Soil & Water Conservation District Guidebook 2008 - Minnesota ...

AFTER BEFORE
undercutting the bank, felling trees, and endangering grave
sites. Funding for the project included State Cost-Share
through the Koochiching SWCD and supplemental funding
through the Koochiching County Board. The North Central
MN Joint Powers Board provided engineering services,
and construction was completed in the fall of 2005, using
a variety of restoration measures including clearing and
grubbing, bank shaping, geo-textile fabric, rock riprap,
seeding, erosion control blankets, and critical area plantings
of trees and shrubs. This erosion control project continues to
hold steady and appears to have provided much needed relief
to an environmentally and emotionally sensitive area.
A Natural Resources Video was produced by
the Koochiching County Board and the Koochiching SWCD,
working with Rat Root River Enterprises. This locally
produced video focuses on natural resource management
efforts by local landowners and various agencies. This
educational video is used to promote natural resource
awareness and provide viewers with a comprehensive
overview of Koochiching County. The local Chamber of
Commerce has utilized this video as a promotional tool for
Koochiching Soil & Water Conservation District
individuals and businesses looking to relocate to the area.
The Voyageurs National Park Bike
Trail was recently completed with assistance from the
Koochiching SWCD. At the request of Voyageurs National
Park, the SWCD provided wetland delineation assistance
to facilitate the construction of a bike trail leading from
Highway 11 to the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Established
in 1975, Voyageurs National Park provides year-round
activities for visitors, and this project will provide bicyclists,
pedestrians and automobile drivers with safe access to the
visitor center while protecting the park’s natural resources.
Top 5 Natural Resource Concerns
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Shoreline Stabilization/Restoration along Rainy
River, Rainy Lake, and Littlefork River
Forest Management Education/Stewardship
Planning
Wetland Education/Technical Assistance
Sedimentation/Erosion Control
Wildlife Habitat Improvement
Future Projects
Wetland Banking and Shoreland Restoration
Workshops: With a staff of just two, the Koochiching
SWCD relies on valued partnerships with multiple
agencies to accomplish shared goals. In the spring
and summer of 2008, the SWCD looks forward
to partnering with the Army Corps of Engineers,
MN Extension Service, Board of Water and Soil
Resources, Lake of the Woods SWCD, Department of
Natural Resources, and the Environmental Services
Department to deliver two hands-on workshops:
• The spring workshop will provide a
comprehensive look at wetland banking that will
offer participants a realistic view of the time,
materials, site feasibility, and agency requirements
necessary to create high-value wetland banks.
• The summer workshop on site preparation and
planting will allow participants an opportunity to
“get their hands dirty” by working on an actual
shoreline revegetation project. The workshop will
offer information on erosion control methods and
other shoreland management options.
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