The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota

We’re celebrating the 4th of July by appreciating Nature’s Fireworks! 🎇🌻

In 2000, The Nature Conservancy purchased 24,000 acres in Polk County, Minnesota and began restoration. Since then, we and our partners have worked to fill 100 miles of ditches, restore more than 3,000 acres of wetlands and replant more than 20,000 acres of tallgrass prairie.

The restoration on the land known as Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge has resulted in massive benefits for clean water in the area. In fact, the nearby city of Crookston gets its water from aquifers in and around the refuge!

Learn more in the Grand Forks Herald:

Hydrologist’s research highlights benefits of prairie-wetland restoration at Glacial Ridge NWR Ultimately, the decade-long restoration project filled over 100 miles of ditches, restored more than 3,000 acres of wetlands and replanted more than 20,000 acres of tallgrass prairie.

Calling all birders! 🐦

The National Audubon Society's annual Christmas bird count is right around the corner! Whether you’re an experienced birder or new to the hobby, you can contribute to more than a century of community-sourced data.

Find a count near you on Audubon’s interactive map. Counts will take place between December 14 and January 5.

https://nature.ly/3Rdukab

📸 Jim Williams

“As we wrote and recorded the song, our goal was to touch the hearts of those who heard it, so they can feel the love we feel and be motivated to be part of restoring and protecting the health of our beloved grasslands.” -- Maygen Lacey

Minneapolis-based band Maygen & The Birdwatcher has a new music video for their original song “Where Good Things Grow,” celebrating North America’s grassland ecosystems and bringing awareness to ways we can protect them.

The beautiful video was shot here in Minnesota on The Nature Conservancy’s Chippewa Prairie near Appleton, Minnesota.

Where Good Things Grow--South Dakota Grasslands This is "Where Good Things Grow--South Dakota Grasslands" by Joe Dickie on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

In our humble opinion, Minnesota’s natural resources are some of the best in the world. But our trees, water and soil are even more powerful than you may realize. They all play a role in storing carbon and reducing the effects of climate change, making it even more imperative that we protect them.

Learn more:

Trees. Water. Soil. | Nature's Solutions In Minnesota, our future depends on more trees, cleaner water and healthier soils. As we face the challenges and risks brought on by a changing climate, we o...

For every Christmas tree purchased, farmers plant 1-3 seedlings in its place. That means more trees to fight climate change.

Real vs. Fake—Which Christmas Tree Is Better for the Environment? Want a more sustainable holiday? Looking for an eco-friendly Christmas tree? Here’s why buying a real Christmas tree this year can help the planet.

The USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map has just been updated for the first time since 2012!

Check out this resource for tips on gardening, including which plants are most likely to thrive in Minnesota.

📸 Hannah Letinich

https://nature.ly/3T1mIdj

Come help us trim buckthorn at Ottawa Bluffs Preserve near St. Peter!

We have two more volunteer workdays left this year. Pack a lunch, dress in layers and join us for brush cutting and tree thinning.

📆December 2, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
📆December 16, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Ottawa Bluffs Workdays Lend a hand at Ottawa Bluffs by joining us for a workday. Typical activities include brush removal, seed collection and connecting with fellow nature lovers in a beautiful place!

There’s a lot happening at this year’s big UN climate conference. We’ve put together a resource to help you get up-to-speed on some of the key topics at COP28 in Dubai starting Thursday.

COP28: Your Guide to the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in UAE COP28 takes place November 30-December 12, 2023 in United Arab Emirates. This guide will tell you what to expect at COP28, why TNC will be there, and what it all means for you.

What's the big deal about invasive species like emerald ash borer?

The Director of TNC’s Forest Pest and Pathogen Program Leigh Greenwood spoke on the Sustainability Defined podcast about invasive species, why they’re a problem and what can be done to prevent their spread.

Listen here:

#78: Invasive Species | Sustainability Defined Power to the listeners!

Get outside today and enjoy nature!

All of Minnesota’s state parks are offering free admission today. Find one near you: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/index.html?sf183799372=1

📸 Richard Hamilton Smith

The recovery of wild turkeys in the United States is one of the greatest conservation success stories.

In the early 20th century, overhunting and habitat loss drove the wild turkey population in North America down to an estimated 30,000 birds.

Today, that number is over 6 million. Turkeys are found in every U.S. state except Alaska, although they aren’t native to states like California and Hawaii.

So how did this happen? Conservationists created protected areas and lawmakers established regulations around hunting. Conservation groups worked with governments to protect turkey habitat and funded efforts to capture wild turkeys and reintroduce them to their former range.

That’s how the wild turkey ended up back here in Minnesota in the 1970s after decades of local extinction. You’ll find them in the southern half of the state, often in wooded areas, grasslands, and even in urban areas.

📸 David Moynahan

With over 60 million acres of forest spanning three states, the Northwoods is a critically important landscape that filters and provides high-quality freshwater, supports species diversity, and naturally stores carbon.

Here in Minnesota, the Northwoods has lost an enormous amount of their old-growth trees since European settlement. But the ecoregion is recovering. The Nature Conservancy is working with partners to help bring back white pine and other long-lived conifers to the Northwoods, benefiting both the forest and forestry. We have a major focus on increasing diversity and climate resilience on over 50,000 acres of forests owned by our partners, including the U.S. Forest Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, county governments, Native Nations, other nonprofit organizations, and individual landowners.

Learn more: https://nature.ly/47B648c

Hibernation season is here!

In November, black bears will enter their dens for a long season of dormancy, but some won't stay under all winter long. Bears can wake up if they are disturbed. Female bears give birth to their cubs during January and February, and will nurse and care for their newborns during hibernation.

Bears are mostly torpid throughout the entire winter (typically until late March or April). They actually recycle their metabolic waste during hibernation, using it to make new protein—they are the only mammals known to do this.

It is this unique ability that allows them to go months without urinating, eating, drinking or defecating. Bears even redeposit calcium onto their bones during hibernation, compensating for the loss of bone mass that would otherwise result from months of inactivity.

Learn more about hibernation in this month’s Nature Notes!

https://nature.ly/49HXQx2

📸 Dave Shaffer/TNC Photo Contest 2021

In the Moment with Lori Walsh will showcase the return of buffalo to Native lands and people and the central role that Indigenous-led groups based in South Dakota have played in the effort. The program includes a panel discussion with Troy Heinert, executive director of the InterTribal Buffalo Council, Trudy Ecoffey, executive director of Tanka Fund, and Corissa Busse, The Nature Conservancy’s buffalo restoration program director and stories from a South Dakota Native Nation and a rancher who’ve expanded their herds this year. Tune in from noon to 1 p.m. Central/11 a.m. to noon Mountain Time on South Dakota Public Broadcasting:
https://nature.ly/3G2Lli7

Give to the Max Day is here!

Your gift to The Nature Conservancy helps protect the lands and waters on which all life in Minnesota depends. Show your love for nature with a donation today.



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Climate change is projected to complicate water cycles in the Midwest, bringing extremes between wet and dry conditions and changes in snowmelt and rainfall timing. That's according to Fifth National Climate Assessment, which was released today.

But, the assessment authors write, climate-smart agriculture provides a potential path toward sustainability in the face of these challenges. Techniques like planting cover crops, reduced tillage and wetland management can help farmers improve soil health, reduce erosion and increase carbon in the soil.

Dive into the assessment here:

Fifth National Climate Assessment, Chapter 24: Midwest The Fifth National Climate Assessment is the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses. It is a congressionally mandated interagency effort that provides the scientific foundation to support informed decision-making across the United States.

Prairie strips are sections of croplands converted into restored native prairies. These strips of native plants can help reduce erosion on farmlands, keep water clean and provide important food sources for pollinators.

Learn more about how prairie strips are being implemented in southeast Minnesota!

How To Bring Back the Prairie, a Tiny Bit at a Time A former veggie farmer talks “prairie strips” and the effort to bring the prairie back into a Midwestern farm.

We are loving the nature-themes in so many of the submissions for Minnesota’s new state flag! Here are a few of our favorites. 😍

Which one do you love? Tell us in the comments. 👇

📸 State of Minnesota

https://nature.ly/3MC7EyT

What comes to mind when you picture Minnesota?

Is it our beautiful lakes and rivers? Our majestic forests? Our gorgeous open prairies?

At The Nature Conservancy, we believe all of these precious natural features make our state special. That’s why we need your help to protect them. Your gift to TNC this Give to the Max Day will help us safeguard nature for the next generation.

Give here: https://nature.ly/3QSD0Us

“Peatlands are just sort of a superhero of carbon sequestration, so they’re really crucial for reducing human-caused climate change.”

TNC has been conducting research on peatlands in Minnesota, which have huge potential for storing carbon and benefitting the climate. WDIO has the story:

Protecting peatlands for climate mitigation The Nature Conservancy has been doing field work at the Sax-Zim Bog to learn more about the climate impacts of restoring peatlands.

Ever hear a spooky sound in the night and you’re not sure what it is? There are a few critters that could be potential suspects.

What’s That Weird Noise in the Night? You’re laying in bed, sound asleep, or counting leaping sheep as you drift off into dreams. And then, a scream.

Reforestation requires lots of new trees, and producing a steady supply of tree seedlings is no small task.

Thanks to the Minnesota Legislature’s $10 million investment in the state tree nursery this year, seedling production at the nursery is gearing up to meet high demand.

Check out this MPR News story about new funding for the Minnesota State Forest Nursery.

Minnesota tree nursery plans big expansion to meet demand Minnesotans are planting more trees. Efforts to mitigate climate change are driving the demand. The outdated state tree nursery in northern Minnesota is undergoing major renovations so it can grow millions of new seedlings each year.

Meet the underdogs of pollination.

From industrious spiders and formidable wasps to unassuming beetles and humble flies, these unsung heroes play a crucial role in pollination, quietly contributing to the health and diversity of nearly every ecosystem on Earth.

That's why TNC is working to protect creatures like this that help plants and animals thrive and pollinate food in Minnesota and beyond.

Peculiar Pollinators in the Midwest We all know the honeybees that pollinate our flowers in the Midwest. But did you know there are some other, shall we say, peculiar pollinators? Learn about the importance of lesser-known pollinators.

October is prime time to spot waterfowl migrating through the state. 🦆

Ducks and geese are great animals for beginner birders to spot. They’re often out on the open water and have easily recognizable features and behaviors. Grab a pair of binoculars and see what you can find!

https://nature.ly/3FnFQtS

Today on World Food Day, learn about Minnesota farmers who are implementing restorative techniques on the land. Practices like no-till and cover cropping increase farm profitability, tackle climate change and improve water quality.

Feeding the World and Protecting Nature Protecting our planet doesn’t have to come at the expense of our food supply. That’s why we’re working to build a more sustainable model, setting out to show how adoption of best management practices can improve profitability, capture carbon and protect water.

How can powerful imagery advance conservation goals? Jason Whalen, photographer and co-owner of Fauna Creative, will explore this topic during our October 26 webinar.

Throughout the presentation, he’ll share some photography tips you can use on your next outdoor adventure. You’ll also hear from Shaun Howard, preserve infrastructure and outreach manager at TNC, on where and when to capture unique flora and fauna in the Midwest.

Register here: https://nature.ly/45yjSyU

This spooky season, we’re learning about the eerie ecosystem of peatlands.

From the ancient layers of dead organic matter that refuse to decompose, to the carnivorous pitcher plants that trap and devour their unsuspecting prey, Minnesota’s peatlands have a special allure this time of year.

But what's scarier than peatlands is the fact that they are at risk. Peatlands make up only 3% of Earth’s surface yet store about 30% of all land carbon. In Minnesota, we have a long history of draining and degrading our peatlands. And when peatlands cannot retain water, peat dries out and releases frightening amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. These climate superheroes could become climate villains.

That’s a terrifying prospect, but one that we can avoid with proper planning and management. Here in Minnesota, we have the most peatland out of any of the lower 48 states, meaning we are well-positioned to lead in this space to deliver data and determine best practices for taking full advantage of these natural climate solutions. Learn about the work that is being done to protect these weird, wonderful and spooky habitats at the link below.

📸 Derek Montgomery

https://nature.ly/46IHrGZ