Did you know there has been a landscape-scale effort to prevent invasive Phragmites from becoming a major threat to Minnesota habitats for the past four years? Invasive Phragmites (Phragmites australis subsp. australis) is a tall, non-native grass that can dominate wetlands and lakeshores, displace native flora and fauna, and harm recreation, infrastructure, and ecological functioning.... Read more »

The Whitefish Area Property Owner’s Association and the Crow Wing LARA are hosting the 8th Annual AIS Roundtable featuring speakers from the University of Minnesota AIS Research Center. The event provides a great opportunity to hear from the Center’s Director, Dr. Nick Phelps, as well as from several researchers with projects underway. The event runs... Read more »

The 1-hour webinar is free and starts at noon CT on June 13. The session will be repeated on June 20 at 6 pm CT. Grow your knowledge of native Minnesotan plants as you prepare your own gardens with MN Sea Grant's Jessy Carlson and John Bly of Metro Blooms for a free webinar hosted by Cook County Higher Education. This event... Read more »

Our Annual meeting of 2024 will be held on June 18th at 9-11 am cdt. Meeting topics and speakers: Election of Directors for the MN COLA Board. Director terms are 3 years and we have several seats to fill. Note: if you have interest in joining the MN COLA Board, please contact Kevin Farum to... Read more »

Getting students aware of AIS is a good thing and it will also foster behavior change in adults. Lake Superior State University brings together students, teachers, natural resource mentors, and staff from LSSU’s Center for Freshwater Research and Education to conduct hands-on research into local invasive species issues. Learn how this collaboration has fostered local,... Read more »

This in-person session is June 28 from 9:30-11:00 am at the Cass County Land Office, 218 Washburn Avenue E, Backus, MN 56435 Dr. Bruce R. Carlson, a retired professor from the University of Michigan Medical School, will lead the session addressing: An overview of how a typical area lake is put together and how it functions Numerous... Read more »

Register: $20 per person -- reserve now! Seating limited to 54 Use the QR code or go to https://nativenaturalshorelandtour.evenbrite.com   Gather at 8:00 am at Sunshine's Summerhouse at 2008 Hill Drive SW, Fairview Township Bus departs at 8:30 am and returns at 12:30 pm Questions? Call Sheila at (612) 226-6571

Join us at locations across Minnesota for a day of searching for starry stonewort, mystery snails, and other aquatic invasive species!

The September session of Itasca Waters’ Water Wisdom focuses on “Changing water quality in Itasca County lakes.” The webinar is from noon – 1 CT on September 5. The northeast region of Minnesota, and Minnesota overall, are well-known for iconic, high-quality waters. Some people have reported seeing decreases in water quality and unwelcome changes in... Read more »

We have three important topics on the docket: Concerns from the rise of vacation home rentals in lake country Septic systems and their impact to water quality The upcoming statewide elections and how that may influence the 2025 Legislative session in St. Paul. Register anytime before the meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting itself will... Read more »

Septic systems are a key element to keeping our lakes and rivers healthy. Waterfront property owners need to be aware of maintenance needs of septic systems and the University of Minnesota’s Onsite Sewage Treatment Program has your back. As part of the EPA’s SepticSmart Week (September 16-20) the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program is offering a... Read more »

Photo, University of Minnesota, MAISRC This event is in-person and gives you a great opportunity to see what’s happening at MAISRC, meet the researchers, and connect with other water stewards in Minnesota. This is in our backyard and we are privileged to have these kinds of opportunities. The event is from 8:30 to 5:30 at... Read more »