The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge
(Established: May, 1975) consists of wetlands and grasslands located in the tallgrass prairie life zone.
It contains over 6,000 acres of grassland, including large tracts of native prairie.
Preserving many unique and native Minnesotan flora and fauna.
Blue Mounds State Park is Located just north
of Luverne on Highway 75, the Blue Mounds is a beautifully kept prairie retreat. It is one of the
largest prairie parks in Minnesota and features more than 1,500 acres of grasslands. Walking the
miles of trails will give you a feel for the untamed plains.
Institute for Local Self Reliance
is a small organization with a remarkable track record for breaking new ground in promoting
sustainable communities. In 1978 RAIN magazine described ILSR as an organization that "puts
hard numbers on soft dreams". In 1993 United States Senator Paul Wellstone called ILSR "one
of this country's leading practical thinkers in the area of sustainable economic development".
Amid the prairie grasses at Jeffers Petroglyphs
are islands of uncovered rock, where American Indians left carvings —petroglyphs— humans, deer,
elk, buffalo, turtles, thunderbirds, atlatls and arrows. They tell a story that spans 5,000
years. The glyphs served many functions, including recording important events, depicting sacred
ceremonies, and emphasizing the importance of animals and hunting. The petroglyphs' carvers
struck chisels of hard stone or antler with hammerstones.
Lake Benton is proud to be known as the
"Windpower Capital" of the American midwest. Presently the home to over 200 wind turbines --
with more currently under construction -- Lake Benton is emerging as an important source of
alternative, wind-generated electricity.
A 1990 study of Minnesota's wind energy potential by the Department of Public service found
that the area around Lake Benton -- the "Buffalo Ridge" -- has enough wind to produce
electricity well in excess of a full year's net electrical consumption in Minnesota. The
Buffalo Ridge provides more high-grade wind resources than the entire state of California.
The Minnesota Historical society is a private, non-profit
educational and cultural institution established in 1849 to preserve and share Minnesota
history. The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota's past through
interactive and engaging museum exhibits, extensive libraries and collections, 24 historic
sites, educational programs and book publishing.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
is working with people to clean up the Minnesota River. On their site you will find information
on the river itself, its watersheds, pollutants, and some of the efforts underway to clean it up.
The Minnesota River is one of the 20 most endangered waterways in America. A report by the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) entitled Minnesota River Assessment Project (MRAP)
documented frequent violations of federal or state standards for bacteria, phosphorus,
turbidity, and dissolved oxygen at several monitoring stations along the Minnesota River or
its tributaries. The
Minnesota River Basin Information Page
is an good place to find out more about this subject.
The mission of Minnesota River Basin Data Center
is to provide for the inventory, development, retrieval, interpretation and dissemination of
pedigreed data and information on topics that impact the environment, economy and communities
within the Minnesota River Basin.
At the Oliver Kelley Farm you can
step into a working 1860s farm. Pick heirloom vegetables from the garden, visit the farmhands
and animals at the barn, or churn butter and see what's cooking in the farmhouse. Costumed guides
work the fields with oxen and horses. At different times throughout the season, you'll see
horse-powered threshing, reaping with a McCormick Daisy self-raking reaper, or plowing with oxen.
The story of the Pipestone National Monument and the pipes
made from it spans four centuries of Plains Indian life. Inseparable from the traditions that
structured daily routine and honored the spirit world, pipes figured prominently in the ways
of the village and in dealings between tribes. The story parallels that of a culture in transition:
the evolution of the pipes influenced - and was influenced by - their makers' association with
white explorers, traders, soldiers, and settlers.
The Rivers Council of Minnesota is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to helping Minnesotans protect, restore and enjoy our 92,000 miles of streams and rivers.
Research at the Soil Landscape Analysis Laboratory
focuses on quantitative spatial analysis and modeling of natural resource data. The research
facilities for the lab were established with a grant from the National Science Foundation in 1994.
Minnesotans for An Energy-Efficient Economy (ME3) is a coalition working to improve the quality
of life, the environment and the economy of Minnesota by promoting energy efficiency and the
sound use of renewable energy. Through a program of research, public education, and intervention
in the decision-making process, ME3 seeks to develop and build consensus for an energy vision that
will ensure the well-being of future generations. Me3 created
Sustainable Minnesota as a valuable source for people with similar
concerns.