St. Paul, Minn.—Exploring the unique opportunities and challenges facing southwest Minnesota, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) gathered local, state, and federal conservation staff for its annual Board Tour on August 22 in Rock and Nobles counties. The tour offers board members and staff a valuable opportunity to experience local conservation delivery in action by visiting a variety of projects that aim to improve water quality in the region.
“Conservation practices are best implemented by local professionals and landowners who understand the unique needs of the areas where they work and live,” BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke said. “The Board Tour allows attendees to hear how conservation partnerships positively impact communities from the people who play a hands-on role in pursuing local water quality and conservation improvement projects.”
The Board visited a number of projects focused on flood recovery and water quality improvements. Tour stops included wellhead areas in Worthington and Adrian, the recently-restored Summit Lake in Nobles County, and a presentation in Luverne highlighting disaster recovery efforts following significant flooding in 2014. Local partners included the Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District, the Rock County SWCD, the Nobles County SWCD, the Minnesota Rural Water Association, and the Rock County Rural Water District.
The 20-member BWSR Board includes representatives from state agencies, local governments, and citizens. Board tour destinations rotate each year to highlight different regions of Minnesota. The projects featured during the annual tour illustrate how successful partnerships between federal, state, and local governments and private landowners safeguard and enhance Minnesota’s soil and water resources.
Photos from the Board Tour can be found on Facebook here: https://goo.gl/XjgnyC