Minnesota Water Resources Conference - Water Resources Center ...

Concurrent Sessions V 1:15–2:45
Track C: Education/Planning
BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
Wednesday, Tuesday, October 24 28 23
Engaging Diverse Groups in Environmental Education: a Case Study of the Hmong Community in
Minnesota
Jenny Winkelman, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, jwinkleman@mwmo.org; Katherine Barton, Barton and
Associates; Foung Heu, Digital Motion, LLC
Nonpoint source pollution continues to be the major cause of pollution in United States waterways. Pollution
prevention efforts in Minnesota still rely primarily on written materials, usually in English, and distributed
in conventional ways. This information is not accessible nor designed to be relevant to increasingly diverse
populations.
In 2005, the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and the City of Minneapolis piloted a study in the
Hmong community to increase the effectiveness and reach of pollution prevention efforts. The Hmong comprise
a large, established community in Minnesota forced to flee Laos after the Vietnam War.
Knowledge of water issues, the cultural context for water and communication preferences were identified
through focus groups, in-depth interviews and a phone survey (conducted in Hmong). The resulting water
education plan focuses on three major outcomes: building community leadership and capacity, increasing
environmental literacy and stewardship actions, and modeling best practices for education in diverse
communities.
Low Impact Design (LID) as a Shaping Element in the Urban Planning Process: A Case Study of the 46 th
and Hiawatha Transit-Oriented Development Strategy, Minneapolis, MN
Timothy Gross, Three Rivers Park District, tgross@threeriversparkdistrict.org; Mark Nolan, Plan4
The 46th & Hiawatha Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Strategy has elevated urban planning standards
by incorporating sustainable and high performance infrastructure as a fundamental element of urban design.
The purpose of this study was to develop and define strategic infrastructure, policy and development tools to
be used for shaping the 46th Street and Hiawatha Avenue light-rail transit station area into a neighborhood
that could fully embrace a multi-modal lifestyle. Beyond just a competing demand that must be considered,
this planning study purposefully used the planning process to examine need; review function and form; win
public and regulatory support; and influence policy and funding mechanisms to stimulate and encourage LID
improvements.
The objectives of this presentation are to highlight methodologies and strategies used in the 46 th & Hiawatha TOD
Strategy and to provide a framework for future planning studies to shape and influence the use of LID as an inherent
component of the urban fabric. Conclusions and recommendations stemming from this process include:
1. Policies affecting the appropriate implementation of LID need to be done on the planning level, not the
design level.
2. Effective stormwater management is site specific; from both a functional and socio-economic perspective.
3. Sustainable infrastructure and economic development incentives can work together.
4. Public and private involvement in the LID analysis and implementation process can change the perception
of LID from an occasional stormwater management tool, to a standard practice.
Minnesota Water Resources Conference, October 27–28, 2008 70