Great River Greening just completed the report, Conservation Opportunities in the Minnesota and St. Croix River Valleys in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area funded largely by a grant from the Bush Foundation. The report identifies the ten highest priority and fifteen other high priority sites for restoration assistance in the Twin Cities’ portions of the St. Croix and Minnesota River Valleys.

“This report is important for several reasons,” said Fred Harris, Ph.D., Lead Ecologist for Great River Greening and author of the report. “First, it identifies ecologically significant sites and areas where restoration and protection work is most crucial now, on public as well as private land. And, it underlines the ecological significance of the river valleys in the Metro area—there is a lot going on right here.”

Areas in the Minnesota Valley include Lower Bevin’s Creek Valley in Carver County and Blakeley Ravines in Scott County.  Brown’s Creek valley and the Fall’s Creek area both in Washington County are among the high priority conservation areas on the St. Croix.

Together with a similar 2002 report on the Mississippi by the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, these reports will provide local governments, communities and private landowners the opportunity to use regional-level information to identify important local natural resources before planning and development processes begin and conservation opportunities end! Communities can take proactive steps to conserve their natural resources such as buying conservation easements or working with landowners and new developers on ecological design and restoration.

The results of this comprehensive report, which will be available soon on Greening’s website, have already shaped the restoration and outreach priorities of Greening and led to project discussions and active projects. We will continue to share the results with partners and invite interested parties to contact us directly.