Shoreline Restoration on the Rum River

The City of Milaca, the Mille Lacs SWCD and NRCS have teamed up to restore a section of eroding shoreline at Riverview Park on the Rum River in Milaca, MN. The river had washed away a 100 foot section of riverbank where a lack of vegetation had left it open to erosion by the swiftly moving water.

 Sediment from the eroding shoreline carries phosphorus into the river and increases turbidity which affects the amount of sunlight that reaches plants and animals.  The lack of vegetation on the shoreline also means no habitat for fish and wild life.  This spot of the river is known as a nursery and spawning area for small mouth bass and walleye. Fish need shaded areas on the bank to reproduce.

NRCS helped to restore this habitat by providing funds through the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program.  The Mille Lacs Soil and Water Conservation District provided BWSR State Cost Share funds to restore the shoreline and organized workshops to do the planting.                                    

The restoration involved re-shaping the cut bank to a more natural slope, hard armoring against the swift water coming around the river bend with different sized rocks (called rip rap), and planting native shrubs into the rip rap to create fish habitat. Native grasses and forbs were planted into a 25 foot upland buffer that will help hold soil in place and filter runoff from the surrounding park and road areas. Native plants have roots that can extend 15 feet into the ground. This makes them drought tolerant and allows them to absorb and filter runoff and hold soil in place.  Because this is a public park, the buffer has a large amount of native flowers planted into it and a walking path has been established through the center of the space. Annual oats were planted to hold the soil in place until the native plants gets established. 2700 native plants were installed by volunteers during three different educational workshops that were held by the SWCD. The first workshop involved Master Gardeners, elementary kids from a local day care center and a few Milaca citizens. The next two workshops involved Master Gardeners and high school students from the Princeton Environmental Club and the Milaca FFA.

The Mille Lacs SWCD has selected the City of Milaca as their Outstanding Conservationist for 2008, due in part to this successful project. The City was chosen because of their support of the Riverview Park project, the Library Rain Garden project and their future plans to keep water quality in mind as they plan for future improvements to city parks. They are being recognized for bringing water quality issues to the attention of the entire community by spearheading water quality improvements in public spaces.

Over 35,000 Trees Are Being Planted in Mille Lacs County!

The Mille Lacs Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) recently held its annual spring conservation tree sale to encourage tree planting in Mille Lacs County for windbreaks and wildlife. The SWCD distributed 35,000 seedling trees to more than 400 customers at the beginning of May.

Each year around January the SWCD begins to take tree orders on a first come, first serve basis, for trees that are distributed in April. The SWCD will help you choose the trees best suited for your needs. There are a number of conservation plans incorporating trees that can transform your land and allow it to support wildlife that add beauty and pleasure to our lives. Maybe you would choose the cover of a native White pine or spruce to fit your need, or possibly a fruiting tree like plum or chokecherry for their edible qualities.

The Mille Lacs SWCD would also like to thank the many landowners for their support of the conservation tree program by planting more than 35,000 trees in 2008.  If you would like to receive the tree order form, information or technical assistance, please contact the Mille Lacs Soil & Water Conservation District at (320) 983-2160.

REMEMBER: The Best Time To Plant A Tree Was 20 Years Ago. Today Is The Next Best Time.

Fifth Grade Conservation Education Days held at Rec Park in Milaca

Fifth grade students from Isle, Milaca, and Nay-Ah-Shing schools attended the annual conservation education day at Rec Park in Milaca on May 17th.  Presenters spoke to students about water safety, soils and water quality, Minnesota Conservation Corp, Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, tree planting, Lyme disease, trapping and birds. 

Call Lynn Carter at 320-983-2160 for more information

Mille Lacs Soil and Water Conservation District is an Equal Opportunity Employer