VAN Forum: May 3, 2011

Minnesota State Parks and Trails

Spiny water flea

Chinese and Banded Mystery Snails

Ruffe

Curly-leaf pondweedEurasian watermilfoil

Zebra mussel

Common carp

Campground Host program

Gypsy Moth

Emerald Ash Borer

Japanese knotweed

Narrowleaf bittercress

Wild parsnip

Miscanthus

Buckthorn is one of the most invasive species found in Minnesota.

Garlic mustard

Leafy spurge

Purple loosestrife

Purple Loosestrife

Crown Vetch

MN DNR Adopt-a-River Program

DNR Parks and Trails DivisionPaul Nordell, DNR Program Coordinator

Charlene Brooks, Conservation Corps Minnesota

Water Recreation Specialist

Minnesota has about92,000 miles of flowing water and

22,000 lakes and basins...

With many different users…With many different users…

Sometimes things get left behind…Sometimes things get left behind…

The ProblemThe Problem

Rubbish gets into our flood plains from:Rubbish gets into our flood plains from:

• Littering and illegal dumping.Littering and illegal dumping.• Storm water in the streets carry trash into our rivers.Storm water in the streets carry trash into our rivers.• Erosion from old river-bottom and ravine dumpsites. Erosion from old river-bottom and ravine dumpsites. • Construction sites.Construction sites.• Wind-blown rubbish swept from highways and parking lots.Wind-blown rubbish swept from highways and parking lots.

Minnesota River in Belle Plaine Minnesota River in Belle Plaine after the 1984 Flood. after the 1984 Flood.

Peanut the turtlePeanut the turtlePeanut the turtle was found in 1993 in Missouri and taken to a zoo in St. Louis Peanut the turtle was found in 1993 in Missouri and taken to a zoo in St. Louis where the six-pack ring was removed. Today she is in the care of the Missouri where the six-pack ring was removed. Today she is in the care of the Missouri Department of Conservation, and is doing well. Department of Conservation, and is doing well.

When she was a small turtle, she got the ring stuck on her shell. She couldn't When she was a small turtle, she got the ring stuck on her shell. She couldn't get it off, and over time, the majority of her shell grew, but the area around the get it off, and over time, the majority of her shell grew, but the area around the ring did not. ring did not.

If this had happened to a fleshy If this had happened to a fleshy animal like an otter, the animal animal like an otter, the animal probably would have died fromprobably would have died from an infection. Since Peanut's an infection. Since Peanut's shell protected her body, she shell protected her body, she was able to live with it, thoughwas able to live with it, though some of her organs don't function some of her organs don't function properly. As a result, she will properly. As a result, she will always look like this. always look like this.

Many kinds of litter Many kinds of litter harm animals!harm animals!

Volunteer and Cleanup DataVolunteer and Cleanup Data

Since 1989, Adopt-a-River program has: Since 1989, Adopt-a-River program has:

• Organized 3,000 cleanups by 82,000 volunteersOrganized 3,000 cleanups by 82,000 volunteers• Volunteered nearly 280,000 hoursVolunteered nearly 280,000 hours• Cleaned 10,000 miles of Minnesota shorelineCleaned 10,000 miles of Minnesota shoreline

• Removed six million pounds of trash! Removed six million pounds of trash!

One way we are trying to clean our One way we are trying to clean our waters is through educationwaters is through education

The Adopt-a-River Crime Lab is a learning station for area 4th – The Adopt-a-River Crime Lab is a learning station for area 4th – 6th graders as part of “Big River Journey”. At this station, the 6th graders as part of “Big River Journey”. At this station, the students are asked to examine garbage found along the students are asked to examine garbage found along the riverbank and to determine how it got to the river.riverbank and to determine how it got to the river.

The Annual Riverboat Cleanup is The Annual Riverboat Cleanup is another way we get volunteers to another way we get volunteers to

help clean up the riverbanks.help clean up the riverbanks.

Recent Mississippi Recent Mississippi Riverboat Cleanup Trophies Riverboat Cleanup Trophies

Of course, there would not be an Of course, there would not be an Adopt-a-River Program without our Adopt-a-River Program without our volunteer groups organizing their volunteer groups organizing their

own cleanups.own cleanups.

Adopt-a-River at the Minnesota State FairAdopt-a-River at the Minnesota State Fair

• Every year we displayEvery year we displaya new sculpture made a new sculpture made from river junk.from river junk.

• Fairgoers complete a Fairgoers complete a scavenger hunt and scavenger hunt and receive a prize.receive a prize.

• This brings a lot of This brings a lot of attention to the problems attention to the problems in our public waters.in our public waters. 2010 Nature’s Engineer:2010 Nature’s Engineer:

The BeaverThe Beaver

For more information: For more information:

Visit our website: www.mndnr.gov/adoptriver

Organizing a cleanup Safety tips Order supplies Photo galleries Event calendar Educational materials including a

new interactive watershed model. Read the Cleanup Review, our

program’s publication.

Photos were supplied by volunteers, the DNR, and Photos were supplied by volunteers, the DNR, and Rolf Hagberg of the Conservation Corps Minnesota.Rolf Hagberg of the Conservation Corps Minnesota.

Contact us at:Contact us at:

Paul Nordell: 651-259-5630Paul Nordell: 651-259-5630Water Recreation Specialist: 651-259-5620Water Recreation Specialist: 651-259-5620

Adoptariver.dnr@state.mn.us

Adopt-a-River ProgramAdopt-a-River ProgramDNR Parks & Trails DivisionDNR Parks & Trails Division

500 Lafayette Rd. Box 39500 Lafayette Rd. Box 39St. Paul, MN 55155-4039St. Paul, MN 55155-4039

Fax: 651-297-5475Fax: 651-297-5475

Website: www.mndnr.gov/adoptriverWebsite: www.mndnr.gov/adoptriver

The Adopt-a-River program empowers Minnesotans to keep their The Adopt-a-River program empowers Minnesotans to keep their resources beautiful by removing rubbish from public waters. resources beautiful by removing rubbish from public waters.

The entire community depends upon The entire community depends upon the quality of our waters for safe the quality of our waters for safe drinking, health of wildlife, and drinking, health of wildlife, and recreation. Through involvement in recreation. Through involvement in volunteer cleanups, the polluting volunteer cleanups, the polluting impacts of litter-strewn storm water impacts of litter-strewn storm water can be reduced. can be reduced.

Your donated time and Your donated time and energy can truly make a energy can truly make a difference!difference!

The Mentoring The Mentoring PuzzlePuzzle

Turning beginners into anglers, hunters, and shooters by inspiring, Turning beginners into anglers, hunters, and shooters by inspiring, teaching, and mentoring!teaching, and mentoring!

Think back to your favorite

place as a child…

Times Are A Changing!Times Are A Changing!

... and our traditions are dying away... and our traditions are dying away... and our traditions are dying away... and our traditions are dying away

Fewer Fewer beginners get beginners get off to the right off to the right startstart

Declining Declining participation is participation is well well documenteddocumented

Fewer Fewer beginners get beginners get off to the right off to the right startstart

Declining Declining participation is participation is well well documenteddocumented

What if the decline What if the decline continues?continues?

What if the decline What if the decline continues?continues?Shrinking customer

base threatens very existence of equipment makers

Same thing for state agencies, conservation groups, outdoor media, guides, outfitters, tourism, and more

Plus: wildlife & wild places need passionate advocates!

Shrinking customer base threatens very existence of equipment makers

Same thing for state agencies, conservation groups, outdoor media, guides, outfitters, tourism, and more

Plus: wildlife & wild places need passionate advocates!

Outreach Mentoring GuidelineOutreach Mentoring Guideline

Outdoor Outdoor Mentoring Mentoring

Program VisionProgram VisionIs a collaboration empowering our Is a collaboration empowering our outdoors community to create outdoors community to create awareness, and outdoors education with awareness, and outdoors education with appropriate hands-on skills, while appropriate hands-on skills, while matching certified outdoor matching certified outdoor mentors/coaches/advisors with mentors/coaches/advisors with youths/adults to provide multiple year-youths/adults to provide multiple year-round experiences to sustain round experiences to sustain independent actions in the resource.independent actions in the resource.

Core Beliefs of a New SystemCore Beliefs of a New SystemCore Beliefs of a New SystemCore Beliefs of a New System

Emphasis on early success = better chance beginners will stick with it

Beginners learn “most of what they’ll ever need to know” quickly, from expert instructors….but they will need support

Beginners need hands-on instruction, or they can’t develop skills & build experience

Beginners have to go often... or the full connection is never made!

Beginners should sample anything they want to try, then freely choose what they like best

Outdoor experiences are positive and FUN!

Emphasis on early success = better chance beginners will stick with it

Beginners learn “most of what they’ll ever need to know” quickly, from expert instructors….but they will need support

Beginners need hands-on instruction, or they can’t develop skills & build experience

Beginners have to go often... or the full connection is never made!

Beginners should sample anything they want to try, then freely choose what they like best

Outdoor experiences are positive and FUN!

Outdoor Mentor Outdoor Mentor Training (OMT)Training (OMT)

Outdoor Mentor Outdoor Mentor Training (OMT)Training (OMT)

Trained Certified DNR Outdoors Mentors

Outdoor Mentors Matched:

Outdoors Skills Events

Mentoring Organizations

Outdoor Organizations

The Public

Trained Certified DNR Outdoors Mentors

Outdoor Mentors Matched:

Outdoors Skills Events

Mentoring Organizations

Outdoor Organizations

The Public

Inspire • Teach • Inspire • Teach • MentorMentor

““I Can Fish!”I Can Fish!”““I Can Fish!”I Can Fish!”•8 Minnesota State Parks8 Minnesota State Parks•WeeklyWeekly•Equipment and BaitEquipment and Bait•Experienced Anglers Experienced Anglers Share Angling SkillsShare Angling Skills•SafetySafety•Hands-On Skills Building Hands-On Skills Building •Just Go Fish’nJust Go Fish’n•2 to 3 Hours2 to 3 Hours•Making Fishing Making Fishing Memories For LifeMemories For Life

Inspire • Teach • MentorInspire • Teach • Mentor

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

Get and stay Get and stay involvedinvolved

More More participants participants means stronger means stronger connection to connection to natural world = natural world = many good many good thingsthings

Get and stay Get and stay involvedinvolved

More More participants participants means stronger means stronger connection to connection to natural world = natural world = many good many good thingsthings

• • Inspire • Teach • MentorInspire • Teach • Mentor

Mike “Cold Front” Kurre Mike “Cold Front” Kurre Michael.Kurre@state.mn.us

651-259-5193651-259-5193

Turning beginners into anglers, Turning beginners into anglers, hunters, shooters and steward of hunters, shooters and steward of

the outdoors by, inspiring, teaching the outdoors by, inspiring, teaching and mentoring!and mentoring!

DNR Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities organized by sections of the state

I CAN FISH! Workshops

DNR Volunteer Impact

• Nearly 30,000 volunteers in 2010

• Donated 388,000+ hrs• Added value of $8.1M• Equivalent to adding

186 full time people• Volunteers assist the

DNR in accomplishing its conservation mission.

MN Master Naturalist Program The mission of the

Minnesota Master Naturalist program is to promote awareness, understanding, and stewardship of Minnesota's natural environment by developing a corps of well-informed citizens dedicated to conservation education and service within their communities.

mndnr.gov