On March 2, 2010 Minnesota’s Wildflowers submitted their 2010 Legislative funding initiative to Senator Satveer Chaudhary, Chairman of the Senate’s Natural Resources Committee, requesting $300,000.00 for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s state weed program.

Minnesota’s Wildflowers are asking you to now contact your state legislators and asking them for their support of this important legislation.

The time for this funding is now, not 2011 or 2012 or whenever the economy gets better because it’s not going to. Minnesota does have weed law now but it is unfunded. Non-native invasive species at present run completely unchecked throughout the entire state.

We cannot promise that you that we will get this funding from these efforts but we will have tried and for sure – no funding without your help!

Here is the link to find contact information for your legislators:

http://www.gis.leg.mn/mapserver/districts/

Conversations on conservation can be had with the forest resources council or other industry stakeholders, including:

Bachman’s http://www.bachmans.com/tipsheets/Christmas/SpruceTreeTops.cfm

Linder’s http://linders.com/whats-happening/time-to-spruce-up-those-pots/

Please comment on this posting with any insightful conversations on conservation you may have with stakeholders on this important subject.

Actions undergoing state environmental review are posted at the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board Monitor Publication.  http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/monitor.html

NOVEMBER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:  ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR PROPOSED POLYMET MINING

In 2008, Minnesotan’s voted a Constitutional Amendment for 25 years of dependable funding for the environment.  This allows for the type of long term ecological planning necessary to tackle complex issues. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO to ensure wise use of constitutionally approved financing for the environment

The Lessard Outdoor Council was formed in early 2009 to address the constitutionally approved funds and to receive proposals and make decisions on funding environmentally protective projects.  This website takes you to the latest activities of the Council. http://www.lohc.state.mn.us/ Native plant communities should be a cornerstone of long-term environmental protection and funding.  The importance of this will be understood by the Council only when MNNPS members and others present them personal stories and well thought out science on the importance of our native plant communities. Urge them to make native plant communities a top priority in considering and ranking proposals. Consider working together with a MNNPS friend to send letters and attend and comment on Council hearings in 2010.

June 11, 2009

Associated Press
Last update: June 11, 2009 – 7:04 AM

MANKATO, Minn. – A conservation group is trying to determine whether prairie grass in southern Minnesota could be used to produce electricity.

The Nature Conservancy will take grass from about 300 acres of native or restored prairies in Nicollet, Le Sueur, Sibley and Rice counties to a new biomass plant in Shakopee and figure out the cost of producing energy from the land.

Besides finding a new way to produce energy, a spokesman for the group says the project is a way to protect tallgrass prairies — a nearly extinct ecosystem. Christopher Anderson says Minnesota is down to less than 1 percent of the prairie land it once had.

The University of Minnesota and local soil and water districts are also helping with the project.

 WHAT YOU CAN DO

#1  Please comment on this post with additional news and information that you have.  This will be build our information base for 2010 action on this topic.

#2 Take Action.  Understand the issue and how various tradeoffs between prairie grass vs. other forms of plant biomass for fuels affect native plants and communities.  Contact your legislative representatives to find out where they stand and considering meeting with them to provide your understanding. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/

The Minnesota Native Plant Society submitted a letter to the Chippewa National Forest Supervisor’s Office in 2007 regarding OHV concerns. Review the letter at the MNNPS website. http://www.mnnps.org/committees/conservationcommittee.html

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Current alert information on statewide OHV regulations will be updated here in the near future. Check back to learn more and leave comments that provide additional insights into this issue. Then contact your state legislators or other decision makers using the information at http://www.leg.state.mn.us/