IQ Magazine - Fall 2011 by Initiative Foundation

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Thanks to the Brainerd Lakes Heart & Vascular Center Over the years, Cheryl has been

“I had my angiogram and stents done right here and went home the next day. Now I feel terrific!” - Cheryl, Brainerd

instrumental in fundraising efforts that made the Brainerd Lakes Heart & Vascular Center at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center a reality. So when she experienced warning signs for a heart attack, she knew exactly where to go for expert care. Cheryl chose to tell her story to inspire others to visit Essentia for a healthy heart, just like she did.

Read Cheryl’s story at HereWithYouStories.org or snap the smartphone QR code to find out more.

Brainerd Lakes Heart & Vascular Center at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center in partnership with Central Minnesota Heart Center

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IQ Magazine

FALL 2011

Contents

ABOUT THE COVER: This special issue of IQ is dedicated to the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

OUR MISSION:

Unlock the power of central Minnesota people to build and sustain thriving communities. INITIATIVE FOUNDATION STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

– Resilient Businesses – Thriving Communities – Effective Organizations – Local Philanthropy

D E PA R T M E N T S

F E AT U R E S

Kathy’s Note 4 Currents

Liquid Legacy

IQ Points 8 Your Two-Minute Digest

Destination Unknown

From There to Here

38 40

Water memories move Minnesota generosity.

Humans pose the challenges—and solutions—clouding the future of the Mississippi and its tributaries.

The Mississippi River twists through Minnesota history, economics and inspiration.

The Vivid Season Crisp, colorful and comfortable, autumn is the perfect time to explore our waterways.

Wheel Estate Propelled by natural beauty and economic power, communities are steering a new course to riverfronts reborn.

Signs of the Times 10 Mythissippi Parting the waters of conventional water wisdom. 14

Immersion School Educators and environmental groups introduce kids to the wonderful world of waterways.

Tip Sheet 16 Sidewalk Slurry When rain falls in the city, dangers flow into rivers. How can we curb them? On the Job 18 CSI (Carp Scene Investigation) Five things to know about hunting aquatic invasive species. Guest Editorial 56 Land of the Headwaters Don Hickman

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PREPARED FOR ANY ENVIRONMENT. At St. Cloud State University, we know that education is about more than learning from a text book. It’s about applying what you know. Rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty – that’s the St. Cloud State way. Whether it’s testing water samples from the Mississippi River to improve water quality or assessing the makeup of surrounding rocks and sediment, at St. Cloud State we empower individuals who are prepared to apply their knowledge in any environment. To learn more about what St. Cloud State has to offer, visit www.stcloudstate.edu

EDUCATION FOR LIFE.

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At Bremer Bank, our dedication to the Brainerd Lakes Area goes back to our founder Otto Bremer. In his words, “To serve our clients, we must also serve their communities.” Today, through nonprofit grants from our owner, the Otto Bremer Foundation, local bank donations and thousands of employee volunteer hours each year, we’re still taking action to make our community even stronger. Brainerd • 829-8781 Baxter • 828-5191 Aitkin • 927-3794 1-800-908-BANK (2265) Bremer.com Member FDIC

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Kathy’s Note

currents Dear Friends, I’ll never forget the sinking feeling when my husband, Neal, looked left, looked right, and then looked at me. “We,” he finally admitted, “are lost.” (It was a breakthrough moment for him.) Twenty extended family members, including a number of small children, were attempting to make our way from the Mississippi headwaters to Bemidji. We didn’t anticipate that the water level would be so high due to flooding in 1993. The all-important currents could only be detected by the subtle tilt of the wild rice. From the dull ache in my shoulders, I deduced that canoes don’t move as well without currents. This was especially true in a swamp, so the tallest dads and uncles climbed out of the six canoes and began to drag us along. They squinted at wild rice and debated over which direction we should head. Such slogging, squinting and debating went on for several hours. It was an adventure that tested our navigation abilities, parenting skills and bladder capacity. At first, the manly men joked, but their laughter faded with the sun… People around the world can identify the Mississippi River on a map. Many of us drive past or over it every day. School children can spell it. So, if the Mighty Mississippi starts right here in Minnesota, why doesn't it float on our minds more often? Published in partnership with five leading community foundations, this special issue of IQ focuses on the critical challenges and opportunities facing the Mississippi River and its tributaries. In recent years, several communities have initiated large-scale efforts to embrace their forgotten riverfronts as an impressive economic strategy. At the same time, a recent federal study suggested that Minnesota is responsible for sending 75 percent more harmful nutrients downstream over the past two decades. No matter how undetectable, we must remember that all currents connect us. Which brings me back to my story. Eventually, we found the river’s channel and we made camp by nightfall. Our site was a big mud puddle. The evening was, um, memorable. Think young children, soaking wet. In all fairness, our family loves the annual canoe trips, thanks to the coordination by Uncle Jerry and Aunt Cora Jean. We have great adventures, make many memories, and keep the currents moving between generations. And that is why I’ll always appreciate God’s amazing gift of the Mississippi River. Enjoy the magazine! FOR MORE INFORMATION 320.281.3167 | restore@cmhfh.org www.facebook.com/CMNReStore Wednesday–Saturday 10 A.M. – 6 P.M. 2801 WEST ST. GERMAIN STREET ST. CLOUD

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Kathy Gaalswyk, President Initiative Foundation

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405 First Street SE Little Falls, MN 56345 320.632.9255 | www.ifound.org

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Published in partnership with Range, IQ Magazine unlocks the power of central Minnesota leaders to understand and take action on regional issues.

Printed with Soy-Based Ink on Recycled Paper at Range, Inc.

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GARY J WEGE

Intelligence ❍ Pool 2, the stretch of the Mississippi that runs from St. Paul to Hastings, is now a trophy walleye fishery. Bald eagles, once a rare sight because of the widespread use of the pesticide DDT, are again commonplace. Is the Mississippi getting cleaner? Find out on page 10. ❍ When the city of Burnsville on the Minnesota River decided to see if building rain gardens would

help control urban runoff, monitoring showed that runoff volumes were reduced by nearly 90 percent. Furthermore, the gardens captured the first 0.9 inches of rainfall—an important finding when you consider that 90 percent of pollutants run off in the first inch of rain. Learn how riverfront communities are combating urban runoff on page 16.

❍ According to a recent federal study, nitrogen flowing into the Mississippi from Minnesota and Wisconsin has increased 75 percent over the past two decades. And when the phosphorus and other nutrients finally leave Minnesota and make their way to the Gulf of Mexico, they contribute to the notorious Gulf “dead zone”—a massive area where depleted oxygen levels exact a brutal toll on ocean life. Read more about water quality in the Mississippi River and its tributaries on page 26.

❍ When it comes to economic development, cities in the Upper Midwest are focusing once again on the Mississippi and its tributaries. The new Sanford Events Center in Bemidji brings in an estimated $1213 million in economic activity per year and has served as the catalyst for private economic development, including a future hotel and restaurants. Find out how revitalized riverfronts are improving the economies of their cities and regions on page 40.

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“Quotations” “A lot of the kids we’re serving live within a mile walk of the river, but 90 percent of them have never been there before. One of our park rangers starts every trip by saying ‘Welcome to your National Park.’ It’s a powerful statement and the kids love it—they realize this is a shared resource, not something reserved for the rich, and that we’re all responsible for it.”

“Clean water is a vital asset for a healthy life— it is a precious thing to all of us. We cannot take it for granted. If we abuse it, we lose it.”

— Sarah Milligan-Toffler Wilderness Inquiry “To the Dakota and other Native Americans, the great river was as well known as a local freeway to an urban commuter. It was their daily and seasonal highway. But it was more. It was their front and back yards. They fished, hunted, gathered plants, planted crops, swam and prayed in or near the river.”

— John O. Anfinson Author, River of History

— Harold Stewart Lake Hubert, Minn.

“This has to be a community-centered movement. Together we can go a long way to protect the natural and historic qualities that make the St. Croix River special, doing what no single organization can do alone.”

“The Mississippi River was a magical place for a kid because it was a place where adults never came. When you came over the riverbank and down on the shore, you were in a realm that belonged to boys— boys your age. That was what the river was all about, getting away from the grown-up world, school, and church, and forming what seemed to be like this little ideal society for 11- and 12-year-old boys.”

— Jill Shannon St. Croix Valley Foundation

— Garrison Keillor Author and host of “A Prairie Home Companion”

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Signs of the Times

Mythissippi Parting the waters of conventional water wisdom. By Mike Mosedale | Illustration by Chris McAllister

he Mississippi River probably looms larger in the national consciousness than any other geographic feature of the continent. Its outsized influence stretches across history, from Henry Schoolcraft’s storied search for the Headwaters to the peopling of the bread basket to the great floods of the modern era. As a symbol, the river has been seen to represent freedom, lawlessness, civilization, the wild frontier, even the passage of time (see “Huckleberry Finn,” and scads of lesser story and song). Yet as befits the object of so much lore, misperceptions about the Father of Waters—or Misi-ziibi, as the Ojibwe called it—linger to this day. John O. Anfinson, author of “The River We Have Wrought: A History of the Upper Mississippi,” has spent much of his working life thinking about and studying the river. But as a student at the University of Minnesota, Anfinson says he knew little of the ribbon of water he passed over daily as he walked across the Washington Avenue Bridge to his classes. He recalls peering down at the waters and being puzzled that the levels seemed to remain relatively constant, despite the fluctuations in rainfall. Only later did Anfinson learn the reason: the Mississippi is not a natural river but, rather, “a highly engineered body of water” whose flows are regulated by a series of dams that begin not far from the headwaters at Itasca. Meanwhile, the once ungovernable contours of the wild river were tamed as the US Army Corps of Engineers built dams and levies and dredged navigation channels. Anfinson, who is now the chief resource officer for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), said many ordinary

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JOHN O. ANFINSON: “If you ask people, they’ll say it is a great river but I don’t think they know why anymore. They just point to Mark Twain.”

citizens know little about the highly controlled nature of the river. In fact the river is seen as merely a backdrop to people’s workaday lives; many Twin Cities residents don’t even know that the MNRRA, a National Park, is in their midst. “There’s a disconnection from the river,” said Anfinson. “If you ask people, they’ll say it is a great river but I don’t think they know why anymore. They just point to Mark Twain.” The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Its watershed—or the land that flows into the river—drains all or part of 31 states. Whatever comes off the land goes into the river and its tributaries, sometimes with disastrous results. From the early 1890s to 1910, there were about 950 cases of typhoid per year in Minneapolis. Those epidemics were caused by raw sewage that drained into the Mississippi, which was also the source of the tap water. Naturally, this unwholesome arrangement fostered an acute public awareness about the river and its very real hazards. “You knew you were drinking Mississippi River water and you knew it could kill you,” said Anfinson. With the construction of the city’s first water filtration plant in 1913, those typhoid deaths receded in memory, as did much common understanding of the river. Today, Anfinson notes, many Twin Cities residents don’t realize that the water they cross on daily commutes is the same stuff that comes out of their taps. And as filtration technologies have improved, he says, a measure of hubris has evolved among some of those who do. “There’s a feeling that we can treat whatever is thrown at us,” he said. Whitney Clark, the executive director the Twin Cities-based Friends of the Mississippi River, said public perceptions about the water quality in the river vary widely and are often inaccurate. Older people who spent time on urban stretches of the Mississippi

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“If you’re just thinking about how the river was in 1970, you’d say the river is much improved. But the true story is much more complex.” WHITNEY CLARK, FRIENDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

recall a river that was largely bereft of fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. With the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, Clark points out, much of the so-called “point source pollution”—the contaminants released directly into the river by industry and municipal sewage systems—was cleaned up. That has led to some dramatic and much-celebrated gains. In Pool 2, the stretch of river that runs from St. Paul to Hastings, many fish species that had all but vanished returned; now Pool 2 is a trophy walleye fishery. Bald eagles, once a rare sight because of the widespread use of the pesticide DDT, are again commonplace. “There is this simplistic perception that the river is getting cleaner. And we have removed a lot of the worst pollution,” said Clark. “So if you’re just thinking about how the river was in 1970, you’d say the river is much improved. But the true story is much more complex.” That’s because while point source polluters have been reined in, non-point source pollution—principally from the contaminant-laden storm water that runs into the river from cities and farms—has become more severe, exacerbated by the advent of urban sprawl and modern agriculture. “Basically, we’ve traded pollution sources,” said Clark. Even clean water strategies sometimes produce unintended results. In the Twin Cities, storm sewers used to drain directly into the sanitary sewers. During heavy rainfalls, that led to overflows that deposited

sewage directly into the water, created appalling stenches, choked the life from the river and eventually fueled enough public outrage that something was done. When the cities separated the storm and sanitary systems—a multi-decades long, expensive process—the raw sewage in the river problem was largely eliminated. However, the diversion of the storm sewers from the sewage treatment plants has other implications. “Now everything that falls on the urban landscape goes directly to a water body (without being treated),” said Clark. While that’s a problem, Clark noted, the biggest and most politically difficult challenges the river now faces are posed by industrial agriculture. Because so many of those big corn and soy farms are located miles from the river, people who are not versed in the minutia of hydrology and agriculture often fail to make that connection, according to Clark. And that, he said, exposes the biggest myth about the river: that it can survive our ignorance and heal itself. IQ

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Signs of the Times

Immersion School Educators and environmental groups introduce kids to the wonderful world of waterways. By Laura Billings Coleman

NATURE’S CLASSROOM: Students at Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis get an up-close view of the West Mississippi Watershed.

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with a dip net to see what they can catch. They find diverse life and learn how that diversity reflects water quality. “The program literally teaches kids to look beyond the surface,” said Julie Galonska, the chief of interpretation, education and cultural resource management at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway (National Park Service). “It sparks their imaginations about discovering hidden things, exploring new areas and topics and seeing the world from a different perspective. Appreciation and understanding of the river is the foundation for growing its future stewards.” Teachers are also getting important lessons about the history of our waterways that they then take back to their classrooms. The Duluthbased Minnesota Power Foundation developed and sponsors PHOTOS THIS PAGE COURTESY PATRICK HENRY HIGH SCHOOL

ixteen-year-old LaTisha Hines was not enthusiastic about having to attend summer school— even less so when she learned most of her two-week science and sociology session at Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis would be spent outdoors. “I’m more an inside person,” said Hines. “When I heard we’d be digging in the dirt, and going on hikes and going down to the river, I was like, ‘No way—I like my clothes to stay clean.’” Hines and her classmates needed a little nudge to get into nature, and teachers Kent Piccott and Tom Murray were happy to provide the push. The interdisciplinary summer school program they started four years ago immerses students in the environmental and political history of the nearby Shingle Creek/West Mississippi Watershed by asking students to test water quality, identify plant and animal species and bait their own fishing hooks with live worms. Hines’ favorite summer school assignment? The morning she spent floating on a raft on the Mississippi River for the first time, experiencing the power and flow of the river she sees almost every day, though rarely notices. “I think once you really see how beautiful it is, you want to do what you can to keep it that way, or even make it better, so that everybody can enjoy it,” she said. This lesson is one that educators and environmental groups are hoping more kids will take home from the Mississippi, its tributaries and rivers in general. Thanks to a host of new outreach efforts and education projects—including “River Watch,” which teaches Red River Valley kids about water quality—students across Minnesota and Wisconsin are getting in closer contact with their rivers. “Rivers Are Alive,” a fourth-grade curriculum developed by the National Park Service and the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, highlights the underwater river habitat and the connections that people and all living things at the river share. The heart of the program is a field trip to the St. Croix to go mucking, where students get in the river

WET LAB: Henry High School students use dip nets to explore Shingle Creek’s aquatic life.

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JUSTIN WOHLRABE

“I’ve never met a parent who didn’t want a better relationship with their kids and a reduction of their own stress. Going out in nature will do it.”

INTO THE WILD: “Nature deficit disorder” expert Marti Erickson, Ph.D., points to a growing body of research that shows time in nature relieves stress and improves concentration.

“Watershed Workshops for Teachers” to educate teachers about the Mississippi, Rainy, and St. Louis rivers and their watersheds. “Each watershed workshop takes teachers on a chronological journey down a given watershed, from prehistoric times to present day,” said John Paulson, the land and real estate manager at Minnesota Power. “Weaving the history of human use of watersheds is important for kids to see how we have always used riverways for water, food, travel, trade, forest products—as well as electric energy and industry. And on an equal basis, it's important for children and adults to see how and why environmental awareness of our impacts has grown into environmental protections, regulations and obligations.” It’s a message that resonates with river experts. “The Mississippi is one of the planet’s truly special places,” said Lyndon Torstenson, an education specialist with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Torstenson says the river’s history and environmental impact are often overlooked by Minnesotans. That’s one reason the National Park Service partnered with Minneapolis-based Wilderness Inquiry, the Department of Natural Resources and the Minneapolis Public Schools to create the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventure program, an ambitious effort to introduce predominantly inner city kids to the world-famous river. “A lot of the kids we’re serving live within a mile walk of the river, but 90 percent of them have never been there before,” said Wilderness Inquiry associate director Sarah Milligan-Toffler. “One of our park rangers starts every trip by saying ‘Welcome to your National Park. This belongs to you.’ It’s a powerful statement and the kids love it—they realize this is a shared resource, not something reserved for the rich, and that we’re all responsible for it.” Since the program started three years ago, more than 14,000 students have taken part in these guided tours, seeing the river from a whole new vantage point—the bow of a 24-foot Voyageur cedar-strip canoe. “You can almost think of it as an interdisciplinary ribbon that connects so many things—English, natural and cultural history, science and math,” said Milligan-Toffler.

“The river is a natural starting point’’ for a host of academic inquiries, according to Meghan Cavalier, executive director of the River’s Edge Academy, a St. Paul charter school that incorporates the Mississippi into nearly every lesson plan. The school, which recently partnered with Outward Bound Twin Cities, provides “expeditionary learning” experiences to its 55 9th-12th graders, with required field work around the river that includes pulling invasive species, testing the water quality at nearby Pickerel Lake and building canoes. Students from River’s Edge are so well-versed on the river that they recently made their own recommendations for the Great River Master Plan, the city-wide effort to reconfigure St. Paul’s relationship with the river. Getting students interested and invested in the river while they’re young is one of the best ways to grow the next generation of river stewards—clearly one of the goals of the National Park Service’s “Big River Journey” curriculum taught between 4th and 6th grade at many St. Paul Public Schools. But Marti Erickson, Ph.D., co-founder of the Children and Nature Network and an expert on “nature deficit disorder,” says that creating the next generation of conservationists is just the beginning of the benefits to come from encouraging a two-way relationship between kids and the natural world around them. In fact, a growing body of research shows that time spent in nature relieves stress, improves concentration and creativity and creates closer relationships and community bonds with the people we share it with. “I’ve never met a parent who didn’t want a better relationship with their kids and a reduction of their own stress, said Erickson. “Going out in nature will do it.” And the benefits don’t stop there. LaTisha Hines’ outside-theclassroom experience has changed her outlook in many ways. “I always like to walk,” she said. “Now I know there are some beautiful places I want to go to.” Interested in connecting your kids with rivers? Find more tips at www.IQmag.org/pages/kidsriver IQ

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Tip Sheet

Sidewalk Slurry When rain falls in the city, dangers flow into rivers. How can we curb them? By Martha Coventry | Photograph by John Linn

PEGGY KNAPP: “People think, ‘If it comes out of the tap and it’s cheap, I just don’t have to think about it.’”

ainfall is not good news for city rivers. When water reduced by nearly 90 percent in the rain garden neighborhood and that flows off rooftops, lawns and parking lots, it brings all sorts most gardens captured the first 0.9 inches of rainfall—an important of unpleasant things along with it, including oils, chloride finding when you consider that 90 percent of pollutants run off in the from road salt and trace metals. It also picks up phosphorus, first inch of rain. Rewarding success: The Blue Star program, sponsored by nitrogen and sediment. Instead of then soaking into the land and filterFriends of the Mississippi River in partnership with several watershed ing down to the aquifer, that now polluted water runs full tilt into street districts and The Irwin Andrew Porter Foundation, encourages comgutters, which usually funnel it directly to the nearest lake, river or stream. That water is called urban runoff. Phosphorus and nitrogen from fermunities to take a rigorous online self-assessment of their storm water tilizers, pet waste and decaying management policies and pracleaves and grass clippings feed algae tices. The assessment rates cities and weeds, which in turn suck up in a number of areas, like green When water flows off rooftops, the oxygen in the water. Sediment street design, runoff control stanlawns and parking lots, it brings all clouds the water and blocks sundards for new development and light from reaching the bottom. As sorts of unpleasant things along with it, the extent of their public educaa result, water quality greatly tion programs. Forty-one commuincluding oils, chloride from diminishes and aquatic life suffers. nities have participated thus far. Water is not high on most Cities that earn a score of 60 perroad salt and trace metals. people’s worry list, especially in cent or higher are publicly recogMinnesota, said Peggy Knapp, nized as Blue Star Award winners director of programs for the Freshwater Society based in Excelsior. “People and are listed, along with their scores, on the Blue Star Leaderboard think, ‘If it comes out of the tap and it’s cheap, I just don’t have to think (bluestarmn.org/leaderboard). “This award allows cities to inspire each about it,’” she said. But urban runoff needs everyone’s attention. other to protect clean water, while helping educate citizens about urban Larry Baker, a research professor at the University of Minnesota’s runoff,” said Trevor Russell, watershed program director for Friends of Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, says we have to the Mississippi River. Reducing leaf and grass runoff: The Mississippi Watershed tackle urban runoff with a host of inventive approaches, technologies and Management Organization (MWMO) worked with St. Anthony incentives. Here are three promising solutions: Rain gardens: When the city of Burnsville on the Minnesota Village in Minneapolis to figure out the best way to reduce nutrient polRiver decided to see if it could capture storm water at the source, it lutants in urban runoff. MWMO bought the village a leaf vacuum truck paired two similar neighborhoods: one was the control; the other built on the condition that it sweep its gutters at least six times a year, versus rain gardens, which are depressions in the earth planted with native the normal two. Now St. Anthony Village is keeping at least three times grasses, flowers and other vegetation to hold and absorb rainwater more organic material out of the watershed than before. A similar prorunoff. Monitoring over three years showed that runoff volumes were gram is at work in Prior Lake. IQ

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On the Job

CSI (Carp Scene Investigation) Five things to know about hunting aquatic invasive species.

TIFFANY HICKOX: “If I wasn’t monitoring the fish, it could potentially ruin the rest of the Great Lakes and rivers.”

By Sarah Colburn | Photograph by Roee Dori

ZEBRA MUSSEL ASIAN CARP Origin: First brought to the United States from China in the 1970s by Arkansas fish farmers to improve water quality by removing algae from fish production ponds. They escaped from the fish farms and began to appear in the southern Mississippi River in the 1980s. They have been moving north at a rate of about 50 miles per year and have been found in the St. Croix River. Impact: Bighead and silver carp are filter feeders, straining tiny animals and plants (plankton) out of the water. They directly compete with native filter feeders such as mussels and fish, which can potentially disrupt the entire food web in a water body. Leaping fish can also be hazardous to boaters. 18 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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Origin: Native to Eastern Europe, they were brought to North America as larvae in ballast water of ships that traveled from fresh-water Eurasian ports to the Great Lakes. By 1991, the mussels had made their way into the Mississippi River via the Illinois River. Impact: Zebra mussels encrust native mussels, and ultimately smother them, which has caused significant declines in native mussels on the Mississippi River. They strain the same plankton from the water that young native game fish and native mussels depend on for food. This past summer, researches found 1000 zebra mussels per square foot covering the bottom of Lake Mille Lacs—73 times more than the previous summer. Zebra mussels have also been found in the St. Croix river below Stillwater. SOURCE: WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

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onder what’s lurking beneath the waterways of the Mississippi and its tributaries? Tiffany Hickox, a program manager with Indianabased Environmental DNA Solutions, can tell you. The company, which analyzes DNA found in water samples, works with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to track Asian carp. So far the invasive species has been found in the St. Croix River, Lake Pepin and near the Quad Cities. The large fish are not only a threat to the aquatic food chain, but are also a hazard to boaters because they startle easily and flip into the air. We asked her to give us the scoop on her unique line of work. It’s an exciting science. We’re trying to get people interested in monitoring for invasive species and endangered species. When you’re able to monitor something and you’re able to detect it at the beginning, you’re able to manage it. They chow down. Asian carp are an invasive species and eat between 5 and 20

percent their body weight of food every single day. They remove the bottom level of the food chain and they eventually kill off some other species. It’s like a crime scene. It’s basically the same as the human DNA that police use to prove a person is at the scene of a crime. Humans leave skin cells, hair follicles. Fish leave mucus, feces, urine and scales. We collect a sample of the water, filter out all of the particulate matter, including the DNA. Then through diagnostic DNA fragments, we detect different species. Work can be disgusting. There’s some pretty gross stuff in the water. I’ve found a dead raccoon floating, a few rotting fish, toilet paper. When you’re filtering out the water, you get to see all of it. We wear plastic gloves for a reason. It’s not just about fish. I’ve never been a fan of fish, I have to admit. It’s more about protecting the entire ecosystem. If I wasn’t monitoring the fish and where they’re located, it could potentially ruin the rest of the Great Lakes and rivers. IQ

EURASIAN WATER MILFOIL Origin: An aquatic plant native to Europe and Asia. Its stem fragments cling to boats, motors and trailers and drift with currents to colonize new areas. Impact: These fragments can root and grow into new plants, allowing them to spread over long distances. Milfoil can form dense stands that crowd out native vegetation and create mats so dense that game fish can’t maneuver through them to feed.

CURLY-LEAF PONDWEED Origin: Native to Europe and Asia, it was thought to have been accidentally introduced along with the common carp. Impact: This plant, with its characteristic wavy leaves, grows rapidly early in the spring (even under ice), and shades out native plants. Like Eurasian water milfoil, it can form dense mats that make it tough to boat or swim. When curly-leaf pondweed dies back in mid-summer it releases nutrients, which can lead to algae blooms and other problems. FALL 11

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COLLAGE OF SUSTAINABILITY Thursday, October 13, 2011 > 9:30am – 3:00pm HUG Campus, Pine River MN Join us for a full day of sessions and conversations about growth and future design in our region. Engage with experts in five key areas: Land Use, Housing, Energy & Local Foods, Economic Development, and Transportation. TO REGISTER CONTACT: Ann Hanson @ Region 5 Development Commission at 218.894.3233 or email ahanson@regionfive.org

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HAROLD STEWART: “All this effort is a way of preserving for my grandchildren the enjoyment of swimming, fishing, boating and mingling with God's creatures on Lake Hubert.”

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ROGER AND KAY STRAND: “We love this land. And we would like to see it loved by others as the years go by.”

Water Memories Move Minnesota Generosity Harold Stewart remembers childhood summers at his grandparents’ cottage—long, sun-soaked days marked by the adventures only a lakeshore can offer a young boy. Walking on rocks and peering under logs, he searched for crayfish, clams, turtles and minnows. He woke up early enough to see the sun rise and stayed up late enough to watch the lake swallow it. With his grandfather, he explored every nook of the lake on a 2-horsepower boat. Today, this man of a certain age has eleven grandchildren of his own, and his latest voyage is to pass along his love and concern for the waters of Crow Wing County. “Water, and most importantly clean water, is a vital asset for a healthy life,” said Stewart, who is better known around Lake Hubert as “Stu.” “It is a precious thing to all of us, and we cannot take it for granted.”

Roger Strand’s young days spent hunting and fishing on Green Lake near Willmar sparked a lifelong love of the outdoors. Upon graduating from the University of Minnesota’s medical school in 1969, he moved to Willmar where he and his wife, Kay, bought a 115-acre farm. After years of practicing medicine, raising a family and acquiring more acreage, that original plot has grown to about 400 acres of land rich with wetlands, wildlife and several lakes. “We love this land,” Strand said. “And we would like to see it loved by others as the years go by.” Driven by personal passions and family memories, both the Stewarts and the Strands are determined to leave a legacy by preserving lakes and rivers. They represent hundreds of water-inspired families who are blazing unique and creative paths to achieve a common goal.

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RIVER REWARDS: The St. Croix Valley Foundation's Jill Shannon says many donors want to see their charitable dollars at work right in their backyards.

Th e Pe r f e c T Ti Tl e Through the Minnesota Land Trust the Strands established a conservation easement, a vehicle that ensures the property will be legally and permanently protected from development—even after Roger and Kay are gone, and regardless of who may own the land in the future. For those concerned about the future of environmentally sensitive property, conservation easements can have several advantages over simply donating a piece of land. According to Walter Abramson of the Minnesota Land Trust, the right to develop and build on easement-protected land is divorced from other rights of ownership, no matter who might buy or sell it in the future. The Minnesota Land Trust has done extensive work with shoreline property owners, including protecting parcels along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. The other advantage is that while the property is protected, the landowner still owns the land. “It’s a comfort to us, knowing that our land will be preserved,” Roger Strand said.

a n e s T e g g f o r Th e l a k e Stewart was a long-time director of the Crow Wing Environment Protection Association (CWEPA), a volunteer-led nonprofit organization that sought to enforce land-use regulations and pursue legal action against those who attempted to sidestep them. “CWEPA gave us many opportunities to practice what we believe in—protecting the waters and promoting a healthy environment,” he said. “If we abuse it, we lose it.” With many signature successes and points proven, CWEPA dis24 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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solved last winter. But the former nonprofit organization still had a sum of money in the bank. That money became the nest egg for the first countywide environmental fund hosted by the Initiative Foundation. Earnings from the initial gift of $57,000 will form a permanent endowment fund, a charitable investment account where only a percentage of the annual earnings are spent. Advised by the Lakes & Rivers Alliance (LARA), the newly formed CWEPA Fund will award grants to shoreline associations and environmental projects within Crow Wing County. Leaders plan to award grants around an annual theme. One year, the theme might be “lakescaping”—shoreline landscaping practices that minimize harmful runoff and erosion. Another year could focus on invasive species or an educational project, according to LARA President Phil Hunsicker. “Our primary goal is to grow the fund,” Hunsicker said. “This fund is about uniting people around an opportunity to combine our resources and leave a legacy here. It’s about the future of our land and lakes.” To that end, the Initiative Foundation is matching up to $10,000 in new contributions to the CWEPA fund to jumpstart its growth. That’s good news for donors like Stewart. “All this effort is a way of hopefully preserving for my children and grandchildren the enjoyment of swimming, fishing, boating and mingling with God's creatures here on Lake Hubert.”

a r i v e r r u n s Th r o u g h i T Many donors desire to see their charitable dollars at work right in their own backyards, according to Jill Shannon, director of community part-

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nerships at the St. Croix Valley Foundation. Today, nonprofit organizations are finding creative ways to meet those preferences. The St. Croix River Fund is a fundraising partnership involving the St. Croix River Association, the National Park Service and the St. Croix Valley Foundation, eliminating the need for donors to choose between organizations. The River Fund is designed to support projects that maintain and improve river quality, bring the river’s cultural heritage to life and create meaningful experiences for young and old, sparking their appreciation for the rivers’ future. This unique partnership —one of the first in the country—elevates the needs of the river first, Shannon said. “We said ‘Let’s work together so that donors can feel like they’re giving first and foremost to the river they love.”

f o r e v e r i n v e s t me n t s Although the models behind these philanthropic ventures are different, they all involve a kind of gift that will continue to give for years to come. A conservation easement will protect land far beyond the lifespan of the original landowner, and an endowment will forever generate funds for everchanging projects and priorities. And because lakes and rivers are so inextricably linked to Minnesota and Wisconsin's geography, culture and history, these long lasting gifts are especially suited to local donors. “Endowments and land trusts are about legacy-building, and nowhere is that more important than with our lakes and rivers,” said Matt Kilian, Initiative Foundation vice president for external relations. “These are forever investments in things we want to last forever.” IQ

Central Minnesota Community Foundation | St. Cloud communitygiving.org Initiative Foundation | Little Falls ifound.org The Minneapolis Foundation | Minneapolis minneapolisfoundation.org Minnesota Land Trust | St. Paul mnland.org Northwest Minnesota Foundation | Bemidji nwmf.org St. Croix Valley Foundation | Hudson, WI scvfoundation.org The Saint Paul Foundation & Minnesota Community Foundation | St. Paul saintpaulfoundation.org mncommunityfoundation.org

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By Mike Mosedale | Photography by John Linn

If you want to get an idea of what most ails the Mississippi River and its tributaries, you need go no further than the birthplace of Minnesota. Situated high atop a limestonecapped bluff, Fort Snelling affords visitors commanding views of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers as they merge. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not hard to see why U.S. Army Lieutenant Zebulon Pike picked this spot when, in 1805, he was charged with acquiring some buildable (and defendable) real estate in the wilds of the frontier. But if you take a closer look at the scene today, a big problem quickly becomes evident. FALL 11

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JUSTIN WOHLRABE

MUDDY WATERS: The confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers.

RON KROESE: “The Mississippi’s problems arise from a combination of agricultural runoff, urban storm water and other sources such as failing septic systems.”

The Minnesota River, which drains the highly agricultural southern and western portions of the state, is disturbingly murky. At the confluence, where the Minnesota’s latte-colored waters merge with the still-relatively clear Mississippi, the river is sharply demarcated, as if stroked on one side with a giant paint roller dipped in mud. Further south, the Mississippi looks almost as dirty where it joins the St. Croix, which is also a source of phosphorus, even though it is thought of as pristine. From the headwaters at Itasca down to New Orleans, the water quality of the Mississippi has been an issue for well over a hundred years. And because the river is part of a complex river system, it impacts and is impacted by its tributaries, including not only the Minnesota but also the St. Croix, Root, Black, Lacrosse and Wisconsin rivers. In the 19th century, some of the biggest impacts came from the logging industry, which not only cleared tree cover from the surrounding banks but also fouled the river with enormous log booms that were floated down to the sawmills. Enormous quantities of sawdust that were generated by the mills were dumped directly into the river, with locally damaging effects. Other challenges—dam construction, industry and urbanization—also took their toll. Yet by many metrics, conditions on some stretches of the Mississippi River—especially in the cabin country in northern Minnesota—have improved markedly in recent decades. Since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, some of the worst so-called “point source” pollution—pollution directly released into the water by industries such as paper plants and inadequate municipal sewage treatment facilities—has been cleaned up. “Now the impairments primarily begin around St. Cloud,” said Ron Kroese, environment program director for The McKnight Foundation. “These problems arise from a combination of agricultural runoff, urban storm water and other sources such as failing septic systems.” Since 1999, McKnight has focused an enormous amount of

resources toward improving water quality of the Mississippi River and its key tributaries, issuing about $100 million in grants to nonprofits (including the Initiative Foundation) trying to tackle the river’s woes from a broad array of angles. Two years ago, McKnight decided to change course and put its entire focus on what experts say poses the biggest threats to the river: farm pollution and the loss of wetlands and floodplains.

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drowning in muck In Minnesota, nowhere are those problems more evident than Lake Pepin. Located about 60 miles downriver from St. Paul, Pepin is the largest natural lake on the entire length of the Mississippi River, 21 miles long and up to three miles wide. Famous as the birthplace of waterskiing and the backdrop for picturesque river communities like Red Wing and Stockholm, Wisconsin, Pepin has long been regarded as a natural treasure—a favorite destination for day sailors, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. But that watery playground also has a far less glamorous role: drain trap for Mississippi muck. That’s because as the fouled waters of the river funnel into the lake, the current slows, which allows suspended sediments and other pollutants to settle into the lakebed.

At the current clip, all of Lake Pepin will be clogged in about three centuries, with little left but a muddy channel in the middle. The toll has been staggering. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Pepin is now filling with sediment ten times faster than a century ago. At the current clip, the entire lake will be clogged in about three centuries,

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DO:

What you SHOULD and SHOULDN’T DO to HELP our rivers. If you live, farm or do business along a lakeshore or riverbank, plant a buffer strip of native plants. Native plants absorb nutrients and pollutants before they have a chance to enter the waterways.

Keep leaves, grass clippings and soil out of storm drains—and therefore out of the water. Leaves and grass clippings promote the overgrowth of algae, turning lakes and rivers slimy green. Compost the leaves on your property, or send them to a local composting facility.

Keep the water that falls on your property on your property. Reducing runoff from roofs, driveways and other hard surfaces reduces the amount of polluted runoff entering waterways through storm water systems. Install a rain garden, or redirect your downspout to flow into gardens or onto your lawn. Replace solid driveways and walkways with surfaces that absorb water.

Pick up pet waste. Individually, your pet might not make a substantial contribution to the waste that gets into our waters, but the tens of thousands of pets in every state collectively add up to a big waste problem.

Reduce the amount of chemicals you use to maintain landscaping in summer, and the salt you apply to sidewalks in winter. If you do use chemicals, pay strict attention to the manufacturer’s recommended application instructions.

DON’T:

with little left but a muddy channel in the middle. For the upper third of the lake, which receives the brunt of the impact, the prognosis is grimmer: it is expected fill up in about 90 years. As the lake’s waters grow murkier, sunlight won’t penetrate deeply enough for the aquatic vegetation that is vital to the lake. Scientists expect that fish, waterfowl and maybe even those iconic Bald Eagles that lure the birders to the area will start to disappear, too. It’s a problem endemic to much of the big river. But, on Pepin, it is writ large. On top of those woes, Pepin is bedeviled by high levels of phosphorous, which comes from both farm fields and municipal sewage. During hot, calm summer days with low flow, that excess phosphorous sometimes triggers massive algae blooms, which can lead to localized fish kills and an offensive stench. According to a recent federal study, nitrogen flowing into the river from Minnesota and Wisconsin has increased 75 percent over the past two decades. And when the phosphorous and other nutrients finally leave Minnesota and make their way to the Gulf of Mexico, they contribute to the notorious Gulf “dead zone”—a massive area where depleted oxygen levels exact a brutal toll on ocean life. While the pollution in Pepin has many sources, according to the MPCA and other researchers, the lion’s share—about 75 percent—comes from the Minnesota River and its tributaries. With its vast network of ditches and field drains (buried plastic tubes known as “tiling”), the landscape around the Minnesota River is intensively farmed. Most of the former wetlands and floodplains have been drained and cultivated and, by design, this land sheds its water more quickly than in the past. At Jordan, researchers say, flows in the Minnesota River have doubled since 1940. “You have to look at all the perforated pipe that’s bringing the water off the land quicker,” said Kroese. In the pre-settlement days, prairie grasses with roots up to ten feet deep soaked up much of the water. While corn can also absorb water, that doesn’t count for much if the rain falls before the crops are in the ground. Today, as rainfall rushes into the ditches and creeks, it carries sedi-

Put anything into the storm sewer system that you wouldn’t want to drink. That includes oil, paint, solvents or any other chemicals. Storm sewers drain directly to a lake or river. You dump it, you drink it.

Spill fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or other chemicals onto sidewalks and other hard surfaces, where rain will wash the chemicals into lakes and rivers.

Flush old medicines or personal care products down the toilet. The active compounds in these products can’t be completely removed by water treatment processes, and are causing mutations in fish and other aquatic life. Throw them in the garbage instead.

Waste water. Every drop of water that runs down your sink, shower drain or toilet goes through extensive processing and treatment before it eventually is discharged into the river. Treating water requires energy, and energy takes water to produce. Treating water also creates waste products that are difficult and costly to dispose of.

Tips courtesy of the Freshwater Society, a non-profit organization based in Excelsior, MN that is dedicated to educating and inspiring people to value, conserve and protect all water resources.

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CONSERVATION FARMER: Dave Legvold has been experimenting with an array of farming techniques that will help rivers and lakes.

ments from the fields into the river. Because there is a greater volume of water traveling at a greater speed, the river’s bank and bottom become scoured, too, releasing even more sediments. Most of that gunk, along with phosphorous and nitrogen from the fields, eventually finds its way to Pepin.

coming clean If you want to improve Mississippi water quality, experts agree that you have to clean up the Minnesota River. And that involves changes in agricultural practices across a vast swath of prime Minnesota farm country. Solutions may require that some land be taken out of cultivation and that new farming techniques be employed to help the land hold the water longer. Politically and economically, this will be no easy feat—a fact not lost on most river advocates.

PEPIN PRIDE: Mike McKay is the executive director of the Lake Pepin Alliance, a citizen’s group that is pushing to clean up the lake.

“The solutions have to be things that give us clean water and prosperous farms,” said Trevor Russell, the watershed program director for the Twin Cities-based Friends of the Mississippi River. “You could say, ‘Pull out the drain tile! Stop planting corn!’ But that’s just not practical.” Dave Legvold thinks he might have some of the practical answers. A former middle school teacher, Legvold is keenly interested in the environmental implications of his 700 acre farm in the rolling countryside near Northfield. As a former executive director of the Cannon River Watershed Partnership, he also knows the importance of controlling runoff from his farm. While he employs drain tiling, he directs as much water as he can toward a wetland where the runoff—and the accompanying sediments—can percolate into the ground rather than running into the streams and ditches. Legvold has also been experimenting with an array of “conservation

Field Good Options: Five ways farmers are HELPING THE RIVER. Roughly half of the total area of Minnesota is under cultivation, much of that planted fencerow to fencerow with corn or soybeans. Invariably, farming these crops causes pollutants to enter the state’s water bodies. Still, there is plenty that we can do to lessen the damage.

Maintain “the thin green line.”

The easiest way farmers can improve water quality is to provide a 50-foot wide strip of perennial vegetation between their fields and adjacent lakes, rivers and streams. These buffers absorb and filter sediment, fertilizers, pesticides and other pollutants that would otherwise wash into the waterways after rainstorms. They also limit the erosion of stream banks and provide wildlife habitat. According to Mike McKay of the Lake Pepin

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Legacy Alliance, getting compliance from farmers often requires little more than a letter of official notification from county zoning authorities.

Install conservation drainage systems. Some environmentalists

would probably like to get rid of all the drain tiles. Emerging conservation drainage technologies can help mitigate the harm. In a controlled drainage system, a gate-like struc-

ture is installed at the end of the tiles, allowing farmers to regulate the amount of water in the soil much as a dam regulates flow in a river. Some controlled drainage systems can now be monitored and operated remotely by use of satellite technology. As a benefit, farmers can keep their fields dry when they most need to—during planting and harvest— and wet at the other times, according to Ann Lewandowski of the Water Resources Center at the University of Minnesota.

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“We have to find a way to modify the farm bill to reward ecological behaviors.” –DAVE LEGVOLD

farming” techniques with the aim of tilling as little soil as possible. “The key here is retaining all this stuff,” Legvold explained, as he crouched down in a cornfield and grabbed a fistful of old corn stalks. Under the conventional approach, most of that detritus from the prior year’s crop would have been plowed under. Keeping more of the old dead vegetation on the tops of fields has benefits, including protecting the soil from drying out too quickly during hot weather. It also decreases erosion because, by plowing sparingly, there is less loose dirt to wash away. Meanwhile, the residue left on the fields provides habitat to macro invertebrates that are beneficial to soil quality. One of Legvold’s principle weapons in this battle is a precision tilling implement called the Soil Warrior, which was invented by a farmer from Faribault. Because it only turns up narrow strips of soil, which are then fertilized and seeded in a highly targeted manner, it requires less fertilizer. Legvold procured the Soil Warrior two years ago with a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program—a program that rewards farmers who agree to employ conservation techniques on their fields. Unfortunately, in Legvold’s informal survey of agricultural equipment dealers in southeast Minnesota, he charted a steady increase in the sale of mold board plows, which are used to turn over the entire field. While the efforts of farmers like Legvold are commendable, Trevor Russell of the Friends of the Mississippi contends that the only long-term solution to river water quality will come from a major change in federal farm policy.

Develop a manure management plan.

Rich in organic nutrients, manure, when properly applied, improves soil health, promotes beneficial microorganisms and can even reduce erosion. But improperly applied manure poses serious environmental risks. Too much can cause excessive amounts of phosphorous and nitrogen to enter waterways; pathogens in the manure can also create human health hazards. Now, farmers can have the manure tested by a lab to match the nutrient load with the needs of the crop. Spreading manure in the winter increases the risk of deleterious runoff and should be avoided, if possible.

“We have to find a way to modify the farm bill to reward ecological behaviors,” Russell said. “It’s not the farmer’s fault. They are doing the right thing for their families in the system they are working in. But if the system is broken and we can’t balance ecological services with farm prosperity, we’re not going to get very far with water quality.”

room for optimism “Ag is not so monolithic,” said Mike McKay, the executive director of the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, a citizen’s group that is pushing to clean up Lake Pepin. McKay is encouraged by the heightened public awareness of water quality issues. In six southeastern counties, he noted, county zoning officials have begun aggressively notifying farmers of violations to buffer regulations—rules that require farmers to leave strips of perennial vegetation along creeks and streams to combat erosion. It’s a good start, McKay said. But like many who follow the issue, he is convinced that the river’s best and only hope lies with Congress. George Boody, the executive director of the Land Stewardship Project, agrees that the next farm bill, expected in 2012 or 2013, will be critical. If farmers are provided incentives to grow more perennial crops and less corn and soybean, he said, water quality will improve. “Will things change overnight?” Boody said. “No. Did we get where we are now overnight? No. But we’ve got more opportunities than ever to put forward approaches that work. I choose to be hopeful.” IQ

Plow sparingly—or not at all.

After the fall harvest, many farmers turn all the soil over to await fertilization. The approach allows for early planting in spring, as the black fields absorb the sun’s energy and warm quickly. But such plowing also leads to more runoff. The alternative: an array of practices that are broadly referred to as “conservation tillage.” Under a no-till approach, crops are directly planted into the residue from the previous year’s harvest. A strip-till approach requires only a narrow band of residue to be plowed. Advantages include dramatic reductions in erosion and lower labor, machinery and fuel costs.

Embrace new technology.

Most farmers are born tinkers who have a willingness to experiment with new technologies. One promising new example is LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging. With LiDAR, laser images can be used to make precise measurements of the slope and other topographical aspects of farm fields. This can help farmers determine which areas of their land needs more fertilizer and which can use less, benefitting both a farmer’s bottom line and our waterways.

–Mike Mosedale

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10,000 B.C.

Source: University of Manitoba Libraries Map Collection

12,000 B.C.

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12,000 B.C.: Retreating glaciers leave behind the ancient Lake Agassiz. Draining the lake to the south, the rushing River Warren carves out the Minnesota River Valley and the Upper Mississippi River Valley as far as Prescott, Wisconsin.

10,000 B.C.: People begin moving through or into the Upper Mississippi River Valley as hunter/gatherers or farmers. When Europeans enter Minnesota in the 1500s, they find the Ojibwe, or Anishinabeg, and the Dakota Sioux.

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By Martha Coventry

1500

1600

1700

1800

Late 1500s: The French begin traveling the waterways from Canada to the Mississippi River to exchange goods for pelts— especially beaver—with Native people along the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. Using the term “buck” for a dollar emerges from fur trade slang. In 1800, the skin of a buck deer was worth one dollar.

1805: On September 23, Army

1680: Father Louis Hennepin searches for the Northwest Passage and the source of the Mississippi River. While traveling with a group of Dakota warriors, he sees a great falls that he names St. Anthony Falls after his patron saint, Anthony of Padua.

Lieutenant Zebulon Pike and representatives of the Sioux (Dakota) Nation sign the Treaty with the Sioux, also known as Pike’s Purchase. The treaty gives the United States two tracts of land on the Mississippi for military posts. One is at the confluence with the Minnesota River and construction of Fort Snelling begins in 1819. FALL 11

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1840: The traffic in

A raindrop falling at Lake Itasca (at the Mississippi headwaters) would arrive at the Gulf of Mexico in about 90 days.

beaver pelts, and the commercial fur trade on the Upper Mississippi River and the St. Croix all but ends. Beaver top hats are out of fashion; silk hats are now the rage.

1839: Logging begins on former Ojibwe lands. Between 1835 and 1915, nearly all red and white pine in Minnesota and Wisconsin of appropriate size is cut and floated down the Mississippi to sawmills.

—NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The Mississippi, the Ganges, and the Nile . . . the Rocky Mountains, the Himmaleh, and Mountains of the Moon, have a kind of personal importance in the annals of the world.

1800

1810

1820

1830

1840

—HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Here in Minnesota, we’re at the top of the watershed. The water is clean when it comes out of Lake Itasca and we have a unique responsibility to send it downstream across our border as clean as when we got it. —WHITNEY CLARK

Executive Director Friends of the Mississippi River

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1823: The first steamboat, the Virginia, arrives at Fort Snelling from St. Louis. By 1850, a thousand steamboats a year are docking at St. Paul.

1832: The Ojibwe

1837: In the

man Ozawindib guides Henry Schoolcraft to the source of the Mississippi River, a small stream exiting a lake. Schoolcraft had decided earlier to name the source, if he found it, Itasca—a combination of the Latin veritas (“truth”) and caput (“head”).

Treaty of 1837, the Ojibwe cede all lands northeast of the Mississippi River to the U.S. Government, retaining hunting and fishing rights. This treaty will be heavily referenced in modern times during a 17-yearlong battle for Ojibwe spear fishing rights in northern Wisconsin.

1850

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1856: The Washburn brothers begin milling flour on the Minneapolis riverfront. In 1877, they form the Washburn-Crosby Company with John Crosby. In 1928, the company will merge with 26 other mills to form General Mills.

1883: Railroad baron James J. Hill builds the Stone Arch Bridge over St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, which is used as a railroad bridge until 1965. A National Historic Engineering Landmark, the bridge gets a second life in 1994, when a partnership of public agencies turns it into a show-stopping thoroughfare for pedestrians, bicyclists, and the River City Trolley.

1847: Businessman Franklin Steele constructs the first dam at St. Anthony Falls, marking the beginning of human interference with the falls.

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

“To the Dakota and other Native Americans, the great river was as well known as a local freeway to an urban commuter. It was their daily and seasonal highway. But it was more. It was their front and back yards. It was their supermarket and well as their superhighway. They fished, hunted, gathered plants, planted crops, swam and prayed in or near the river. The contrast between European discovery and Native American familiarity could not have been greater.”

1884: German immigrant J.F. Boepple founds the Mississippi River pearl button industry in Iowa. Clammers in Minnesota and Wisconsin take thousands of tons of shells out of the Mississippi, St. Croix and Lake Pepin and send them downriver to Iowa.

1851 & 1858: The Dakota cede all land south of the Upper Mississippi River to the United States in treaties signed in these years. The white population in Minnesota soars from 6,000 in 1850 to 150,000 by 1857.

1862: After the Dakota Conflict and the hanging of 38 Dakota at Mankato, 1,600 women, children and old men are put in an internment camp on Pike Island below Fort Snelling. The following spring, they are moved away from the river and to reservations in the Dakota Territory and Nebraska.

— JOHN O. ANFINSON

River of History

“We safely entered Misisipi on 17th of June, with a joy I cannot express,” writes Father James Marquette in 1673. Two Native guides had given him the Algonquin name for the body of water he encountered—“misisipi,” meaning “big river.” —FATHER JAMES MARQUETTE

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The tiling and draining of farm land is the largest hydrological altering of the landscape you can imagine. It’s across the entire Corn Belt and it’s totally invisible. Most people looking at [the landscape] would have no idea what we’ve done to it. —DAN ENGSTROM

Director St. Croix Watershed Research Station

When the two rivers join, you can see the clear St. Croix water for more than a mile downstream before it is engulfed with the silt carried by the mighty Mississippi. I wish we could go back just two centuries and correct all the land management mistakes we settlers made to the upper Mississippi valley, so that the river’s water at the confluence with the St. Croix would be indistinguishable. I surely hope that the Wild & Scenic St. Croix River remains just that and I fervently hope that we don’t end up loving it to death.

1938: The Pig’s Eye Sewage Treatment Plant begins operating as the first such plant on the Mississippi River. Eventually renamed the Metro Plant, it will make significant strides in improving water quality, reducing phosphorus discharges to the river by 80% between 1995 and 2005.

1930: Congress authorizes the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1930 and asks the Army Corps of Engineers to create and maintain a 9-foot channel on the river through a series of 24 new locks and dams. Izaak Walton League chapters in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois oppose the plan. The Corps prevails, but environmental organizing has begun. 1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

—JIM FITZPATRICK

Executive Director Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center

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1903: Logging companies build a dam downstream from the newly established Itasca State Park. When rising water floods the headwaters, 24-year-old park superintendant Mary Gibbs challenges the logging company. A rifle-toting foreman warns he will shoot her if she touches the sluice gate, but with help, she opens the gate and lowers the water level by 18 inches.

1950

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1968: Congress creates the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and the Upper St. Croix River is one of the original eight rivers designated; the Lower St. Croix River is added in 1972. The Act creates the St. Croix National Scencie Riverway, a national park protecting 255 miles of riverway along the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers.

Greg Seitz

1999: The DNR launches the Minnesota Statewide Mussel Survey to document and conserve freshwater mussels, the nation’s most threatened class of organisms. The section of the Mississippi River near the Ford Bridge between Minneapolis and St. Paul proves to be a good rearing ground to reestablish endangered mussels.

1960

1970

1980

1990

1988: The National Park

1972: Congress passes the Clean Water Act and it is a turning point for restoring the Mississippi River.

Service establishes a new national park called the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, encompassing 72 miles of the Mississippi River stretching from Dayton, Minnesota, to just south of Hastings.

2000

2010

2010: The Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventure begins as a partnership among the National Park Service, the Mississippi River Fund, the Wilderness Inquiry, the Minneapolis Public Schools and other entities to get 10,000 children each year in canoes and on the Mississippi River. IQ

“…ten thousand River Commissions, with the mines of the world at their back, cannot tame that lawless stream, cannot curb it or define it, cannot say to it ‘Go here’ or ‘Go there,’ and make it obey.” —MARK T WAIN

(from Life on the Mississippi)

“[The Mississippi River] was a magical place for a kid because it was a place where adults never came. When you came over the riverbank and down on the shore, you were in a realm that belonged to boys—and boys your age. That was what the river was all about, getting away from the grown-up world, school, and church and forming what seemed to be like this little ideal society for 11and 12-year-old boys.”

Bobak Ha'Eri

—GARRISON KEILLOR

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Crisp, colorful, and comfortable, autumn is the perfect time to explore our waterways. The crowds and bugs have vanished, the air is crisp and the trees are showing off their fall colors. Whether you take a long weekend or day trips, the Mississippi region offers not just natural attractions, but also history, culture and the delights of big cities and small towns. From north to south, here are some highlights.

showcases its wealth of visual, performance and literary artists during First City of Arts: STUDIO CRUISE, from October 21-23. The event offers the public a unique opportunity to interact with 25 artists at work in studios that are tucked in the surrounding woods. Evening performances of theater and music will also be featured (www.visitbemidji.com).

GRAND RAPIDS

MARK EVANS

ITASCA STATE PARK

By Rachel Reabe Nystrom

Walking across the l5 rocks that mark the headwaters of the Mississippi River is a rite of passage for generations of Minnesotans and a must-see destination for more than a half million annual visitors from around the world. Minnesota’s oldest state park, established in 1891, is 22 miles north of Park Rapids. One of the best views of the headwaters is from the lake where the small stream begins. The Chester Charles II excursion boat offers twohour naturalist narrated tours of Lake Itasca. Boat tours run Fridays-Sundays at 1 p.m. through October 3 (www.lakeitascatours.com). Canoes, kayaks, fishing boats and pontoons are available through mid-October (www.itascasports.com). Nearby, the town of Bemidji

Northeast from Itasca State Park, Grand Rapid’s Forest History Center offers visitors a look back a century ago when some 20,000 lumberjacks were logging Minnesota’s white pine forests and floating the logs to sawmills along the Mississippi River. A 1900 recreated logging camp on the riverbank comes alive in the summer with livinghistory characters; the museum and self-guided trails are open year round, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A special event on December 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., celebrates Christmas in the logging camp, with lumberjacks cutting big timber (www.mnhs.org/places/sites/fhc).

AITKIN AND CROSBY Stretch your legs and test your nerves on the 25 miles of mountain bike trails that scale the abandoned mining pits at CONTINUED ON PAGE 50 FALL 11

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Propelled by natural beauty and economic power, communities are steering a new course to riverfronts reborn. What do we see when we look at our rivers? Are they waterways for bringing raw materials from our regions’ farms and forests to the manufacturers who send them back up again? Are they sewers and garbage dumps—places where many communities get rid of their unwanted refuse, knowing it will be carried downstream? Are they dividing lines that separate neighborhoods, cities and states from another? Or are they threats that need to be barricaded and buried behind earthen mounds and concrete reinforcements? When it comes to the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the answer to these questions has historically been “all of the above.” But increasingly, communities are also looking to their rivers as untapped assets, with built-in attractions that, if developed and nutured properly, can reward nature enthusiasts, recreational users, entertainment seekers, urban dwellers and employers alike. From near the headwaters of the Mississippi to across the Iowa border, cities in the Upper Midwest are focusing once again on the river and its tributaries as they seek to reclaim a piece of their heritage and build a stronger foundation for the future. “Increasingly, economic development occurs where people want to live or where there’s an interest in the assets of a community,” said Don Hickman, senior program manager for the Initiative Foundation. “The Mississippi is a valuable asset upon which to attract people from around the world.” With support from organizations such as the River Partnership of Community Foundations—a group of 18 community foundations along the Mississippi and its tributaries—once landward-facing cities are now turning to embrace unique riverfront assets to promote sustainable economic development.

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JUSTIN WOHLRABE

BEMIDJI BOOSTERS: Northwest Minnesota Foundation Senior Program Officer Jim Steenerson (left) and Bemidji City Manager Jon Chettin.

BEMIDJI Industrial blight to gathering space The name “Bemidji” means “flowing through or across,” and refers to how the Mississippi River flows through the lake that bears that name. The city’s location near the headwaters of the Mississippi and along the shore of Lake Bemidji has prompted this city of nearly 14,000 people to proclaim itself the “First City on the Mississippi.” But it was the completion of the city’s Sanford Events Center along the south shore of Lake Bemidji in 2010 that allowed the city to better utilize the lake and the famous river that runs through it, said Jon Chettin, Bemidji city manager. To build the center, the city purchased 140 acres of logging and milling sites along the lake that had been abandoned brownfields for 15 years. They were cleaned up to create a mile of future commercial and residential development, with the events center as the crown jewel. The events center brings in an estimated $12-13 million in economic activity per year and has served as the catalyst for private economic development, including a future hotel and restaurants, that will make the south 42 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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shore a destination for entertainment and tourism, said Jim Steenerson, senior program officer for the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. The foundation funded planning grants for the south shore development to give the city an idea of what revitalization could look like. “It’s one of the last major tracts of undeveloped urban land on the Mississippi River or Lake Bemidji,” said Steenerson, “so they really wanted to get it right.” Getting it right included making sure that all the lakeshore around the events center is publicly owned, so the public can have easy access to it. City sewer and water lines, new roads and an extended hiking and biking trail that connects with the Paul Bunyan Regional Trail were also installed. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources put in a public boat access. A hotel opened next to the events center and another might be coming soon, according to Chettin. Restaurants and residential development are also planned. “There were already private development plans in the works,” Chettin said. “But it wouldn’t have had the trail or the public ownership of the shoreline that we have with this plan.”

ST. CLOUD Reconnecting with the river In St. Cloud, steep bluffs and a history of industrial use cut the Mississippi River off from large parts of the city. But to attract jobs and residents, that needed to change. “Decades ago, the river was a tool and a resource for businesses and the community, but we’re really lifting it to a higher level of importance,” said Kathy Gaalswyk, Initiative Foundation president. “We have a unique opportunity for communities to come together to create a vision for how the river can enhance the quality of life for its residents and attract new jobs in return.” When it came time for St. Cloud to rethink its relationship to the river, the central Minnesota city’s challenge was complicated by the fact that it shares the river with three counties and several other cities. With the help of the Initiative Foundation and the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, river enthusiasts and local governments worked past those challenges to come up with a comprehensive area plan. The two foundations partnered to sponsor a process for St. Cloud residents to create a list of 10 top community priorities. Included in that

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JOHN LINN

RIVERFRONT REBORN: St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis (left), Central Minnesota Community Foundation President Steve Joul and Initiative Foundation President Kathy Gaalswyk.

list was a need to connect more to the Mississippi River. They got behind a joint effort between St. Cloud and neighboring Sauk Rapids and Sartell to put together a common vision for the river, said Steve Joul, Central Minnesota Community Foundation president. “I think it will lead to more residents taking advantage of and utilizing the river as an asset,” he said. “And once we do some of these things to connect people more to the river, it’ll encourage people outside of St. Cloud to think of it as a Mississippi River city. That can be an important asset people starting or growing a business around here will consider.”

The St. Cloud Urban Area Mississippi River Master Plan has generated ideas for capitalizing on the river, including water trolleys, riverboat casinos and river walks, that the city hopes to implement if and when the moment is right according to Matt Glaesman, the city’s community development director. The plan also identifies areas along the river that are ripe for private redevelopment to make the river a destination. “If we do a good job of rebranding ourselves and capitalizing on opportunities, I think we can see the same effect here as we’ve seen in other communities along the Mississippi,” said Glaesman. “I don’t think

“We have a unique opportunity for communities to come together to create a vision for how the river can enhance the quality of life for its residents and attract new jobs in return.” Kathy Gaalswyk | Initiative Foundation

people know that St. Cloud is a Mississippi River city. I think that will change.” An ongoing expansion of the city’s civic center and its recent renaming as the River’s Edge Convention Center offers one opportunity to increase that connection. The city has optional plans for amenities that make the riverside events center more river-friendly, including terraces, public access, boat docks and fishing piers.

ST. CROIX RIVER VALLEY History, culture and natural resources Tucked along the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, the St. Croix River is a major tributary of the Mississippi. It’s also one of the most picturesque river areas in the country.

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JOHN LINN

MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL An urban culture and nature corridor Twenty-five years ago, Minneapolis’ Mississippi riverfront consisted of mills, industrial sites and warehouses. “People who lived by the river were more likely to go to one of the city’s lakes than to have ever seen the riverfront,” said Cordelia Pierson, executive 44 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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JOHN LINN

Though it spans hundreds of miles and two states, the St. Croix has a genuine sense of place, according to Jill Shannon, director of community partnerships for the St. Croix Valley Foundation. “You feel it when you’re here, whether you’re on the Minnesota side or the Wisconsin side,” she said. To capitalize on that sense of place, the Foundation is about to embark on the Heritage Initiative, to engage communities and individuals along the St. Croix to discuss whether designating the river as a National Heritage Area would be a good way to promote and conserve the region’s historic, cultural and natural resources. The designation would allow local residents to work regionally on historic preservation, economic restoration, redevelopment and arts and culture to brand the area and promote regional cooperation. The area’s Swedish heritage is a big draw for tourism, especially from Scandinavia, said Tangi Schaapveld, director of the Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Promoting the area as a whole could magnify the region’s marketing dollars and extend its brand. While discussions will take more than two years to complete and involve 22 community meetings spread out over 8,000 square miles and two states, Shannon thinks that resident involvement is key. “This has to be a large scale, community-centered movement,” she said. “Together we can go a long way to protect the natural and historic qualities that make this place special, doing what no single organization can do alone.”

CHARTING A NEW COURSE: Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Director Tangi Schaapveld.

director of the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership. Today, downtown Minneapolis’ riverfront neighborhoods are thriving. Home to renovated lofts that are inhabited by many of the city’s civic leaders, they also celebrate Minneapolis’ heritage not only as a milling city, but also as a town with world class arts and culture. The Mill City Museum, built out of the ruins of an old mill, overlooks St. Anthony falls. Next door, the new Guthrie Theater brings drama enthusiasts by the thousands. The historic Stone Arch Bridge links both sides of the river for pedestrians and bicyclists. In St. Paul, 17 years of efforts to reconnect with the river have yielded the Great River Passage, a system of parks and trails along 17 miles of riverfront that provides people with a natural river experience in an urban setting, according to Patrick Seeb, executive director of the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation. Along with the renovation of Harriet Island as an entertainment and recreation space, the 1999 construction of the Science Museum of Minnesota and a total of $750

million in public and private development that included 800 housing units, the city’s relationship to the river has been transformed. “It’s been the chief part of more than $3 billion in reinvestment in the downtown over the past 10 to 15 years,” said Seeb. “Lawson Software relocated here from industrial space in Minneapolis partly because their employees wanted somewhere they could go outside.” In fact, the Twin Cities’ embrace of the river has been so successful that there are more plans underway. A newly unveiled Great River Park Plan outlines the next 20 years of St. Paul’s investment in the river, including an environmental education center that could be home to a National Park Service headquarters. Minneapolis is looking to revitalize the riverfront above St. Anthony Falls as well, said Ann Calvert, project coordinator with Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Department. “We learned a lot during the renovation of our central riverfront,” she said. “But we’ll need to learn more to do the upper riverfront. No two places on the river are exactly the same and they require different approaches.”

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JOHN LINN

TWO CITIES, ONE RIVER: St. Paul Riverfront Corporation Executive Director Patrick Seeb and Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership Executive Director Cordelia Pierson.

DUBUQUE Riverfront rags to riches

MARK HIRSCH

When a devastating 1965 flood started a long, slow decline that picked up steam with the farm crisis of the 1980s, one of Dubuque, Iowa’s major employers closed. As the other prominent employer started laying people off, the riverfront was an industrial blight. Those hardships actually paved the way for a renaissance. “We started tackling the brownfields and taking down the storage tanks. We built a river walk on top of the flood wall,” said Nancy Van Milligen, executive director of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. At the same time, the Dubuque County Historical Society decided to expand its Mississippi River museum into a national facility that includes an aquarium. They ended up broadening their vision to make the museum a national facility that includes an aquarium. With those efforts underway, a partnership emerged with the city to renovate the riverfront around the museum. It became the America’s River project, a $188 million riverfront renovation that rebuilt 90 acres of riverfront in a two-year span. In addition to creating a town people

want to live in, the renovation made residents feel more personally invested in the river. “It transformed our community,” said Terri Goodman, director of national advancement for the National Mississippi NEW FRONT DOOR: Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque River Museum and Executive Director Nancy Van Milligan. Aquarium in Dubuque. “We found that engaging headquarters for higher education publishing people directly with the river and providing and the recruitment of IBM, which brough hands-on experiences creates the greatest 1,300 high-tech jobs to the city. advocacy group for the river you could want. Now, instead of being an afterthought, the The more we made the river accessible, the Mississippi River “is actually our front door,” more people wanted to protect it.” Private development followed, including Van Milligen said. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4 6 the opening of a new McGraw-Hill global

“Lawson Software relocated here from industrial space in Minneapolis partly because their employees wanted somewhere they could go outside. “Patrick Seeb | St. Paul Riverfront Corportaion

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MAYOR LYNN STAUSS: “We had to decide to run from the river or embrace it.”

East Grand Forks might be a long way from the Mississippi, but the city of 8,600 residents on the Red River in Minnesota’s northwest corner could give other river towns a glimpse of what’s possible when you have no other choice but to rebuild your riverfront. In 1997, East Grand Forks and its sister city of Grand Forks, N.D., were overrun by the Red River in an historic flood, that caused massive damage to the city’s downtown and riverfront. “We had to make the decision to run from the river or embrace it,” said East Grand Forks Mayor Lynn Stauss. “We felt that the river was a natural thing that people liked to look at. We didn’t want to wall ourselves off from it.” With significant help from the federal and state government, East Grand Forks was able to rebuild, starting with construction of “invisible” flood walls that control floodwaters but also allow

people to see and access the river. The demolition of 400 homes in the flood plain created the opportunity to build a state recreational park along the river, which has become a draw for tourists from Canada and other locations. The city’s downtown now has an entertainment district along the river that has brought several major restaurants and a movie theater. That revitalization attracted a Cabela’s outdoor outfitting store, which attracts more tourists across the border for shopping. East Grand Forks has become “the poster child for flood recovery around the nation,” said Jim Steenerson, senior program manager for the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. “They were open to embracing the river as an asset instead of a threat. And with early planning and lots of community involvement, it has really paid off.” IQ

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Experience the Mississippi River’s National Park! Learn more about the park by visiting www.nps.gov/miss

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People’s Security offers basic security systems, Closed Circuit TV and a variety of commercial options.

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FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF MILACA The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park are raising funds to build the infrastructure for our lakeside park on Nisswa Lake in the City of Nisswa. • 2.3 Acre Park Area • Located across 371 from Downtown Nisswa Square • Swimming Area • Fishing Pier • Boat Slips for Boat Docking

• Walking & Biking Trail connecting to the Paul Bunyan Trail • Pavilion area for weddings and special events • Picnic area • Overlooking Nisswa Lake

For more information contact the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park at lehmanconsulting@nisswa.net; or contact Brian Lehman, Nisswa Mayor, 218-838-4158; Erin Herman, Nisswa Elementary School Principal, 218-821-3760; Eric Wiltrout, Lakewood Bank, 218-892-0532; or Jan Pierce, Nisswa P&Z Commission, 218-963-7394.

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VIVID SEASON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39

the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area near Crosby. Carved along the sides of 250 feet slag piles, the single-track trails overlook crystal clear mine pit lakes. Completed in June, the trails are drawing enthusiasts from across the country, even from states with genuine mountains (www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/cuyuna_co untry/maps.html). Bring your bike or rent one from Cycle Path & Paddle in Crosby (www.cyclepathpaddle.com). Fifteen minutes away, the population of Aitkin explodes the day after Thanksgiving for the World Famous Fish House Parade. The outlandish and lavishly outfitted ice fish houses, loaded on trailers and pick-up trucks, parade through town on their way to the 365 frozen lakes surrounding this rural community. Locals say the parade was “spawned from a keen sense of humor sharpened by dry Scandinavian wit and hardened by long Minnesota winters” (www.aitkin.com).

LAKE MILLE LACS The water of this iconic Minnesota lake drains into the Rum River on its way to the Mississippi. Learn about the area’s original inhabitants at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post. The tribe settled here in the mid-1700s, drawn by the abundance of fish on what is now the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Reservation. Visitors can learn about tribal sovereignty, treaty rights and the Ojibwe Nation’s rich history in Minnesota. The museum offers demonstrations of traditional cooking, birch-bark basketry and beadwork. The complex is open 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. , Tuesday to Saturday through October 29 (www.mnhs.org/places/sites/mlim).

MCGHIEVER

BRAINERD Straddling the Mississippi River, Brainerd is a great jumping off point for a leisurely autumn canoe outing. Launch your canoe or kayak at Kiwanis Park near the College Drive Bridge. The three-hour paddle to Crow Wing State 50 Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org

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Park offers brilliant fall colors as the river cuts through the woods on its way downstream. Be on the lookout for loons, bald eagles, great blue heron and deer. Your stopping point is marked by Crow Wing State Park’s dock and boat landing, which is at the confluence of the Mississippi and Crow Wing River. At the park, explore the site of a bloody battle between the Dakota and Ojibwa Indians in 1768 and the ruins of Old Crow Wing, one of the most populous Minnesota towns in 1850 (www.dnr.state.mn.us/stateparks/crowwing) . Canoe rentals and shuttle service are available (www.easyridersbikes.com).

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CAMP RIPLEY Civil War buffs will want to check out a major new exhibit at the Minnesota Military Museum located on the grounds of Camp Ripley, a sprawling military training center on the Mississippi just north of Little Falls. “Minnesota’s Two Civil Wars” depicts the state’s participation in the Civil War and the 1862 Dakota war. Original artifacts include the tattered remnant of the First Minnesota’s regiment flag that flew at Gettysburg, personal mementos, heavy wool uniforms and rudimentary medical supplies. Open daily in September from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m; open Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. October through April (www.mnmilitarymuseum.org). Nearby, visit the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh, which is on the banks of the Mississippi just south of Little Falls. Visitors can see the aviator’s 1906 home with original furnishings and artifacts. The adjacent center hosts exhibits on Lindbergh’s life and accomplishments. Pre-arranged group tours are available in September and October (www.mnhs.org/places/sites/lh).

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VIVID SEASON

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ST. CLOUD AREA The Munsinger Gardens date back to the 1930â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and feature WPA-constructed paths and growing areas with 14 acres of informal garden and tall pines. The adjacent Clemens Gardens offers a collection of six formal gardens dominated by the tallest fountain in a Minnesota public garden. Both Gardens dazzle from late spring deep into fall (www.munsingerclemens.com). Just 1,200 feet south of the gardens consider floating along the only section of the Mississippi thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wild and Scenicâ&#x20AC;? in Minnesota. The stretch from St. Cloud to Anoka was added to the DNRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program in 1976 and boasts a vast array of wildlife and a shallow bottomâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;perfect for fishing and sunbathing on sandbars. Bring your canoe or kayak or rent one and get a shuttle from Clear Waters Outfitting Company in Clearwater (www.cwoutfitting.com).

TAYLORS FALLS Interstate State Park near Taylors Falls boasts a network of hiking trails overlooking the St. Croix River valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spectacular geology. Marvel at the towering river bluffs and unique glacial potholes carved in hard basaltic rock by the turbulent river. With names like Bottomless Pit and Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parlor, the enormous holes and distinct glacial deposits attract geology geeks from around the world (www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/interstate).

TWIN CITIES Your â&#x20AC;&#x153;silent sportâ&#x20AC;? adventure starts hereâ&#x20AC;Ś The finest mountain biking fouund anywhere in the Midwest is now w within the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area â&#x20AC;&#x201D; conveniently located right in our back yard! Or, we can set you up on your Mississippi kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding adventure... Call us today to get your adventure started!

115 115 3rd Ave. Ave. SW â&#x20AC;˘ Crosby â&#x20AC;˘ www.cyclepathpaddle.com www.cyclepathpaddle.com â&#x20AC;˘ 218-545-4545 52 Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org

The Mississippi goes metro when it bisects Minneapolis from St. Paul. Enjoy the view of the Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only true waterfall, St. Anthony Falls, from the Stone Arch Bridge in downtown Minneapolis. Then head across the street to the ruins of what was once the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest flourmill, now Mill City Museum. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Flour Towerâ&#x20AC;? guided tour on a freight

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elevator that stops on eight floors, where you’ll see historic machinery and film clips with voiceover narration from former mill workers (www.millcitymuseum.org). The Mill City Farmers Market offers a wide variety of local produce and prepared foods as well as an art market Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October l5. Downriver in St. Paul, explore historic Fort Snelling, which is situated at the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. Costumed guides portray life here in 1827; open Saturdays through October from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special evening programs include “Fort Snelling After Dark,” an opportunity to learn the fort’s shadowy side and participate in a historic court martial to decide the fate of a Fort Snelling soldier (www.historicfortsnelling.org).

AFTON Follow the St. Croix River downstream to the Apple Festival at Afton Apple Orchard during the first three weekends in October. Pick apples and enjoy live music, hayrides, corn mazes and fresh apple cider (www.aftonapple.com).

WWW.NPS.GOV

HASTINGS Celebrate the triumph of growing grapes in Minnesota’s frigid climate at the Alexis Bailly Vineyard. The state’s first vineyard, established in 1978, bears the motto “where the grapes can suffer.” The winery is open for sampling, purchasing, picnicking and impromptu tours Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Thanksgiving. A harvest celebration coincides with the release of their seasonal Nouveau on November 5 and 6 (www.abvwines.com).

WABASHA Get a bird’s eye view of eagles swooping and soaring over the Mississippi River in Wabasha, home to nearly 100 birds and a stopover for thousands of migrating eagles beginning in CONTINUED ON PAGE 54 FALL 11

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VIVID SEASON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

October. The National Eagle Center, a beautiful facility on the river, houses bald eagles and golden eagles and offers exhibits and daily programs on the eagle’s care, feeding and environment (www.nationaleaglecenter.org).

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Founded by a steamboat captain in 1851, the city of Winona nestles between high limestone bluffs and the Mississippi River. The Minnesota Marine Art Museum, on the riverbank, is a gem of a museum that showcases art inspired by water, including works by Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh as well as many of the world’s most important marine artists. Current exhibitions include “America’s Great Rivers” featuring recently acquired photographs by Ansel Adam and “Flow” a collection of oils, watercolors, sculpture, prints and photographs (www.minnesotamarineart.org). After taking in the art, see how people lived and worked in the fur-trading era at the Big Muddy River Rendezvous, Oct. 11-16, at the Prairie Island Campground in Winona. You can also celebrate all things Polish at the annual Wmaczne Jablka (“Apple Day”) festival October 8 with music, art and food at the Polish Cultural Institute (www.visitwinona.com/events).

MAIDEN ROCK, STOCKHOLM, PEPIN, WISCONSIN

Nurturing Agriculture & food systems Community-based energy Natural resources Tourism Central

Fostering

Serving Central Minnesota 54 Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org

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The Wisconsin side of Lake Pepin, the 26mile stretch of the Mississippi created by the delta of the Chippewa River, offers not only gorgeous vistas of the bluff-lined shores but also charming towns that are home to the artisans who have flocked to this region. The Harbor View Café in Pepin is an institution unto itself, serving upscale comfort food in a cozy, wood-paneled salon. It’s so popular that it can get away with taking no reservations and not accepting credit cards, so arrive early (www.harborviewpepin.com). IQ

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FALL 11

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Guest Editorial

Land of 10,000 Lakes

the Headwaters Millions can map it. Kids can spell it. We all drive over it. So why not? By Don Hickman

lthough I am an invasive species myself—I was reflects the mixture of cultures and history as much as the waters. Odds are born in Iowa—I am like most Minnesotans in that that the history of your own county was shaped by the natural and economic I think of our state as the “Land of 10,000 resources that were either exported on or delivered over the local waterway. Lakes.” Even though I cross the Mississippi River at least Even as commerce and trade have dominated our recollection of culturtwice a day, I tend to forget that Minnesota is also the place where the al and economic development, the Mississippi River basin’s role in supporting Mississippi gets it start. the “bread basket of the world” is what has transformed the watershed more Why is Old Man River so overlooked? For several generations the than any other factor. The agricultural products and associated industries that river was often nothing more than a disposal mechanism for wastewater, or have developed in the basin produce 92% of the nation’s agricultural exports, at best a commercial transportation route that we were grateful for, but was 78% of the world’s exports in feed grains and soybeans and most of the livebest left unseen. In fact, we turned our backs on a natural attraction that stock and hogs produced nationally. Sixty percent of all grain exported from tourists from all over the world come to the U.S. is shipped on the Mississippi visit. Indeed, when Minnesotans River through the Port of New Orleans describe where they live to nearly anyand the Port of South Louisiana. one in the world, our location relative to I haven’t even evoked Mark Twain, “We turned our backs on a the origin of the Mississippi River has Scott Joplin, Bob Dylan, not to mention natural attraction that tourists from far greater resonance than does our the birthplace of the blues, as I try and license plate slogan. make that case that we seem to have forall over the world come to visit. ” It’s time Minnesota started celegotten how blessed we are to have the natbrating this glorious natural asset. ural, economic, transportation and culturAccording to the National Park Service, al inspiration of the region on our the Mississippi River is one of the world’s great river systems with respect doorsteps. Over 18 million people depend on the river as their drinking water to size, habitat diversity and biological productivity. The Mississippi is the source; 40 percent of the nation’s waterfowl (and 60 percent of all North third longest river in North America, flowing 2,350 miles from its source American birds) use the river as their spring and autumn flyway; and the basin at Lake Itasca through the center of the continental United States to the is home to 260 species of fish (25 percent of all fish species in the continent). Gulf of Mexico. If tributaries are added to the calculation, only the Nile, IQ Magazine and its partners hope you join the many communities that Amazon, and Yangtze river systems are greater in length. are now actively celebrating their proximity to the river and see it as one of My children have grown up on a lake, and for that reason perhaps take their primary assets. In fact, I think it’s time to update our license plate slogan this blessing for granted. Still, few recreational events in their lives matched to “Headwaters of the Mississippi.” IQ the excitement of the first time our family launched a canoe on free flowing water when we spent a day paddling with friends (and a few river otters) Don Hickman is an environmental scientist by educaon the Crow Wing River in Wadena County. A few miles south, the Crow tion, with a range of jobs including National Park Service Wing River converges with the Mississippi at Crow Wing State Park, and biologist, water quality laboratory director, lobbyist and I also carry the memory of one of the last cross county ski trips I did with policy analyst and consultant. He’s been with the both of my parents—watching a herd of deer carefully cross the river ice to Initiative Foundation since 1999 and also serves as chair escape the disturbance that our arrival had created. of the national River Partnership of Community There are 81 major river basins in Minnesota with lyrical names like Foundations. the Rum, Pine, Crow Wing, St. Croix and Yellow Medicine. Each name

56 Initiative Quarterly Magazine

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