| ENRTF ID # | Last Name | First Name | Project Title | Organization | $ Requested | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information (RECEIVED: 42 Proposals / Subtotal - $34,858,000) |
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| 2021-011 | Whitfeld | Timothy | Minnesota Flora: A New Generation of Discovery | U of MN, Bell Museum of Natural History | $1,527,000 | A user-friendly, interactive online guide and companion book for the identification of all 2,200+ Minnesota plants. Includes detailed information on natural history and high quality photos and distribution maps. |
| 2021-031 | Grinde | Alexis | Grassland Bird Conservation: To hay or delay? | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $552,000 | Hay fields can provide critical habitat for imperiled grassland birds, we will develop and assess flexible management strategies that integrate land owner needs while maximizing productivity of breeding grassland birds. |
| 2021-052 | Fieberg | John | Monitoring Carnivores Statewide: A Citizen-Science Trail-Cam Project | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $450,000 | This project will develop and test the infrastructure needed to implement a statewide monitoring program for carnivores using remotely triggered cameras and citizen scientists. |
| 2021-054 | Joyce | Michael | Distribution and Movements of Fishers in Southern Minnesota | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $415,000 | We will determine the distribution, status, and habitat use of fishers in the southern half of Minnesota to provide the information needed to manage fishers in this region. |
| 2021-055 | Perleberg | Donna | Protecting Minnesota's Beneficial Macroalgae: All Stoneworts Aren't Starry | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $1,081,000 | This statewide inventory will provide baseline data and build in-state knowledge on Minnesota's stoneworts, a diverse group of aquatic plants that are critical for clear lakes and healthy fish habitat. |
| 2021-056 | Joyce | Michael | Healthy Forests: Wildlife as Dispersers of Beneficial Fungi | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $290,000 | We will determine the contribution of wildlife to increasing forest health and resilience through dispersal of beneficial fungi and how we can manage for valuable ecosystem services provided by wildlife. |
| 2021-061 | Onello | Emily | Manoomin Matters | U of MN, Duluth | $314,000 | The Manoomin Matters project will create a public database to enhance knowledge of and participation in beneficial activities of harvesting and consuming Minnesota’s cherished resource, wild rice - manoomin. |
| 2021-071 | Putzier | Paul | County Groundwater Atlas | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $2,500,000 | This project supports continuing development of the County Groundwater Atlases. The goal is to provide this valuable water and resource management “information infrastructure” to every county in Minnesota. |
| 2021-082 | Arends | Heather | Aggregate Resource Mapping of St. Louis County | MN DNR, Lands and Minerals Division | $767,000 | DNR will map aggregate resources in St. Louis County to support ENRTF and transportation projects. Aggregate maps provide information essential to land-use planning and stewardship of Minnesota’s natural resources. |
| 2021-087 | Markle | Tricia | Improving Resiliency and Conservation Outcomes for Minnesota Turtles | Minnesota Zoological Society | $460,000 | We will improve the conservation of Minnesota’s imperiled turtles by leveraging our strengths in animal husbandry, field conservation, and educational programming to bolster populations and raise public awareness. |
| 2021-103 | Bump | Joseph | Offal Wildlife Watching: How Do Hunters Provision Scavengers? | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $531,000 | This is a citizen-science project driven by hunters. We will recruit hunters statewide and provide remote cameras to deploy at field-dressed deer gut piles to study scavengers and hunter provisioning. |
| 2021-104 | Haus | Jacob | Habitat Use and Recruitment Rates in Exurban Wolves | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Bemidji State University | $263,000 | This project will investigate wolf resource selection, home range size, pack interactions, and population dynamics within an agriculturally fragmented exurban landscape with high potential for human-wolf conflict. |
| 2021-113 | Carlson | Bruce | Minnesota Biological Survey: Setting a Future Course | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $3,200,000 | Provide information on Minnesota’s biodiversity by collecting and interpreting data and delivering results that support conservation actions by natural resource managers, decision-makers, and scientists. |
| 2021-118 | Halbach | Myrna | 2021 Groundwater Contamination Mapping Project | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | $940,000 | The project is a continuation of the efforts begun with the 2017 ENRTF-funded Groundwater Contamination Mapping Project. The 2017 ENRTF funded project will be completed June 30, 2020. |
| 2021-126 | Ozersky | Ted | Are Fish Mercury Concentrations Higher in Winter? | U of MN, Duluth - Large Lakes Observatory | $387,000 | Toxic mercury levels may be higher in fish during winter. We will perform the first full-year study of mercury in Minnesota lakes. Results could strengthen Minnesota fish consumption guidelines. |
| 2021-133 | Berman | Jesse | Ticks in Minnesota! Informing Control and Response | U of MN, School of Public Health | $250,000 | Our goal is to identify weather and land-use conditions that impact tick populations in Minnesota. The findings will make local and broad-scale tick control plans more streamlined and cost efficient. |
| 2021-138 | Lusardi | Barbara | Geologic Atlases for Water Resource Management | U of MN, MN Geological Survey | $4,122,000 | Geologic atlases provide maps/databases essential for improved management of ground and surface water. This proposal will complete current projects and start new projects to equal about 10 complete atlases. |
| 2021-152 | Isbell | Forest | Assessing Benefits of Enhancing Biodiversity in Habitat Fragments | U of MN, Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve | $498,000 | Habitat fragmentation is driving loss of plant and animal diversity, thereby eroding several benefits people obtain from nature. This project experimentally tests how diverse seed inputs can reverse these impacts. |
| 2021-156 | Fulton | David | Human Dimensions of Urban Carnivore Management | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $392,000 | The project will study resident's values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors toward coyotes and foxes in the Twin Cities and Duluth to develop outreach activities and strategies for human-carnivore conflict management. |
| 2021-159 | Knopik | Josh | Collaborative State and Tribal Wild Rice Monitoring Program | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $859,000 | Work with tribal partners in the conservation of wild rice waters, creating a collaborative monitoring program and developing remote sensing tools for statewide assessment of natural wild rice abundance. |
| 2021-166 | Bazurto | Jannell | Survey of Overlooked Natural Resource: Plant Growth-Stimulating Microbes | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $339,000 | We will survey plant-associated microbial communities and adapt them to resist weather stress to increase crop yields, promote the maintenance of plant diversity, and support restoration of Minnesota’s ecosystems. |
| 2021-181 | Lord | Chris | Update Metro MLCCS for Enhanced Natural Resource Management | Metro Conservation Districts | $499,000 | Provide critical geospatial land cover data and analytical protocols as a foundation for science-based water and ecological resource analysis, project identification, and ranking on 1.9M acres of the 11-county metro. |
| 2021-183 | Slaats | Alison | Supporting Integrated Resource Management through Upgraded Lidar Products | Minnesota IT Services | $3,200,000 | Minnesota's landscape is changing. Foundational data that describes natural and built environments are aging. Using new lidar, this project delivers comprehensive data updates and training to practitioners and decision makers. |
| 2021-228 | Mulla | David | Solar Co-Benefits: Reducing Nitrates, Enhancing Habitat, Sequestering Carbon | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $344,000 | This project will quantify the co-benefits of drinking water protection, carbon sequestration, renewable energy production, and rural economic revitalization associated with perennial vegetation at ground solar PV sites on DWSMAs. |
| 2021-230 | Guala | Michele | Opening or Closing Parks in a Pandemic? | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $343,000 | We plan to model the virus spread across Minnesota cities and test opening/closing park scenarios by simulating the stochastic motion of individuals through more or less attractive areas. |
| 2021-275 | Bump | Joseph | Voyageurs Wolf Project - Phase II | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $575,000 | Wolf predation in summer is almost unknown but critical to deer, moose, wolf, and disease management. We’ll measure wolf predation rates on these species and promote Voyageurs’ region wildlife. |
| 2021-278 | Dingmann | Brian | Preserving Minnesota’s Wetlands: Our Resource for Future Medicine | U of MN, Crookston | $247,000 | Our Minnesota bogs are an essential resource. As we use microbes to biomonitor the health of these critical habitats, we could find the next antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral medicinal product. |
| 2021-284 | Grinde | Alexis | EAB and Black Ash: Maintaining Forests and Benefits | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $774,000 | Utilize ongoing experiments to determine long-term EAB impacts on water, vegetation, and wildlife; optimal replacement species and practices for forest diversification; develop indicators and criteria for prioritization of mitigation activities. |
| 2021-291 | Weegman | Matt | Factors Influencing Wild Turkey Productivity in Southeast Minnesota | National Wild Turkey Federation | $809,000 | Our study will provide important data on wild turkey reproductive ecology in southeastern Minnesota, including the effect of habitat and environmental factors on nesting success and brood survival. |
| 2021-309 | Schroeder | Declan | Bee Minnesota - Protect Our Native Bumblebees | U of MN, College of Veterinary Medicine | $663,000 | Our goal is to protect native pollinators by screening and neutralizing bee pathogens, and promoting best honey bee management practices to prevent pathogen spillover into native bees. |
| 2021-312 | Mukku | Venugopal | Freshwater Sponges and AIS: Engaging Citizen Scientists | U of MN, Crookston | $500,000 | Freshwater sponges from Minnesota will be collected using citizen scientists thereby stimulating STEM education. Compounds produced by sponges will be tested against invasive species such as zebra mussels. |
| 2021-354 | Shen | Lian | Modeling Wind Energy Resources and Environment in Minnesota | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $318,000 | We will establish an advanced tool for predicting wind conditions across Minnesota and establish a valuable map for determining suitable sites for wind energy plants, with cold weather accounted for. |
| 2021-359 | Caldwell | Wendy | Uniting Public and Private Sectors to Protect Pollinators | Monarch Joint Venture | $341,000 | The Monarch Joint Venture will develop a statewide, multi-sector consortium to plan and enact data-driven actions for pollinator habitat conservation and address gaps in baseline research and habitat mapping. |
| 2021-372 | Anderson | Pamela | Providing Critical Water Quality Information: Harmful Algal Blooms | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | $657,000 | Provide for Minnesota’s lake users, near real-time Harmful Algal Bloom risk warnings on lakes to reduce the occurrence of human and pet illness or death from toxic algae. |
| 2021-378 | Skancke | Jennie | Foundational Hydrology Data for Wetland Protection and Restoration | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $400,000 | This project will improve wetland protection, management and restoration in Minnesota by completing a partially established long-term wetland hydrology monitoring network that will provide critical knowledge of wetland hydrology dynamics. |
| 2021-396 | West | Elena | Bioacoustics for Broad-Scale Species Monitoring and Conservation | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $359,000 | This study will use autonomous recording devices to determine the statewide distribution and reproduction of red-headed woodpeckers and develop a protocol to monitor population trends and responses to habitat management. |
| 2021-422 | Shaw | Ruth | Healthy Prairies III: Restoring Minnesota's Prairie Plant Diversity | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $531,000 | We will collect native seed throughout Minnesota's prairie region, study microbial effects on plant survival, estimate the geographic scale and rate of adaptation, and communicate results aiding restoration and propagation. |
| 2021-423 | Joyce | Michael | Bobcat and Fisher Habitat Use and Interactions | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $447,000 | We will describe habitat use, diet, and activity patterns of bobcats and fishers to understand why bobcats kill female fishers and identify potential solutions to reverse the fisher population decline. |
| 2021-424 | Satyshur | Colleen | Improving Pollinator Conservation by Revealing Habitat Needs | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $614,000 | Wild pollinators must survive outdoors during our harsh Minnesota winters. We aim to help them persist by discovering habitats they require for shelter through statewide citizen scientists and novel analyses. |
| 2021-426 | Rowe | Erika | Expanding the Minnesota Ecological Monitoring Network | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $1,587,000 | This project proposes to expand the Ecological Monitoring Network by establishing an additional 500 plots to inform the conservation and management of Minnesota’s native forests, wetlands, and grasslands. |
| 2021-452 | Putzier | Paul | County Groundwater Atlas ML2020 Resubmit | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $1,125,000 | This project supports continuing development of the County Groundwater Atlases. The goal is to provide this valuable water and resource management “information infrastructure” to every county in Minnesota. |
| A. Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information H. Proposals seeking $200,000 or less in funding (RECEIVED: 20 Proposals / Subtotal - $3,466,000) |
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| 2021-019 | Fallon | Ann | Does the Herbicide Paraquat Harm Insect Microbial Symbionts? | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $157,000 | We will investigate the herbicide, paraquat, for deleterious effects on microbial symbionts of arthropods. We will focus on Wolbachia bacteria, present in more than half of all insect species. |
| 2021-027 | Sherman-Hoehn | Katherine | ML 2021 Contract Agreement Reimbursement | MN DNR, Grants Unit | $135,000 | Provide contract management to ENRTF pass-through appropriation recipients for approximately 60 open grants. Ensure funds are expended in compliance with appropriation law, state statute, grants policies, and approved work plans. |
| 2021-032 | Grinde | Alexis | What’s “Bugging” Minnesota’s Insect-Eating Birds? | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $199,000 | Examine the relationship between insect abundance, timing of insect availability and breeding success for multiple bird species across land-use intensities to develop comprehensive guidelines to conserve bird and insect diversity. |
| 2021-048 | Duplissis | John | Precision Forest Inventory for Aspen and Red Pine | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $199,000 | We will estimate sequestered carbon and standing volumes of red pine and aspen using state-of-the-art lidar technology to provide stand-level measures as an alternative to wide-spread data collection. |
| 2021-088 | Moen | Ron | Minnesota Mammal Resource Atlas | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $148,000 | We will create the Minnesota Mammal Resource, a website that is a one-stop solution for current knowledge on all Minnesota mammal species. |
| 2021-112 | Drewitz | Matt | Mapping Existing Structural Practices in Vulnerable Agricultural Landscapes | Board of Water and Soil Resources | $190,000 | This project fills a knowledge gap by creating a spatial dataset of structural agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that contributes to effective BMP adoption and placement on the landscape. |
| 2021-140 | Zajac | Kristy | Redwood County RIM Easement Evaluation and Public Outreach | Redwood Soil & Water Conservation District | $197,000 | To inventory vegetation and evaluate wetland condition on permanent conservation easements, and conduct education and outreach regarding prairie and wetland habitats and their management. |
| 2021-201 | Clark | Mark | Status of Bigmouth Buffalo Populations in Minnesota | U of MN, Duluth | $196,000 | Bigmouth Buffalo from Minnesota are the most long-lived freshwater fish, but recruitment failure may occur in some drainages. We will complete a comprehensive assessment of populations in the state. |
| 2021-225 | Huberty | Brian | Eyes Over Minnesota's Natural Resources | SharedGeo | $119,000 | Form the Minnesota Remote Sensing Coalition (MNRSC) to create a long-term, decadal plan to acquire, access, distribute aerial and satellite imagery for coordinated natural resource management and monitoring. |
| 2021-234 | Stanton | Daniel | Moss and Lichens of Minnesota Prairies and Meadows | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $200,000 | Mosses and lichens are an overlooked part of our landscapes. This project will uncover the identity and importance of the moss and lichens in our prairies, meadows and open bogs. |
| 2021-238 | Wettstein | Shannon | Morrison County Performance Drainage and Hydrology Management II | Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District | $197,000 | Complete the Morrison County culvert inventory started in 2016 to help solve landowner conflicts, protect wetlands, improve water quality, ensure road safety and design additional water storage throughout the county. |
| 2021-277 | Aukema | Brian | Biocontrol Breakdown in Minnesota's Spruce Budworm-Affected Forests | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $200,000 | Spruce budworm is native to Minnesota and the most significant tree-killing defoliator in spruce-balsam fir forests. We examine whether a breakdown in biological control is associated with sustained outbreaking populations. |
| 2021-289 | Frelich | Lee | A Biodiversity Checkup for Minnesota’s Big Woods | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $109,000 | Compare the historic and contemporary flora of Minnesota’s Big Woods to see whether all species are able to survive on a small fraction of the original area. |
| 2021-292 | Bracey | Annie | Conserving Black Terns and Forster's Terns in Minnesota | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $199,000 | Black and Forster’s tern populations have declined. Comprehensive assessment of distribution and breeding status will identify population limiting factors to inform best management practices and prioritize conservation and restoration. |
| 2021-321 | Ponder | Julia | Microbiome in Raptors: A New Tool for Conservation | U of MN, Raptor Center | $129,000 | We will evaluate the impact of microbial interventions during captivity on the raptor gut microbiome, both in terms of treatment efficacy during rehabilitation and subsequent environmental dissemination. |
| 2021-400 | Hahn | Jennifer | Unearthing Soil Health Economics in Southern Minnesota | Minnesota Soil Health Coalition | $200,000 | This project will accelerate adoption of soil health practices by building a coalition of soil health farmers to learn together, provide economic research, and sharing of information in Southern Minnesota. |
| 2021-407 | Peterson | Jessica | Tools for Supporting Healthy Ecosystems and Pollinators | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $198,000 | Create a pollination companion guide to MNDNR’s Field Guides to Native Plant Communities for conservation practitioners to better integrate plant-pollinator interactions into natural resource planning and decision-making. |
| 2021-430 | Sherman-Hoehn | Katherine | ML 20 Contract Agreement Reimbursement | MN DNR, Grants Unit | $135,000 | Provide contract management to ENRTF pass-through appropriation recipients for approximately 60 open grants. Ensure funds are expended in compliance with appropriation law, state statute, grants policies, and approved work plans. |
| 2021-437 | Quinn | Edward | Enhancing Bat Recovery by Optimizing Artifical Roost Structures | MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division | $190,000 | Project will identify characteristics of successful artificial bat roost structures. Data will be used to optimize bat use and reproduction in these structures to improve survival of WNS impacted bats. |
| 2021-457 | Windels | Steve | Do Beavers Buffer Against Droughts and Floods? | National Park Service, Voyageurs National Park | $169,000 | We propose to use existing data sets to link beaver population data to water storage in beaver ponds, to determine if they buffer against droughts and floods. |
| B. Water Resources (RECEIVED: 58 Proposals / Subtotal - $35,591,000) |
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| 2021-023 | Schumann | David | Larval Fishes as Indicators of Lake Ecosystem Change | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | $410,000 | Land-use practices, invasive species, and climate change threaten fish populations and lakes throughout Minnesota. Focused assessments on larval fish can provide direct insight into complex ecological stressors affecting these systems. |
| 2021-047 | Johnson | Heather | Updating Pesticide Analytical Capabilities to Protect Minnesota Waters | Minnesota Department of Agriculture | $3,000,000 | This project will increase pesticide analysis capabilities of the MDA Lab. A recent recommendation from Legislative Auditor Office directed MDA to look for more pesticides in the waters of Minnesota. |
| 2021-050 | Brady | Valerie | Trout Stream Habitat Restoration Success | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $375,000 | Minnesota has spent millions on stream habitat improvement and restoration; we will evaluate effectiveness and durability of project designs. Results will inform success of future projects and improve cost effectiveness. |
| 2021-053 | Ulrich | Bridget | Protecting Minnesota's Waters Using Sustainable Waste Materials | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $497,000 | We will develop new approaches to remove nutrients and emerging contaminants from runoff using filter media derived from Minnesota-sourced waste materials, enabling statewide efforts to prevent surface and groundwater contamination. |
| 2021-057 | Chun | Chan Lan | Reducing Nutrients and Methane Emissions Using Wetland Microbes | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $334,000 | The proposal aims to use recently discovered microbes from Minnesota wetlands to inexpensively remove nitrogen nutrients from water while consuming methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from urban and agricultural wastes. |
| 2021-090 | Beck | Brian | Leveraging Innovations in Data Analytics for Project Implementation | Minnehaha Creek Watershed District | $883,000 | Integrate newly-available datasets into a 21st-century planning tool that allows MCWD and its partners to forecast the impacts of changing precipitation patterns and quantitatively compare the most cost-effective solutions. |
| 2021-114 | Kang | Peter | Multi-scale Aquifer Characterization for Successful Aquifer Storage/Recovery | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $671,000 | We develop a multi-scale aquifer characterization tool that quantifies ASR suitability and optimizes well operations. We will apply the tool to several vulnerable aquifers across Minnesota and perform field tests. |
| 2021-121 | Behrens | Sebastian | Monitoring Emerging Viruses in Minnesota's Urban Water Cycles | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $489,000 | This project will address the presence and fate of enveloped viruses (e.g. coronaviruses) and their survivability in aqueous environments with emphasis on wastewater and drinking water treatment processes. |
| 2021-127 | Fritz | Charles | Water Storage Project Implementation Framework | International Water Institute | $290,000 | Establish a transferable implementation framework to assess water storage projects that includes metrics to quantitatively assess benefits (public and private) to achieve flood damage reduction, water quality, and habitat goals. |
| 2021-130 | Baker | Anna | Sediment-phosphorus management in Rainy-Lake of the Woods Basin | US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center | $515,000 | Guiding management for reduction of phosphorus inputs to Lake of the Woods by examining sources, mobility, and storage of sediment-bound phosphorus within Rainy River. |
| 2021-134 | Edlund | Mark | Salt Threatens Minnesota Water Quality and Food Webs | Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Croix Watershed Research Station | $1,174,000 | Salt levels are rising in Minnesota lakes, but the biological impacts are poorly understood. We determine how salt damages water quality and food webs and how to save our lakes. |
| 2021-142 | Martinovic-Weigelt | Dalma | Refined Petroleum Leaks: Improving Remediation and Risk Assessment | University of St. Thomas | $340,000 | Toxicity of fuels and their degradation products common in MN waters is largely unknown. Project will generate knowledge needed for improvement of remediation and risk assessment of fuel spills statewide. |
| 2021-144 | Singer | Randall | Microgeographic Impact of Antibiotics Released from Identified Hotspots | U of MN, College of Veterinary Medicine | $598,000 | We will evaluate the impact of antibiotics released from hotspots identified in our previous project to surface waters in Minnesota using field, laboratory, and modeling approaches to ultimately inform interventions. |
| 2021-160 | Ishii | Satoshi | Establishment of Safe Water Reuse | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $362,000 | The goal of this project is to contribute to the establishment of safe water reuse in Minnesota by clarifying the potential health risks associated with water reuse. |
| 2021-165 | Bazurto | Jannell | Microbial Degradation of Formaldehyde to Clean Polluted Waters | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $393,000 | We will identify environmental microbes with naturally high capacities to degrade formaldehyde and further adapt them toward enhanced formaldehyde degradation to clean contaminated water and conserve environmental waters. |
| 2021-174 | Gran | Karen | Slope Failures in Minnesota: Drivers, Projections, and Mitigation | U of MN, Duluth | $396,000 | This project investigates the hydrologic triggers of landslides in Minnesota and the processes by which they occur in order to better predict impacts in the future. |
| 2021-177 | Cotner | James | Glyphosate, Phosphorus and Harmful Algal Blooms | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $506,000 | We will determine whether, when, and how much glyphosate (Roundup) is in our lakes. We will also determine if glyphosate increases the frequency of harmful algal blooms. |
| 2021-190 | Hondzo | Miki | Quantitative Risk Assessment of Pathogens in Urban Waters | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $499,000 | In the interest of public health and safety, this project aims to quantify risks associated with the presence of viral and bacterial pathogens in urban waters in the Twin Cities. |
| 2021-195 | Brauman | Kate | Changing Snowmelt Impacts Minnesota Forests, Streams, and Groundwater | U of MN, Institute on the Environment | $607,000 | Changing snow and forests will affect water in soil and stream in unknown ways. By collecting field data and developing prediction tools, we can improve management of Minnesota's water resources. |
| 2021-204 | Miao | Yuxin | Developing Smart-N App to Reduce Corn Nitrogen Pollution | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $248,000 | Precision N management technologies can reduce N pollution of water resources. Developing a mobile App will support Minnesota corn growers to adopt precision N management technologies and protect water resources. |
| 2021-205 | Jordan | Nicholas | Scaling A Market-Driven Water-Quality Solution for Row-Crop Farming | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $909,000 | Adding a year of grain/winter camelina production to Minnesota crop rotations provides a market-driven clean-water solution; our watershed-scale pilot supply/value chains will accelerate wide adoption of this solution. |
| 2021-211 | Gulliver | John | Reduction of Environmental Impacts with Road De-Icing Alternatives | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $666,000 | Provide innovative solutions to reduce the bond between ice/snow and pavement surface, improve ice/snow removal using designed chemicals, and investigate the environmental impact of chosen road salt alternative. |
| 2021-227 | Rose | Lucy | Seasonal Water Quality Effects of Commercial Peat Harvesting | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $204,000 | Hydrologic monitoring will compare surface water quality in a commercial peat harvesting site with water in an unharvested peatland during high-intensity and seasonal runoff events (snowmelt, fall/summer rain storms). |
| 2021-242 | Groten | Joel | USGS StreamStats Enhances Sediment Monitoring in Minnesota | US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center | $300,000 | Enhance a publicly accessible web tool (StreamStats) to estimate sediment loads in Minnesota's Rivers lacking sampling data. This tool is needed by resource managers for stream restoration and preservation. |
| 2021-259 | Blumentritt | Dylan | Whitewater River Evolution: Sediment Dynamics and Cross-Section Inventory | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Winona State University | $265,000 | Evaluate streamflow, sediment, and floodplain changes in the Whitewater River valley. Making 80 years of legacy data available and building upon it to understand changing impacts on critical river corridors. |
| 2021-260 | Hall | Leah | Floodplain Reconnection in Southeast Minnesota's Driftless Area | The Nature Conservancy | $572,000 | Through GIS analysis, field data and hydrologic analysis, we will identify and prioritize opportunities in Southeast Minnesota to reconnect streams to their floodplains and implement pilot projects to demonstrate methods. |
| 2021-264 | Sattar | Junaed | Automated Weed Management for Herbicide Water Runoff Reduction | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $829,000 | This project will quantify the effect of herbicide use in precision agriculture on water quality using observations from autonomous underwater and aerial vehicles towards environmental sustainability and cost-effective weed control. |
| 2021-265 | Lenhart | Christian | Farming for Phosphorus Control at the Field Edge | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $577,000 | Through watershed analysis and field collected data, we will identify opportunities to reduce phosphorus losses to water through management of the interface between land and streams in agricultural landscapes. |
| 2021-266 | Runck | Bryan | Sustainable Irrigation Management: Expanding a Statewide Web Application | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $1,519,000 | This project will promote responsible use of Minnesota’s limited groundwater resources through the expansion of the existing Irrigation Management Assistance tool into a statewide, mobile-compatible web app. |
| 2021-279 | Watkins | Eric | Optimizing Youth Sports Fields to Reduce Environmental Impact | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $957,000 | Sports fields are an important, neglected landscape that children throughout Minnesota interact with almost daily. We will optimize maintenance of these landscapes to improve function and environmental impacts. |
| 2021-282 | Wright | Natasha | Managing Highly Saline Waste from Municipal Water Treatment | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $262,000 | We will develop a cost- and energy-efficient method of managing the concentrated saline waste from a municipal desalination plant, increasing the economic feasibility of centralized water softening and sulfate removal. |
| 2021-285 | Cates | Anna | Developing Cover Crop Systems for Sugarbeet Production | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $331,000 | Evaluate effective ways to protect soil from erosion in sugarbeet production, with the long-term goal of slowing soil degradation, nutrient loss, and water quality. |
| 2021-286 | Nieber | John | Downscaling Water Storage for Comprehensive Water Resources Management | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $592,000 | Water storage estimates (groundwater, soil moisture, lakes) are essential to comprehensive water management. We will integrate satellite monitoring with ground-based measurements to derive water storage estimates at useful spatial scales. |
| 2021-303 | Griffin | Daniel | Rainfall History Recovered from Old Oak Tree Rings | U of MN, College of Liberal Arts | $332,000 | Are southern and central Minnesota really getting wetter? We use tree rings from old growth bur oaks to compare recent rainfall extremes with changes over the past 300+ years. |
| 2021-314 | Cui | Tianhong | Solar-Powered Pesticide Sensor Network for Water Monitoring | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $660,000 | The project aims to develop a small, cheap, solar powered, wirelessly distributed sensor network to monitor pesticide pollutants in very large areas of lakes and rivers in Minnesota. |
| 2021-317 | Cui | Tianhong | Sensor-Embedded Purification System for Clean Drinking Water | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $536,000 | We propose to develop an integrated system for the purification of drinking water while monitoring pollutants with embedded sensors, which are small, simple, cheap, efficient, and easy to use. |
| 2021-326 | Marr | Jeffrey | Assessing Impacts of Boat Waves on Minnesota Lakes | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $420,000 | Characterize boat wakes and propeller wash and the effects of each on shorelines, bottom sediment, aquatic vegetation, and overall water quality in Minnesota lakes. |
| 2021-331 | Noe | Ryan | Comprehensive Identification and Visualization of Sourcewater Protection Opportunities | U of MN, Humphrey School of Public Affairs | $299,000 | Comprehensive inventory and decision-support for identifying threats to sourcewater and opportunities to obtain multiple benefits to conservation. Will allow for more efficient and effective targeting of restoration and protection activities. |
| 2021-346 | Ruan | Roger | Treatment of Petrochemical Wastewater Using Photocatalysis and Algae | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $559,000 | Develop a photocatalysis based technology for recovery of nutrients from petrochemical wastewater and cultivation of algal biomass feedstock for production of biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials. |
| 2021-348 | Ruan | Roger | Enhanced Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Swine Manure | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $609,000 | Develop an innovative thermophilic anaerobic digestion technology for improved methane production from swine manure by mitigating ammonia induced inhibition. |
| 2021-349 | Ruan | Roger | Novel Microalgae Attached Growth for Animal Wastewater Treatment | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $760,000 | To develop an attached growth method for fast cultivation and efficient harvesting of microalgae in the anaerobically digested manure for nutrients removal and animal feed production. |
| 2021-350 | Ruan | Roger | Plastic-Wastes to Fuels and Chemicals through Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $914,000 | Convert plastic wastes to liquid fuels and chemicals through microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP) technology and thus provide an affordable tool for solid waste management and valorization. |
| 2021-352 | Ruan | Roger | Nitrogen Fixation Using Nano-Photocatalytic Non-Thermal Plasma | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $555,000 | Develop a novel technology to produce nitrogen fertilizers from water and air using nano-photocatalysts and non-thermal Plasma for direct and onsite application. |
| 2021-355 | Shen | Lian | Microplastics in Minnesota Water and Impact on Wildlife | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $317,000 | We will conduct computer simulations and laboratory experiments to study microplastics pollution to investigate their transport in water columns and sedimentation at water bottoms, and their interactions with wildlife. |
| 2021-358 | Schoenfuss | Heiko | Assessing Membrane Bioreactor Wastewater Treatment Efficacy | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, St. Cloud State University | $493,000 | A comprehensive assessment of membrane bioreactor efficacy will provide the best options and information to the wastewater treatment plant and natural resource managers to update or replace aging wastewater infrastructure. |
| 2021-361 | Penn | Lee | Microplastics: Transporters of Contaminants in Minnesota Waters | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $426,000 | Microplastics are ubiquitous and may contain chemicals of concern (COCs). We propose to determine the effect that microplastics have on the fate and transport of COCs in Minnesota waters. |
| 2021-364 | LaPara | Timothy | Evaluating Coronavirus and Other Microbiological Contamination of Drinking Water Sources from Wastewater | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $699,000 | With detection of coronavirus in human feces, there are urgent concerns about microbiological contamination of drinking water sources by wastewater. We will investigate this contamination, identify sources, and evaluate solutions. |
| 2021-369 | Ziegeweid | Jeffrey | Determining How Altered Streamflows Impair Fish and Macroinvertebrates | US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center | $600,000 | The project will expand existing flow-biology relations and use streamflow data and modeling to understand how streamflow alteration negatively impacts fish and macroinvertebrates in streams of varying size and class. |
| 2021-376 | Lammi | Becky | St. James Pit Water Level Control | City of Aurora | $305,000 | The St. James Pit Rising Water Levels Study, Mitigation, and Diversion Plan. |
| 2021-382 | St. Lawrence | Mark | Evaluating Landfill Leachate PFAS Reduction Utilizing Engineered Wetlands | St. Louis County | $895,000 | This project will focus on development, implementation, and evaluation of a semi-passive, demonstration-scale engineered wetland treatment system with integrated outflow-filtration for reducing PFAS and other landfill leachate contaminants of interest. |
| 2021-384 | Fuchs | Dennis | Long-Term Nitrate Mitigation by Maintaining Profitable Kernza Production | Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District | $571,000 | Long-term nitrate mitigation by maintaining profitable Kernza production will evaluate the effectiveness of aging Kernza stands on water quality. Continue to develop a sustainable supply chain, focusing on post-harvest processing. |
| 2021-390 | Donato | Justin | Antibiotic Resistance and Wastewater Treatment: Problems and Solutions | University of St. Thomas | $508,000 | This project will quantify the ability of full-scale wastewater treatment plants to eliminate antibiotic resistance genes and the extent to which these genes are exchanged during the wastewater treatment process. |
| 2021-401 | Edlund | Mark | Unprecedented Change Threatens Minnesota’s Pristine Lakes | Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Croix Watershed Research Station | $850,000 | Why are Minnesota’s nicest lakes turning green? We determine what’s causing this change and which lakes are most at risk. |
| 2021-403 | Keegan | Bill | Innovative Solution for Protecting Minnesota Natural Resources from PFAS Contamination | Dem-Con | $750,000 | Protection of State’s drinking water resources and natural resources by eliminating a new Contaminant of Emerging Concern (CEC) known as Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from point source discharges. |
| 2021-409 | Olander | Keith | Implementing Hemp Crop Rotation to Improve Water Quality | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Central Lakes College | $700,000 | We will evaluate how hemp crops may reduce nitrogen contamination of surface and groundwater in conventional crop rotations while demonstrating the environmental and economic benefits of hemp grain production. |
| 2021-432 | Novak | Paige | Technology for Energy-Generating Onsite Industrial Wastewater Treatment | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $475,000 | We will develop “off the shelf” technology to treat industrial wastewater onsite, turning pollutants into hydrogen and methane for energy. This will lead to water quality benefits and cost savings. |
| 2021-436 | Streets | Summer | Developing Strategies to Manage PFAS in Land-Applied Biosolids | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | $1,370,000 | This project helps municipal wastewater plants, landfills, and compost facilities protect human health and the environment by developing strategies to manage per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in land-applied biosolids. |
| 2021-456 | Stapleton | Seth | Expanding Restoration and Promoting Awareness of Native Mussels | Minnesota Zoological Society | $418,000 | The Minnesota Zoo will improve mussel conservation by rearing juvenile mussels for reintroduction, researching methods to improve growth and survival in captivity, and encouraging public action to benefit water quality. |
| B. Water Resources H. Proposals seeking $200,000 or less in funding (RECEIVED: 17 Proposals / Subtotal - $2,985,000) |
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| 2021-025 | Kovalenko | Katya | Does Micro-Pollution Impact Aquatic Food Webs and Birds? | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $175,000 | We will assess the extent and impact of different types of micro-pollution on birds, fish, invertebrates, and food webs in Minnesota lakes. |
| 2021-076 | Noe | Ryan | Will BMPs Be Effective with Increased Precipitation Variability? | U of MN, Humphrey School of Public Affairs | $63,000 | Expected changes in precipitation patterns are likely to negatively impact nitrate leaching mitigation practices. We will produce a report on the efficacy of best management practices under changing precipitation regimes. |
| 2021-089 | Barry | John | Sentinel Springs, Measuring Continuous Groundwater Response and Improvement | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $183,000 | Real time monitoring of spring flow and chemistry is an inexpensive and innovative way to determine how groundwater quality responds to land use practices such as agricultural management. |
| 2021-115 | Hu | Bo | Novel Nutrient Recovery Process from Wastewater Treatment Plants | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $200,000 | This proposal requests funding for a new integrated process with potential to promote nutrient removal/recovery and renewable energy production at rural municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). |
| 2021-128 | Ulrich | Jason | Resilience and Increased Intense Rain in Minnesota Watersheds | Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Croix Watershed Research Station | $189,000 | Landscape resilience to flooding due to increases in intense rain events and landscape alteration will be evaluated for Southern Minnesota's major rural watersheds. |
| 2021-158 | Dieterman | Doug | Evaluating Stream Habitat Projects in Southeast Minnesota | MN DNR, Fish and Wildlife Division | $197,000 | Assess how climate stressors, such as flooding, interact with stream habitat project designs and local stream geomorphology to influence achievement of project objectives and need for maintenance. |
| 2021-170 | Xiong | Boya | Minimizing Plastic Pollution through Prediction of Nano/Microplastic Generation | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $200,000 | We will model the concentration of nano/microplastic generated from weathered bulk plastic, enabling accurate estimation of plastic pollution in Minnesota’s waterways and informing what plastic products are harmful. |
| 2021-184 | Hondzo | Miki | Algal Toxicity Detection and Mitigation in Minnesota Waters | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $199,000 | Our major objective is to integrate existing commercially available drone and multiple spectral camera array technologies to quantify algal biomass, toxin concentrations, and temperature conditions in twelve Minnesota lakes. |
| 2021-189 | Musser | Kimberly | Ag-Urban Partnership Pilot: Accelerating Action in Priority Watersheds | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota State University Mankato | $199,000 | This Ag-Urban pilot project will offer new solutions to improve water quality, reduce flows and invest public funds wisely in some of the most impaired watersheds of the state. |
| 2021-216 | Brigham | Mark | White Iron Chain of Lakes: Baseline Trace Metals | US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center | $117,000 | This project will establish pre-industrial and pre-mining trace metal conditions in a chain of lakes within a proposed copper-nickel mining area of northeastern Minnesota. |
| 2021-237 | Fixen | Kathryn | Converting Toxic Compounds to Fuels Using Solar Energy | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $171,000 | Photosynthetic bacteria can use energy from light to convert toxic compounds into valuable commodities. We will determine how to stimulate this activity in low-cost wastewater lagoons where these bacteria thrive. |
| 2021-258 | Wilson | Melissa | Manure Testing for Better Management and Clean Water | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $200,000 | We will start a Manure Testing Program to increase manure testing, create a nutrient analysis database for different livestock types, and improve manure application rates to protect water quality. |
| 2021-267 | Capel | Paul | Optimization of Water-Quality Monitoring in Surface Waters | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $147,000 | This project will use existing high-frequency water quality data to quantify the degree of accuracy in the distribution of concentration and annual load of State and local water-quality monitoring programs. |
| 2021-301 | Babcock | Laura | Expanding Protection of Minnesota Water through Industrial Conservation | U of MN< School of Public Health | $181,000 | Project seeks to decrease water demand in communities at risk for inadequate ground water supply or quality by providing technical assistance to identify cost-effective ways to reduce industrial/commercial use. |
| 2021-304 | Barney | Brett | Minimizing Agricultural Impacts through Biological Nitrogen Fixation Alternatives | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $196,000 | Our project seeks to isolate and characterize beneficial microbes associated with key crops in Minnesota that would benefit agriculture through broader introduction as a natural nitrogen-accumulating biofertilizer. |
| 2021-379 | Downing | John | Understanding and Fixing Excess Lake Oxygen Depletion | U of MN, Duluth | $171,000 | The purpose of this project is to find out why important Minnesota lakes are losing their cisco-trout-friendly waters so that remedial measures can be selected to sustain cold water fisheries. |
| 2021-381 | Wagner | Margaret | Nitrate Testing and Education for Private Well Owners | Minnesota Department of Agriculture | $197,000 | This project will provide lab equipment and technical support to soil and water conservation districts so they can offer no-cost nitrate testing as well as outreach to private well owners. |
| C. Environmental Education (RECEIVED: 26 Proposals / Subtotal - $12,867,000) |
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| 2021-006 | Remucal | David | Promoting Minnesota Conservation through Classroom Plant Science Research | U of MN, Landscape Arboretum | $480,000 | We will bring leading-edge biological conservation research into diverse grade school classrooms, allowing students to collect and analyze data, share results, and collaborate directly with professional researchers and other schools. |
| 2021-041 | Thompson | Seth | Connecting Minnesotans to Water Through Environmental Education | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $287,000 | The primary goal of this project is to cultivate a new generation of environmental stewards by providing inquiry-based learning opportunities in the environmental sciences to Minnesotans across the state. |
| 2021-042 | Walz | Shannon | Increasing Outdoor Learning For Young Minnesotans | Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center | $450,000 | Wolf Ridge seeks scholarships for equitable access to authentic, hands on learning experiences in the outdoors that supports our Minnesota schools and achievement of the ENRTF strategic plan priority goals. |
| 2021-086 | Halvorson | Joel | Boreal Observatory at Chik-Wauk on the Gunflint | Gunflint Trail Historical Society | $545,000 | The Boreal Observatory is a public education initiative of Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center. It is maintained through an Affiliation Agreement with the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). |
| 2021-100 | Locke | Christina | MN Backyard Science: Home-Based Environmental Education and Conservation | U of MN, Humphrey School of Public Affairs | $502,000 | MN Backyard Science is a community-based environmental education program centered on native pollinator and plant conservation. Families participate from their own homes, and all program materials are publicly accessible. |
| 2021-111 | Wolf | Tiffany | Engaging Culturally-Diverse Hunting Communities on Chronic Wasting Disease | U of MN, College of Veterinary Medicine | $288,000 | This project focuses on outreach and education in culturally-diverse hunting communities to enhance community engagement in slowing the spread of CWD in Minnesota. |
| 2021-131 | Evans | Elaine | Pollinator Education in the Science Classroom | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $430,000 | Pollinator Education in the Science Classroom will provide professional development for 60 science teachers to use pollinator education curriculum and outreach materials, ultimately reaching >8000 students annually. |
| 2021-132 | Edmiston | Julie | Minnesota Freshwater Quest: Environmental Education for 20000 Youth | Wilderness Inquiry | $932,000 | 20,000 diverse and underserved Minnesota youth (grades 6-12) participate in place-based, STEM environmental education to explore and preserve local ecosystems and waterways through the Minnesota Freshwater Quest online program. |
| 2021-141 | Schmitt | Lee | ESTEEM (Earth Science Teachers Environmental Education Matters) | Minnesota Science Teachers Association | $582,000 | Earth Science Teachers Environmental Education Matters (ESTEEM) will provide statewide professional development for science teachers in Earth and Environmental Science content and pedagogy to strengthen environmental education in Minnesota schools. |
| 2021-146 | Wood | Bryan | Providing K-12 Residential Environmental Learning Experiences | Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center | $400,000 | Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center (formerly Audubon Center of the North Woods) will provide scholarships allowing over 3,000 K-12 students to experience residential environmental learning programs at Osprey Wilds. |
| 2021-175 | Blair | Robert | Minnesota Master Naturalist: Nature for New Minnesotans | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $345,000 | Nature for New Minnesotans will introduce English language learners to Minnesota’s great outdoors using materials from Minnesota Master Naturalist and implemented in partnership with English learning programs that serve immigrants. |
| 2021-186 | Hausman Rhode | Christina | The Voyageurs Classroom Initiative | Voyageurs National Park Association | $409,000 | The Voyageurs Classroom will connect 6,000 Minnesota youth to Voyageurs National Park over three years to learn about its waters, wildlife, forests and skies, and engage in its preservation. |
| 2021-219 | Thompson | Seth | Promoting Environmental Conservation Through Storytelling | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $392,000 | This project will provide intensive science communication training for students at the University of Minnesota and leverage the power of storytelling to promote environmental conservation throughout the state. |
| 2021-240 | Adler | Trina | Engaging Diverse Low-Income Residents with Minnesota’s Parks | U of MN, Extension Center for Family Development | $568,000 | This project offers culturally relevant experiences and barrier reduction efforts for diverse and low-income residents to engage with Minnesota’s natural resources for health, mental flourishing and career exploration. |
| 2021-255 | Dhakal | Narayan | Cross Cultural Environmental Education | Diversity Intelligence in Climate Action | $420,000 | Investigate intercultural knowledge on environmental conservation, household energy, sustainable agriculture, and food processing from the minority community. Bring this knowledge to develop a hands on environmental education for MN public. |
| 2021-300 | Lord | Chris | Changing Yards and Minds: Overcoming Barriers to Ecoscaping | Metro Conservation Districts | $546,000 | Influence perceptions, practices, and policies in the 11-county metro to encourage ecoscaping by launching multi-pronged outreach campaigns, elevating demonstration project educational value, and engaging local leaders to adopt eco-friendly policies. |
| 2021-320 | Bloome | Katie | Restoring Land, Reviving Heritage: Conservation Through Indigenous Culture | Belwin Conservancy | $494,000 | By linking natural resource management, cultural heritage, and environmental education, we aim to restore an ecologically significant area of land while fostering multi-generational environmental stewardship and restoration of Indigenous culture. |
| 2021-335 | Papanikolopoulos | Nikolaos | Water Quality and Robots: Experientially Educating Minnesotan Youth | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $344,000 | We propose educational activities for middle school youth on water quality in Minnesota. Through group study and hands-on projects, youth will gain skills for measuring water quality and communicating results. |
| 2021-341 | Lenczewski | John | Fostering Water Stewardship Through Hands-On Learning | Minnesota Trout Unlimited | $654,000 | Hands-on learning outdoors will focus on water quality, groundwater, aquatic life and students’ role as watershed stewards. Angling and volunteer opportunities for students and families will foster a conservation ethic. |
| 2021-370 | Reese | Luke | Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Supplemental Teaching Staff | City of Austin | $275,000 | The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center would like to offer its environmental education curriculum to more southeast Minnesota students by hiring an additional naturalist and interns for three years. |
| 2021-385 | Simer | Kurt | 375 Underserved Youth Learn Minnesota Ecosystems by Canoe | YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities | $375,000 | Increase opportunity for 375 underserved, diverse teens, from urban and first-ring suburbs, to experience and connect to environmental sciences in the natural world through YMCA canoeing/learning expeditions with experienced, |
| 2021-386 | Burns | Katie | Bird Academy: Conservation for Kids | Audubon Minnesota | $291,000 | Bridge achievement gaps in public schools by providing equitable access to natural resource science education, focused on bird conservation; in-classroom lessons will transition to outdoor activities. |
| 2021-405 | Poppleton | Kristen | TeachScience: Schools and Communities as STEM Living Laboratories | Climate GenerationL A Will Steger Legacy | $369,000 | TeachScience will connect new science standards, renewable energy, and STEM opportunities through teacher training and support across the state to prepare students for the challenges and careers of the future. |
| 2021-435 | Loon | Deborah | Mentoring the Next Generation of Conservation Professionals | Minnesota Valley/National Wildlife Refuge Trust, Inc. | $757,000 | Internships and apprenticeships on the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland Management District will introduce 50 diverse young people over three years to careers in the conservation field. |
| 2021-450 | Edmiston | Julie | Minnesota Freshwater Quest: Environmental Education on State Waterways | Wilderness Inquiry | $1,432,000 | 30,000 diverse and underserved Minnesota youth (grades 6-12) participate in place-based, STEM environmental education to explore and preserve local ecosystems and waterways through the Minnesota Freshwater Quest online program. |
| 2021-459 | Dorn | Cindy | Statewide Environmental Education via Public Television Outdoor Series | Pioneer Public Television | $300,000 | Pioneer PBS will produce 26 new episodes of a statewide television series designed to inspire Minnesotans to connect with the outdoors and to restore and protect our valuable natural resources. |
| C. Environmental Education H. Proposals seeking $200,000 or less in funding (RECEIVED: 17 Proposals / Subtotal - $2,590,000) |
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| 2021-026 | Donahue | Patrick | Off-site Construction Technology Portal | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $197,000 | Off-site and digital construction methods can dramatically improve buildings’ energy efficiency and reduce construction waste. This project will spearhead creating the skilled workforce required to achieve these improvements in Minnesota. |
| 2021-085 | Cadieux | Valentine | Ecosystem Benefits from Urban Agriculture | Hamline University | $200,000 | Our multidisciplinary team will synthesize information using the Urban InVEST model in an environmental education program for practitioners and policy makers demonstrating how to optimize conservation benefits of urban agriculture. |
| 2021-116 | Furuseth | Lee | Water: Keep It Fresh | Headwaters Science Center | $86,000 | A structured process for informal education presenting children (students) and adults opportunities to think, formulate, organize, and present thoughts related to the environment and more specifically water quality in Minnesota. |
| 2021-147 | Kalnicky | Emily | Driving Conservation Behavior for Mussels and Water Quality | Minnesota Zoological Society | $191,000 | The Minnesota Zoo will develop research-supported strategies to engage the public in specific conservation behaviors they can take in order to improve water quality and mussel health across the state. |
| 2021-157 | Jensen | Marissa | Minnesota Conservation Outreach & Education | Pheasants Forever Inc | $68,000 | We aim to reach a diverse and under-served community of Minnesotans with pollinator habitat conservation education through Women on the Wing trainings and Milkweed in the Classroom programming. |
| 2021-171 | Becker | Beth | Expansion of YMCA Mobile Day Camp | YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities | $195,000 | Expanding YMCA Mobile Day Camps will connect 300 more underserved urban youth, ages 5-12, to public parks promoting park use, outdoor recreation, and sustainable connections between youth and natural resources. |
| 2021-214 | Huberty | Brian | Emergency Location Markers for Minnesota's Trails, Parks & Landings | SharedGeo | $130,000 | Accelerate the installation of Emergency Location Markers-ELM throughout the state, county and tribal land recreation areas to help the public find and relay their emergency location accurately in remote areas. |
| 2021-224 | Daub | Betsy | High School River Bluff Pollinator Habitat Creation | Friends of the Mississippi River | $28,000 | 0.25-acres of high school and public parkland turf grass will be restored to pollinator-friendly habitat. Students will assist in restoration and maintenance, and design long-term research and monitoring projects. |
| 2021-226 | Watkins | Eric | Smart Lawns: Data-Driven Lawn Care Information for Homeowners | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $200,000 | We will develop, and make publicly available, an easy-to-use, data-driven web application to help guide Minnesotans when making lawn care decisions. |
| 2021-262 | Schultz | Peter | The Longspur Prairie Fund Urban Prairie Learning Lab | The Longspur Prairie Fund | $82,000 | The Longspur Prairie Fund proposes to establish an environmental learning lab with urban micro-prairie and stormwater bio-retention system components at the Rourke Art Gallery + Museum. |
| 2021-311 | Mercer-Taylor | Elizabeth | Empowering Youth to Become 21st Century Energy Leaders | U of MN, Institute on the Environment | $200,000 | Youth teams learn about our energy system, plan energy workshops and take the lead on hands-on projects for their communities. Youth are mentored by undergraduates from nearby Minnesota campuses. |
| 2021-323 | Ponder | Julia | Expanding Access to Environmental Education for Underserved Communities | U of MN, Raptor Center | $178,000 | The Raptor Center is proposing to build environmental literacy and engagement by bringing an integrated environmental education program featuring live raptors and standards-based curriculum to underserved communities throughout Minnesota. |
| 2021-374 | Foster | Shelli-Kae | Yes! Students Take on Water Quality Challenge II | Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center | $199,000 | Youth Eco Solutions (YES!) teams will mobilize youth in over 20 communities and help fill the urgent need for citizen participation to protect and clean-up Minnesota waters through hands-on projects |
| 2021-389 | McCoy | Casey | Firewise in the Classroom | MN DNR, Forestry Division | $155,000 | This project provides a free, hands-on opportunity for high school students to learn or become more familiar with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) while gathering real wildfire risk data for communities. |
| 2021-391 | Pulscher | MaryLynn | BioBlitz Urban Parks: Engaging Community in Scientific Efforts | Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board | $198,000 | MPRB will work strategically with allies and volunteers to collect baseline biodiversity data for urban parks to inspire stewardship and inform habitat restoration work. |
| 2021-414 | Montgomery | Maggie | Engaging Minnesotans with Phenology: Radio, Podcasts, Citizen Science | Northern Community Radio, Inc. | $198,000 | This education project will build the next generation of conservationists in Minnesota by engaging youth and adults in science and outdoor learning through radio, podcasts, citizen science and schoolyard exploration. |
| 2021-429 | Sogard | Ray | Sportsmen's Training and Developmental Learning Center | Minnesota Forest Zone Trappers Association | $85,000 | The Minnesota Forest Zone Trappers Association (MFZTA) is requesting an $85,000 grant to complete a site evaluation and a master plan for the Sportsmen’s Training and Development Center. |
| D. Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species (RECEIVED: 10 Proposals / Subtotal - $20,698,000) | ||||||
| 2021-162 | Wettstein | Shannon | Oak Wilt Suppression at the Northern Edge II | Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District | $498,000 | Suppress oak wilt at the leading edge to prevent infestation in private and public forests to the north and west including Pillsbury State Forest and Camp Ripley. |
| 2021-188 | Phelps | Nicholas | Building Knowledge and Capacity for AIS Solutions | U of MN, MAISRC | $5,000,000 | MAISRC will launch 16-20 high-priority projects aimed at solving Minnesota's AIS problems using a rigorous and collaborative process. The science will be delivered to end-users through strategic communication and outreach. |
| 2021-164 | Krischik | Vera | Biocontrol of Bee Lawns and Parklands | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $500,000 | The proposed research and outreach program is to establish a biocontrol program to manage the invasive, exotic Japanese beetle, which will reduce insecticide use in bee lawns and restorations. |
| 2021-217 | Sorensen | Peter | Evaluating Minnesota's Last Best Chance to Stop Carp | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $499,000 | Invasive carp have breached Minnesota’s southern border. The last place they can be stopped is Lock & Dam 5 but time is of the essence. This proposal enables this solution. |
| 2021-313 | Forester | Jeff | Stop Starry Invasion - Community Invasive Species Containment | Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates | $1,676,000 | MLR will contain starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) in the 15 lakes where it currently exists using civic organizing, waterless boat cleaning stations, and social messaging enhancements at these lakes. |
| 2021-383 | James | John | Balancing Aquatic Plant Communities for Recreation and Conservation | Fish and Waters Conservation Fund | $569,000 | Experimentally determine ways to favor low colony forming submerged plants over undesirable high biomass surface matting plants to balance recreational uses with having an intact ecosystem for the lakes' biota. |
| 2021-425 | Koop | Heather | Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center, Phase 5 | U of MN, MITPPC | $5,000,000 | The Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) requests $7 million to fund up to 15 new, high-priority applied TIS research projects to improve Minnesota's natural and agricultural resources. |
| 2021-427 | Nerbonne | Brian | Applying New Tools and Techniques Against Invasive Carp | MN DNR, Fish and Wildlife Division | $577,000 | This project will enhance the current MN DNR Invasive Carp program by integrating new control and detection methods to manage invasive carp expansion in Minnesota waterways. |
| 2021-431 | McClannahan | Valerie | Protect Community Forests by Managing Ash for EAB | MN DNR, Forestry Division | $5,930,000 | Project will reduce EAB through community developed management (inventory, canopy assessment, management plan, removal, non-neonicotinoid treatment) and improve their community forest by involving citizens and planting a diversity of trees. |
| 2021-433 | Salomon | Christine | White Nose Bat Syndrome Biological Control: Phase 3 | U of MN, College of Pharmacy | $449,000 | Testing of best biocontrol microbes for controlling white nose syndrome (WNS) in bats: Mapping of fungal pathogen, field testing, and assessment of a WNS-free cave with healthy bats. |
| D. Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species H. Proposals seeking $200,000 or less in funding (RECEIVED: 5 Proposals / Subtotal - $641,000) |
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| 2021-017 | Wersal | Ryan | Starch Allocation Patterns of Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis Obtusa) Harvested from Lake Koronis, MN | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota State University Mankato | $101,000 | Starry stonewort is a macro-algae that has invaded Minnesota lakes, though nothing is known about its starch allocation. These data can identify weak points in allocation strategy to enhance management. |
| 2021-091 | Anderson | Mike | Long-Term Efficacy of Invasive Removal in Floodplain Forests | Macalester College | $25,000 | This long-term scientific study will provide new, much-needed information for land managers focused on protecting Minnesota’s invaluable floodplain forests from threats posed by overabundant deer, invasive shrubs and earthworms. |
| 2021-268 | Hammes | Mary | Mississippi River Crew for Forest Resilience | Mississippi Park Connection | $199,000 | Emerald Ash Borer is devastating ash tree populations in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. A Mississippi River Crew will build forest resilience and restore lost canopy across jurisdictions. |
| 2021-293 | Brady | Valerie | How Effective and Protective are AIS Removal Methods? | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $119,000 | The best way to prevent aquatic invasive species spread is to stop the transfer of water and living material between lakes. We will test how well boat cleaning methods work. |
| 2021-449 | Edlund | Mark | Invasive Rock Snot Threatens North Shore Streams | Science Muxeum of Minnesota, St. Croix Watershed Research Station | $197,000 | We examine the recent spread, origin, cause, and economic and ecological threat of nuisance rock snot formation in North Shore streams and Lake Superior to inform management and outreach. |
| E. Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy (RECEIVED: 22 Proposals / Subtotal - $16,339,000) | ||||||
| 2021-010 | Mwesigye | Aggrey | Enhanced Thermo-Active Foundations for Space Heating in Minnesota | U of MN, Duluth | $367,000 | This project primarily involves the design and optimization of cost-competitive, thermally enhanced and compact heat exchanger systems for deep thermo-active building foundations for Minnesota’s space heating and cooling industry. |
| 2021-167 | Kortshagen | Uwe | Solar Windows: Combining Agriculture and Photovoltaics | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $280,000 | Semitransparent “solar windows” absorb some solar light to create clean electricity while letting pass light for agricultural crop growth. This project will optimize both functions of solar windows. |
| 2021-169 | Herrmann | Bryan | Storing Renewable Energy in Flow-Battery for Grid Use | U of MN, Morris | $3,210,000 | Our project team will implement a rural, community-scale project, which demonstrates how a large flow-battery connected to solar and wind generation improves grid stability -- and enhances usage of renewables. |
| 2021-191 | Heins | Bradley | Agrivoltaics to Improve the Environment and Farm Resiliency | U of MN, WCROC | $861,000 | The project team at the WCROC will model and evaluate alternative solar system designs that will maximize energy production as well as provide maximal benefits to cattle and farmers. |
| 2021-196 | Swanson | Jacob | Electricity Generation from Glycerol - Minnesota Biodiesel Waste | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota State University Mankato | $679,000 | Modification and field testing of an plasma gasification system to create renewable on-site electricity generation from crude glycerol, a soybean derived biodiesel waste product. Conduct engineering and economics analyses. |
| 2021-241 | Spigarelli | Brett | Foundational Data for Sequestering CO2 using Minnesota Minerals | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $353,000 | Can Minnesota minerals/mineral waste streams sequester CO2 safely? A fundamental study to identify candidate resources and test their CO2 storage capacity to better understand potential environmental risks and rewards. |
| 2021-263 | Gutknecht | Jessica | The Carbon Sequestration Potential of a Perennial Grain | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $219,000 | We will quantify the carbon sequestration potential of a new perennial grain crop, Kernza. and will research and communicate implementation strategies for both economic and environmental gain in Minnesota. |
| 2021-290 | Yang | Suo | Efficient Production and Clean Combustion of Renewable Biofuels | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $681,000 | This proposal develops new technologies for efficient production and clean combustion of biofuels derived from Minnesota agriculture, and also performs a lifecycle assessment of the environmental benefits of the technologies. |
| 2021-294 | Feist | Christopher | Behavioral Response of Bald and Golden Eagles to Acoustic Stimuli | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $307,000 | The goal of the work is to design and implement an acoustic deterrence protocol that will discourage bald and golden eagles from entering hazardous air space near wind energy installations. |
| 2021-305 | Xiong | Boya | Reducing Plastic Waste by Innovating Waste-To-Energy Conversion Technology | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $530,000 | The goal is to leverage bacteria and a mechanical mill to efficiently degrade and convert plastic waste into energy, reducing plastic waste accumulation from incinerators and landfills in Minnesota. |
| 2021-315 | Cortus | Erin | Greenhouse Gas Sampling Approaches for Minnesota Livestock Farms | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $294,000 | This project will measure and validate greenhouse gas emissions and estimates for the various manure management systems on Minnesota livestock and poultry farms, and help identify feasible mitigation methods. |
| 2021-318 | Simon | Terrence | Efficient Filter and Sensor for Organic PAH Compounds | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $275,000 | We propose to develop a filter with an integrated sensor to remove airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The filter advantages include low cost, high efficiency and real-time monitoring. |
| 2021-336 | Chan | Gabriel | Distributed Energy Storage Partnerships with Municipal and Cooperative Utilities | U of MN, Humphrey School of Public Affairs | $364,000 | A research engagement platform to partner with municipal and cooperative utilities to develop and implement innovative utility programs for energy storage, enabling greater renewable energy deployment and local economic benefits. |
| 2021-344 | Thomas | Steve | Create Jobs Statewide by Diverting Materials from Landfills | Better Futures Minnesota | $2,992,000 | By diverting over 20,000 tons of used household goods and building materials from the waste stream, this project will: reduce CO2 emissions; create 18 jobs; and launch two businesses. |
| 2021-345 | Ruan | Roger | Treatment of Organic Medical and COVID-19 Contaminated Wastes | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $910,000 | Develop a novel technology for on-site treatment and conversion of organic medical wastes contaminated by COVID-19 and other pathogens to energy and materials. |
| 2021-347 | Ruan | Roger | Renewable and Green Polymers from Pennycress | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $559,000 | Develop a novel technology to convert pennycress straw and oil into polyols for making renewable and green polymers such as biopolyurethane. |
| 2021-351 | Ruan | Roger | Disinfect Airborne-Pathogens and Contaminants in Animal Production Facilities | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $754,000 | Develop a non-thermal plasma (NTP) based process to disinfect airborne contaminants including pathogens in animal production facilities and thus reduce health hazards and improve wellbeing of animals. |
| 2021-387 | Ruan | Roger | Value Added Treatment of Sewage Sludge | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $910,000 | Develop a novel strategy to cost-effectively treat sewage sludge and simultaneously produce biofuels (biogas and bio-oil) and biochar with low emissions of pollutants. |
| 2021-392 | Dry | Carolyn | A Novel CO2-Reducing Cement Made from Minnesota Wastes | Designs by Natural Processes, Inc. | $290,000 | Produce an environmentally beneficial novel cement made from Minnesota industrial wastes that lessens impacts on water quality, eases pressure on landfills, and creates positive economic value while reducing CO2 release. |
| 2021-394 | Ranade | Aditya | Assessing Wind Curtailment Reduction Potential via Hydrogen Production | Aerio Technologies | $751,000 | This project will assess the potential for renewable hydrogen in Minnesota as a means to store wind energy, reduce its curtailment and decarbonize the natural gas supply. |
| 2021-398 | Hagel | Tom | Cleaner Air for Park Events and Disaster Resilience | City of St. Paul | $360,000 | Procure three mobile solar battery trailers to displace fossil-fuel generators at urban park and rural/tribal community events, and for response to outages and disasters. Measure air pollution results. |
| 2021-402 | Kedward | Jennifer | Strengthening Minnesota's Reuse Economy to Conserve Natural Resources | ReUse Minnesota | $393,000 | This project will conserve the State’s natural resources by bolstering the reuse business network, providing individual business assistance and influencing consumer behavior to prioritize reuse, repair and rental. |
| E. Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy H. Proposals seeking $200,000 or less in funding (RECEIVED: 13 Proposals / Subtotal - $1,960,000) |
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| 2021-044 | Barry | Brian | Bringing Minnesota Farmers into the Low-Carbon Economy | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $176,000 | Residuals from timber mills and the paper and pulp industry will be processed into field-ready, granular biochar products that Minnesota farmers can easily incorporate into conventional no-till systems. |
| 2021-098 | Hu | Bo | Biomass Inventory for Minnesota Renewable Natural Gas Production | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $200,000 | This study aims to inventory statewide biomass waste streams for renewable natural gas (RNG) production and provide technical suggestions on policy implementation and RNG facilities development and distribution. |
| 2021-135 | McFarland | Ashley | Climate Mitigation Through Improved Forest Understory Health | Dovetail Partners Inc | $179,000 | This work seeks to support climate change mitigation strategies by promoting healthy and wildfire-resilient forests in Minnesota through improved management and utilization of small-diameter, forest understory biomass. |
| 2021-193 | Dahlen | Reta | Restoration of Riverside Park | City of Long Prairie | $156,000 | Project will mitigate the effects of climate change by restoring water retentive capabilities to 7.68 acres on the Long Prairie River while also creating both recreational and educational opportunities. |
| 2021-199 | Swanberg | Kevin | Twin Ports Air Quality Monitoring and Education Project | Twin Ports Action Alliance | $30,000 | To install air monitors in communities across St. Louis County and will educate the public about their use and availability. Data from air monitors will be publicly available in realtime. |
| 2021-202 | Shaffer | David | Studying Solar Panels' Impact on Wetland Quality | Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Project | $199,000 | Little is empirically known about the impact of solar panels installed above wetlands. We propose studying how the installation of solar panels in wetlands will impact wetland quality over time. |
| 2021-239 | O'Keefe | Pete | Increasing Recycling of Building Materials, Supplies, Home Goods | Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, Inc. | $60,000 | Build a covered donation drop-off center at the ReStore in New Brighton to reduce landfill waste by accepting and then reselling or recycling construction and building materials. |
| 2021-261 | Costa | Kyle | Increasing Efficiency of Methane Digesters | U of MN, College of Biological Sciences | $148,000 | This proposal investigates low-cost additions to methane digesters that can increase electricity generation. We will focus on using resources that are compatible with existing methane digesters common to cold climates. |
| 2021-269 | Twine | Tracy | Reducing Urban Heat through Reflective Roofs | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $165,000 | We propose to simulate deployment of a reflective film that will cool roofs, reduce energy costs, and mitigate warming. |
| 2021-281 | Guala | Michele | Protecting Stream Banks Producing Energy | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $198,000 | The proposed research project focuses on advancing a hybrid renewable energy - bank protection system to operate in rivers of small-medium size extracting energy and preventing erosion. |
| 2021-298 | Sarkanen | Simo | Eco-Friendly Plastics from Cloquet Pulp-Mill Lignin | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Science | $196,000 | We will reduce environmental pollution from plastics by creating eco-friendly replacements using lignin from the pulp mill in Cloquet. The lignin plastics will be similar in strength to polystyrene. |
| 2021-360 | Yamin | Mohammad | Sustainable Bricks Using Minnesota Clay and Recycled Aggregate | Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Minnesota State University Mankato | $123,000 | The main objective of this research proposal is to develop sustainable, stronger and more affordable green construction bricks using Minnesota clay and recycled aggregate stabilized chemically and mechanically. |
| 2021-448 | Sosnowchik | Rachel | Diverting Unsold Food from Landfills, Reducing Greenhouse Gases | Second Harvest Heartland | $130,000 | We will collect donations of prepared, ready-to-eat foods in the Metro area and send these items to local food pantries and meal programs. *Tentatively recommended for 2020 funding.* |
| F. Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat (RECEIVED: 37 Proposals / Subtotal - $25,637,000) | ||||||
| 2021-007 | Christenson | Scott | South Central Minnesota Rock Berm Fish Barriers | State Line Lake Restoration Inc | $855,000 | Install 5 fish barriers to enhance State Line Lake during Activity 1. Monitoring effectiveness of each rock berm fish barrier site and responses to lake health in Activity 2. |
| 2021-022 | Barrick | Melissa | Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape Forest Restoration and Enhancements | Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District | $975,000 | This project will build a sustainable inter-agency private and public Camp Ripley landscape forest restoration program which includes: Prescribed Fire (750 acres), Habitat Restoration (125 acres), Forest Management Plans (70). |
| 2021-039 | Davis | Mike | Restoring Mussels in Streams and Lakes - continuation | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $825,000 | Restoring native mussel assemblages can improve water quality and ecological health of rivers. Mussel filter water, purifying and improving water clarity by removing particles and contaminants like E. coli bacteria. |
| 2021-058 | Tucker | Rebecca | Pollinator Central II: Habitat Improvement with Community Monitoring | Great River Greening | $742,000 | We will restore and enhance 133 acres of pollinator habitat on 12 sites around the metro to benefit pollinators and people, and build knowledge of the impact through community-based monitoring. |
| 2021-059 | Windmuller-Campione | Marcella | Maximizing Economic and Ecological Benefits of Forest Management | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $650,000 | This study will investigate ways to use forest management to maximize multiple ecosystem services in the face of rapidly changing conditions in hardwood and conifer forests in Minnesota. |
| 2021-065 | Johnson | Nathan | Phase 2 - Prescribed-Fire Management for Roadside Prairies | Minnesota Department of Transportation | $255,000 | This project will continue to protect biodiversity and enhance pollinator habitat on roadsides by helping to create a self-sufficient prescribed fire program at the Minnesota Department of Transportation. |
| 2021-094 | Pederson | Eric | Pollinator Habitat Study for Closed Landfill Program | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency | $300,000 | The Closed Landfill Program will rank its 114 sites on potential for pollinator habitat, create vegetation reconstruction plans for the top five sites, and implement a plan at one site. |
| 2021-097 | Weiss | Eric | Minnesota Green Schoolyards | The Trust for Public Land | $1,997,000 | Minnesota Green Schoolyards pilot project will assess, promote, and demonstrate how schoolyards can improve water, air, and habitat quality; foster next generation stewards, while improving health, education, and community outcomes. |
| 2021-139 | Tucker | Rebecca | Pollinator Central: Habitat Improvement with Citizen Monitoring | Great River Greening | $981,000 | Restore / enhance 500 acres of pollinator habitat on 20 traditional and nontraditional sites, from Hastings to St. Cloud, to benefit pollinators and build knowledge of the impacts through citizen monitoring. |
| 2021-155 | Chapman | Eric | Rural-Urban Partnerships to Advance Conservation Farming with Technology | University of St. Thomas | $548,000 | We seek to broaden participation in conservation agriculture statewide by applying high-tech assessment tools, building farmer-scientist-student collaborations across rural and urban communities, and expanding farmer-farmer knowledge exchange networks. |
| 2021-161 | Magner | Joe | Threshold Resiliency with Increased Precipitation Uncertainty | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $1,899,000 | Minnesota decadal increases in precipitation have increased runoff, groundwater recharge, contamination, and infrastructure damage. ENRTF funded maps highlight landscapes at risk. We will assess and define critical ecological sustainability thresholds. |
| 2021-180 | Hrubes | Jeff | Carbon Sequestration and Climate Resiliency Using Forest Management | Board of Water and Soil Resources | $615,000 | Field test new and expanded tree establishment practices through a coordinated program to establish long-lived conifers and other climate resilient species emphasizing carbon sequestration, watershed protection and wildlife habitat. |
| 2021-182 | Hogan | Christopher | Minnesota Center for Agricultural Spray Drift Reduction | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $1,049,000 | The University of Minnesota will establish a center devoted to developing and implementing protocols and technologies to mitigate the impacts of pesticide spray drift on water and land habitats. |
| 2021-212 | Gordon | Riley | Reducing Plastic Pollution with Biodegradable Erosion Control Products | Agricultural Utilization Research Institute | $227,000 | Utilization of Industrial Hemp to create biodegradable alternatives to plastic-based erosion and sediment control products. |
| 2021-213 | Carson | Michael | Forests, Wildlife & Climate Change: Proactive Landscape Designs | U of MN, North Central Research and Outreach Center | $404,000 | First-of-its-kind strategy for statewide contingency planning, proactively addressing uncertainties surrounding climate change, carbon sequestering and spatially-explicit wildlife needs. Project helps integrate multi-objective forest landscape-planning strategies for multiple agencies. |
| 2021-223 | Ebtehaj | Ardeshir | Remote Sensing and Super-resolution Imaging of Microplastics | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $364,000 | The research will collect samples of microplastics to establish relationships between physical and remote sensing characteristics of microplastics for cost effective monitoring of microplastics in Minnesota natural and engineered waters. |
| 2021-231 | Daub | Betsy | Urban Pollinator and Native American Cultural Site Restoration | Friends of the Mississippi River | $250,000 | Three urban natural areas, including an iconic Native American cultural site, will be restored to native prairie and forest, with a focus on important pollinator and culturally significant native plants. |
| 2021-270 | Labuz | Joseph | A safety rating system of mining waste storage in northern Minnesota | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $390,000 | A major public concern related to mining operations is the storage of the waste material. In this work, we will develop safety rating tools for mining waste storage. |
| 2021-274 | Ferrington | Leonard | Winter Dynamics of Vulnerable Trout Streams: Central Minnesota | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $520,000 | Warming temperatures resulting from global warming will affect trout populations in Minnesota. Streams of central Minnesota are particularly vulnerable. We will model winter dynamics to identify the most vulnerable streams. |
| 2021-280 | Wold | Scott | Economic and Ecological Benefits of Soil Health | Redwood Soil & Water Conservation District | $339,000 | To provide real world economic results of cover crops and alternative tillage implementation. Environmental benefits do not have to come at a cost of bottom line profitability. |
| 2021-283 | Barney | Brett | Engineered Solutions to Remove Nitrates from Contaminated Waters | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $234,000 | Our project aims to develop new engineering practices through the application of native microbes to lower the high levels of nitrate accumulating in rural water systems. |
| 2021-295 | Arvidson | Adam | Kenilworth Channel Riparian Restoration and Enhancement | Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board | $930,000 | This project will stabilize, restore, and enhance the ecology and public safety and access of the Kenilworth Channel’s shorelines extending westward from the future SWLRT bridge to Cedar Lake. |
| 2021-328 | Weegman | Matt | Restoring oak forests for wildlife in southeast Minnesota | National Wild Turkey Federation | $661,000 | We will use integrated restoration practices to enhance native oak forests throughout the Driftless Area and conduct forest inventory within the Upper Mississippi NWR. |
| 2021-337 | Shaw | Dan | Lawns to Legumes Program Phase 2 | Board of Water and Soil Resources | $1,389,000 | Phase Two of the Lawns to Legumes Program builds on current momentum to further engage residents across Minnesota to establish pollinator habitat and expands into community parks and school landscapes. |
| 2021-340 | Arvidson | Adam | Bohemian Flats Savanna Restoration | Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board | $424,000 | This project will restore approximately 5 acres of compacted urban parkland adjacent to the Mississippi River to an oak savanna ecosystem. |
| 2021-357 | Griffis | Timothy | Quantifying Environmental Benefits of Peatland Restoration in Minnesota | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $742,000 | This study will provide scientific data, management- and policy options enabling state agencies to make science-based decisions about the net benefits of peatland restoration for air quality, climate, and water quality. |
| 2021-375 | Lewanski | Tom | Reintroduction of Bison to Spring Lake Park Reserve | Dakota County | $659,000 | Dakota County, in partnership with the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd, will reintroduce American plains bison (Bison bison) to the prairie of Spring Lake Park Reserve. |
| 2021-377 | Tuominen | Todd | Elm Creek Habitat Restoration Final Phase | City of Champlin | $613,000 | Phase V is the Final Phase of the Elm Creek Habitat and Restoration that includes 3,800 linear feet of stream bank restoration of Elm Creek. |
| 2021-397 | Lenczewski | John | Creating Prioritized Plan for Restoring the Stewart River Watershed | Minnesota Trout Unlimited | $298,000 | We will develop a plan for the Stewart River Watershed that identifies and prioritizes specific river and land restoration and protection activities to efficiently meet the broadest ecological restoration goals. |
| 2021-416 | Caneff | Denny | A Showcase for Resource-Sensitive Trail Construction | Superior Hiking Trail Association | $450,000 | Renew and rebuild the Superior Hiking Trail to minimize environmental damage, maximize safety, and increase resistance to impacts of increased traffic and climate change. |
| 2021-421 | Barry | Brian | Protecting Minnesota Waters with Biodegradable, Controlled-Release Fertilizers | U of MN - NRRI | $260,000 | We will develop a biodegradable lignin-based fertilizer coating for granular urea fertilizers to replace non-biodegradable plastic coatings or non-coated fertilizers currently used by the agricultural sector. |
| 2021-438 | Aarvidson | Adam | Mississippi River Aquatic Habitat Restoration and Mussel Reintroduction | Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board | $2,538,000 | This project will restore lost Mississippi River habitat and reintroduce mussels above St. Anthony Falls on four river islands and along approximately 6,000 linear feet of shoreline. |
| 2021-439 | Shaw | Dan | Pollinator & Beneficial Insect Strategic Habitat Program | Board of Water and Soil Resources | $780,000 | This pilot program will restore and enhance diverse native habitat over approximately 90 projects on conservation lands and natural areas strategically located across Minnesota to address declining pollinators and insects. |
| 2021-441 | Drotts | Gary | Minnesota Hunter Walking Trails, Public Land Recreational Access | Ruffed Grouse Society | $300,000 | Sustain, enhance public land forest recreation and management access supported by a system of hunter walking trails through the improvement of trail infrastructure needs (gate, signs, parking lots, maps, etc.). |
| 2021-447 | Tuominen | Todd | Elm Creek Habitat Restoration Phase IV | City of Champlin | $501,000 | Elm Creek Stream Restoration Phase IV is a in-stream habitat restoration project that includes 3,670 linear feet of stream bank restoration upstream of Mill Pond Lake. |
| 2021-455 | Beebe | Andrew | Habitat Associations of Mississippi Bottomland Forest Marsh Birds | Audubon Minnesota | $275,000 | Determine habitat associations of breeding bottomland forest birds in response to restoration actions along the Mississippi River at the Reno Bottoms outside Reno, MN |
| 2021-461 | Aukema | Brian | Eastern Larch Beetle is Devastating Minnesota Tamarack Forests | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $398,000 | Eastern larch beetle, native to Minnesota, is suddenly decimating Minnesota’s tamarack forests. This proposal develops insect management techniques and determines how bad this problem may remain in the future. |
| F. Methods to Protect, Restore, and Enhance Land, Water, and Habitat H. Proposals seeking $200,000 or less in funding (RECEIVED: 18 Proposals / Subtotal - $3,089,000) |
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| 2021-020 | Elston | Bob | Sleepy Eye Lake Reclamation | City of Sleepy Eye | $120,000 | This project is proposed to reduce siltation and sedimentation entering and building up in the east arm of Sleepy Eye Lake. |
| 2021-062 | Remucal | David | Preserving Minnesota’s only Ball Cactus Population | U of MN, Landscape Arboretum | $103,000 | Minnesota's only population of ball cactus is threatened as a significant proportion of the population is on private, unprotected lands. Moving plants to protected land will better protect this species. |
| 2021-068 | Kerski | Michael | Shakopee Riverfront Habitat Restoration and Education Project | City of Shakopee | $200,000 | The Riverfront Project will restore Shakopee's Memorial Park back to its native prairie land, control riverbank erosion, and implement nature park structures to educate visitors of the area's historic significance. |
| 2021-078 | Taylor | Carrie | Developing a Rare Plant Rescue Program for Minnesota | Anoka Conservation District | $199,000 | The Anoka Sand Plain Rare Plant Rescue Project enhances the protection of Minnesota's biodiversity and genetic heritage by developing program capacity and rescuing rare plants that would otherwise be destroyed. |
| 2021-084 | Sheppard | Kevin | Restoring Upland Forests for Birds | American Bird Conservancy, Great Lakes Program | $193,000 | ABC will restore a minimum of 300 acres of deciduous forest in partnership with Aitkin, Beltrami and Cass Counties, utilizing science-based BMPs to rejuvenate non-commercial stands for focal wildlife species. |
| 2021-117 | Jennings | Carrie | Water, Wildlife and Weather Friendly Labeling Pilot Program | Freshwater Society | $195,000 | Funds derived from product-labeling fees that surcharge companies to promote Water, Wildlife and Weather Friendly products are used to permanently convert lands to protect water, provide habitat and sequester carbon. |
| 2021-137 | Caneff | Denny | Plumbing the Muddy Depths of Superior Hiking Trail | Superior Hiking Trail Association | $187,000 | Bring "plumbing," or serious and effective water management devices and techniques, to the Superior Hiking Trail. This includes building structures and sculpting and managing soil and rock. |
| 2021-229 | Gabrielson | Sara | Woodcrest Trail Expansion and Prairie Restoration | Country Manor Foundation | $92,000 | Country Manor requests $92,000 to restore nine acres of native prairie, and extend groomed trails through adjacent woodlands on the property of a senior living facility in Central Minnesota. |
| 2021-245 | Meschke | Linda | Improving Landscape Ecological Value With Hazelnuts | Rural Advantage | $161,000 | Monitoring, education, technical assistance and establishment of hazelnuts, with cooperating landowners, to provide landscape scale ecological value [water quality, erosion reduction, carbon sequestration, habitat] to protect and enhance degraded land. |
| 2021-288 | Schrank | Amy | Increase Golden Shiner Productin to Protet Aquatic Communities | U of MN, Duluth - Sea Grant | $194,000 | We propose four strategies to increase in-state Golden Shiner (bait) production because angler demand exceeds production. Out-of-state importation creates a high risk of introducing aquatic invasive species and disease. |
| 2021-297 | Montgomery | Rebecca | Prescribed Burning for Brushland-Dependent Species - Phase II | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $147,000 | Brushlands provide critical habitat for >250 wildlife species. We compare effects of spring, summer and fall burns on birds and vegetation, providing much needed management guidelines for this key habitat. |
| 2021-302 | Arvidson | Adam | Mississippi Flyway Habitat Fingers | Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board | $171,000 | This project would pilot a means of connecting neighborhood parks and the Mississippi Flyway through habitat restoration and the development of habitat corridors in the urban core. |
| 2021-308 | Cariveau | Daniel | Creating Cost-Effective Forage and Management Actions for Pollinators | U of MN, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences | $198,000 | We will collect long-term, species-specific plant data on pollinator forage quality and quantity. These data will be used to design an open-access web-based tool for land managers in Minnesota. |
| 2021-319 | Cui | Tianhong | Surface Water Purification System Powered by Renewable Energy | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $200,000 | We propose to develop a cheap and an efficient water purification system powered by solar energy that can be used to remove the pollutants in lakes and rivers in Minnesota. |
| 2021-322 | Vlaming | Jonathan | Shoreline Stabilization, Fishing, ADA Improvements at Silverwood Park | Three Rivers Park District | $200,000 | The Project will provide water quality improvements through shoreline stabilization, shoreline fishing improvements and shoreline ADA access on the island in Silver Lake within Silverwood Park, St. Anthony MN. |
| 2021-343 | Cui | Tianhong | Small, Cheap, and Fast Nitrobenzene Detector for Water | U of MN, College of Science and Engineering | $200,000 | We propose to develop a small, cheap, and fast photoelectrochemical detector based on a new solar cell to prevent lakes and rivers in Minnesota from the nitrobenzene contamination. |
| 2021-356 | Shen | Lian | Help MPCP by Understanding Seeds and Pollens Dispersion | U of MN, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory | $199,000 | We will conduct computer simulations and laboratory experiments to understand seeds and pollen dispersion in canopy and use the knowledge to assist the planning of MPCP for environment/climate changes. |
| 2021-408 | Daub | Betsy | Pollinator Habitat Creation along the Urban Mississippi River | Friends of the Mississippi River | $130,000 | This project creates 26.5 acres of diverse pollinator and wildlife habitat at three sites within the Mississippi River corridor in the Twin Cities urban core. |
| G. Land Acquisition for Habitat and Recreation (RECEIVED: 39 Proposals / Subtotal - $78,620,000) | ||||||
| 2021-012 | Yavarow | Matthew | Perham to Pelican Rapids Regional Trail (McDonald Segment) | Otter Tail County | $2,245,000 | Construction of the McDonald Segment (5.83 miles) of the 32-mile Perham to Pelican Rapids Regional Trail that will connect Perham and Pelican Rapids via Maplewood State Park. |
| 2021-013 | Cammilleri | Kenneth | Gateway State Trail | City of Scandia | $4,295,000 | The construction and completion of additional engineering for a segment of Minnesota Gateway Trail between the Scandia Village Center and William O'Brien State Park's Savanna Campground. |
| 2021-021 | Hayes | Dillon | Soo Line Trail Trestle Bridge | Mille Lacs County | $725,000 | Replace the existing Soo Line Trail trestle bridge to improve habitat connectivity, mitigate shoreline erosion and degradation of the river channel, and expand outdoor recreational opportunities. |
| 2021-028 | Manzoline | Robert | Mesabi Trail CSAH 88 to Ely | St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority | $2,200,000 | This project is for the construction of an approximately 2.8 mile long segment of the Mesabi Trail beginning at the intersection of County State Aid Highway 88 to Ely. |
| 2021-043 | Mularie | Audrey | Local Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Grant Programs | MN DNR, Grants Unit | $3,000,000 | Provide approximately 16 matching grants for local parks, acquisition of locally significant natural areas and trails to connect people safety to desirable community locations and regional or state facilities. |
| 2021-049 | Lee | Jessica | Metropolitan Regional Parks System Land Acquisition- Phase 7 | Metropolitan Council | $3,000,000 | Acquire properties with high-quality natural resources or natural resources restoration potential for the metropolitan Regional Parks System. This $3M request will be matched with over $3M in local/regional funds. |
| 2021-069 | Schultz | Todd | Sauk Rapids Rapids Project Lions Park | City of Sauk Rapids | $545,000 | Lions Park improvements. Park is located on the rapids area of the Mississippi River. Enhance interaction with the river regionally with access points in this park. |
| 2021-092 | Chanski | David | City of Brainerd - Mississippi Landing Trailhead | City of Brainerd | $3,800,000 | The Mississippi Landing Trailhead Park will help connect residents and visitors to the Mississippi River through recreation, education, and restoration; providing an accessible connection to the river for everyone. |
| 2021-093 | Welle | Ron | Brooten Land Acquisition | Midwest Outdoors Unlimited | $950,000 | We would maintain what has been done so beautifully already but may add some ponds to attract more ducks-geese etc. |
| 2021-105 | Schulte | Judy | Native Prairie Stewardship & Prairie Bank Easement Acquisition | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $2,100,000 | Native Prairie Bank (NPB) will help landowners conserve native prairie though multiple outreach methods, restoration and enhancement of 700 acres, and protection of 150 acres through conservation easements. |
| 2021-109 | Bloom | Katie | Moose Lake - Trunk Highway 73 Trail | City of Moose Lake | $330,000 | The City of Moose Lake will be constructing a non-motorized recreation trail along Highway 73. This new trail will connect to several regional existing trails in the Moose Lake area. |
| 2021-145 | Wood | Bryan | Preserving Grindstone Lake's Shoreline: McConnell Property Acquisition | Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center | $640,000 | Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center (formerly Audubon Center of the North Woods) seeks to purchase and protect 11 acres of undeveloped lakefront property on Grindstone Lake bordering its nature campus. |
| 2021-151 | Roske | Molly | SNA Acquisition, Restoration, Citizen-Science and Outreach | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $4,760,000 | Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) habitat restoration/enhancement (1000+ acres), increased public involvement, and strategic acquisition (250+ acres) will conserve Minnesota’s most unique and rare resources for everyone's benefit. |
| 2021-154 | Phillips | Courtney | Precision Acquisition for Restoration, Groundwater Recharge and Habitat | Shell Rock River Watershed District | $549,000 | This proposal is for acquisition and restoration of a 36-acre key parcel that will reduce flooding while providing water storage, groundwater recharge, nutrient reduction, pollinator and wildlife habitat. |
| 2021-221 | Roske | Molly | DNR Scientific and Natural Areas (ML20 Resubmit) | MN DNR - Ecological and Water Resources Division | $3,000,000 | Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) habitat restoration/enhancement (~600 acres), increased public involvement, and strategic acquisition (~250 acres) will conserve Minnesota’s most unique and rare resources for everyone's benefit. |
| 2021-310 | Terrill | Tim | Whiskey Creek & Mississippi River Water Quality/Habitat/Recreation | Mississippi Headwaters Board | $500,000 | Project will purchase 13.8 acres and construct water quality, habitat, and recreational improvements to protect the Mississippi River from contaminants in the 400-acre, highly impervious watershed in Baxter Minnesota. |
| 2021-324 | Gautreaux | Sherril | Ranier/Safe Harbor Transient Dock on Rainy Lake | City of Ranier | $762,000 | To construct a dock in Ranier which would accommodate boats 26 feet or longer with the goal of increasing public access for boat recreation on Rainy Lake. |
| 2021-325 | Olson | Neil | Veterans on the Lake | Veterans on the Lake | $650,000 | $650,000 is respectfully requested for accessibility/handicap renovations to existing structures and roadway and trail construction for upgrading accessibility for our clients 81% of which are disabled American Veterans. |
| 2021-329 | Pohlman | JoAnn | Voyageur National Park Crane Lake Visitors Center Project | Town of Crane Lake | $3,600,000 | Crane Lake Township is applying for LCCMR funds to construct a 7,000 square foot Visitors Center to serve as an access point to the Voyageurs National Park. |
| 2021-330 | Melin | Kaycee | Brookston Campground, Boat Launch & Outdoor Recreational Facility Final | City of Brookston | $500,000 | The City of Brookston will be building a campground, boat launch, and outdoor recreation area on the banks of the St. Louis River in northeastern Minnesota. |
| 2021-332 | Burich | Rebecca | Moose/Seven Beaver Multi-Use Trail Upgrade | City of Hoyt Lakes | $1,200,000 | The City of Hoyt Lakes and the Ranger ATV and Snowmobile Club will be improving the Moose and Seven Bears Trails and extending the trails to connect to regional trails. |
| 2021-338 | Arvidson | Adam | Above the Falls Regional Park Acquisition and Restoration | Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board | $1,267,000 | This project would acquire and restore 3.25 acres of industrial land along the Mississippi River within the Above the Falls Regional Park. |
| 2021-339 | See-Benes | Britt | Silver Lake Trail Improvement Project | City of Virginia | $1,428,000 | Reconstruction & renovation of the Silver Lake Walking Trail in order to allow safe multi-modal transportation between schools, parks, community recreation facilities and other community activity centers in Downtown Virginia. |
| 2021-362 | Skaar | Kent | Minnesota State Trails Development | MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division | $6,000,000 | This project proposes to expand recreational opportunities on Minnesota State Trails through the rehabilitation and enhancement of existing state trails and replacement or repair of existing state trail bridges. |
| 2021-363 | Vollbrecht | Lisa | Highbanks Ravine Bat Habernaculum Project | City of St. Cloud | $1,100,000 | The City of St. Cloud will be rerouting and upgrading their existing stormwater system in the Highbanks Ravine area working with the DNR to preserve an existing bat hibernaculum. |
| 2021-371 | Skaar | Kent | State Parks and State Trails In-Holdings | MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division | $3,725,000 | Acquire top priority in-holdings within legislatively established boundaries of Minnesota’s 75 State Parks and State Recreation Areas and 26 State Trails from willing sellers. |
| 2021-380 | Stewart | Nancy | Accessible Fishing Piers and Shore Fishing Areas | MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division | $400,000 | Provide 6-8 accessible fishing piers and 1-2 developed shore fishing sites in locations that have a high potential to serve new angling communities, under-served populations and anglers with disabilities. |
| 2021-404 | Dahl | Bill | Mesabi Trail Mckinley to Biwabik | St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority | $1,000,000 | This project is for the construction of an approximately 5.5 mile-long segment of the Mesabi Trail beginning at the City of McKinley and ending at the City of Biwabik. |
| 2021-419 | Bissonette | Cathy | Birch Lake Recreation Area Campground | City of Babbitt | $750,000 | This project consists of expanding the existing Birch Lake Recreation Area to add a new 22 acre campground that will include 49 new campsites that will accommodate recreational vehicles/tents. |
| 2021-420 | Pohlman | JoAnn | Crane Lake Voyageurs National Park Campground & Visitors Center | Town of Crane Lake | $3,600,000 | This project consists of the design and construction of a new campground and site preparation/permitting/engineering/design for a new Visitors Center in Crane Lake. |
| 2021-428 | Mooney | Kevin | Rocori Trail Phase 3 | Rocori Trail Construction Board | $1,260,000 | This project consists of the design and construction of Phase 3 of the Rocori Trail along the old BNSF rail corridor and will connect Cold Spring, Richmond and Rockville. |
| 2021-434 | Simonson | Ryan | Crow Wing County Community Natural Area Acquisition | Crow Wing County | $405,000 | Acquire private land surrounding a historic fire tower to protect and provide a buffer to the tower itself while creating interpretive walking trails on the newly acquired property. |
| 2021-442 | Skaar | Kent | Minnesota State Parks and State Trails Inholdings | MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division | $994,000 | This project proposes to expand recreational opportunities on Minnesota State Trails through the rehabilitation or replacement of existing state trail bridges. |
| 2021-443 | Skaar | Kent | Minnesota State Parks and State Trails Inholdings | MN DNR, State Parks and Trails Division | $3,500,000 | Acquire top priority in-holdings within legislatively established boundaries of Minnesota’s 75 State Parks and State Recreation Areas and 26 State Trails from willing sellers. |
| 2021-444 | Mularie | Audrey | Local Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Grant Programs | MN DNR, Grants Unit | $2,400,000 | Provide approximately 13 matching grants for local parks, acquisition of locally significant natural areas and trails to connect people safety to desirable community locations and regional or state facilities. |
| 2021-445 | Schulte | Judy | 2020-Private Native Prairie Conservation through Native Prairie Bank | MN DNR, Ecological and Water Resources Division | $2,000,000 | Re-submission of 2020 Proposal: Native Prairie Bank (NPB) will help landowners conserve native prairie though outreach, restoration and enhancement of 700 acres, and protection of 130 acres through conservation easements. |
| 2021-446 | Forbes | DJ | Turning Back to Rivers: Environmental and Recreational Protection | The Trust for Public Land | $3,804,000 | This project will help communities acquire priority land along the Mississippi, St. Croix, and Minnesota Rivers, and their tributaries, protecting the environment and water quality while creating much-needed recreational opportunities. |
| 2021-453 | Yavarow | Matthew | Perham to Pelican Rapids Regional Trail (West Segment) | Otter Tail County | $2,836,000 | Construction of the West Segment (6.83 miles) of the 32-mile Perham to Pelican Rapids Regional Trail that will connect the City of Pelican Rapids to Maplewood State Park. |
| 2021-458 | Monson | Kjersti | Early Enhancements: Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock | Friends of the Lock and Dam | $2,800,000 | Acquire, preserve, and improve land on the Central Riverfront in Minneapolis abutting the Upper Lock (but not the Lock structure itself) for recreation, conservation, natural restoration, and education. |
| G. Land Acquisition for Habitat and Recreation H. Proposals seeking $200,000 or less in funding (RECEIVED: 5 Proposal / Subtotal - $791,000) |
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| 2021-029 | Bartosh | Jeremy | SW MN Single Track Trail | Jackson County, Parks & Trails | $190,000 | Create a single track mountain bike trail in a county park in SW MN where there is a current need for such infrastructure to boost economic and lifestyle changes. |
| 2021-036 | Aro | Matthew | A Second Life for Urban Ash Trees | U of MN, Duluth - NRRI | $156,000 | 3This project is a model for reducing the community impact of emerald ash borer (EAB) and promoting long-term carbon sequestration via demonstration of beneficial reuse of EAB-infested ash trees. |
| 2021-038 | Langowski | Harold | Ely Trezona Trail / Pioneer Mine Site Restoration | City of Ely | $185,000 | This project seeks funding for the restoration of a failing retaining wall at Ely’s Pioneer Mine Recreational Site located on the popular Trezona Trail. |
| 2021-222 | Brand | Jefferson | Lake Brophy Trail Expansion | Big Ole Bike Club | $100,000 | The first project is a downhill trail and an uphill trail. The second project is an asphalt pump track. |
| 2021-406 | Williams | Scott | Chippewa County Acquisition, Recreation and Education | Chippewa County | $160,000 | Chippewa County will acquire 51 acres of riverine wetland/floodplain forest complex, floodplain and abandoned gravel pits along the MN River southwest of Montevideo. |