mission. These programs include water quality protection, habitat restoration, formal education, and interpretive programs that share with the public the significant role our National Park plays in American history and culture.