The Gulf of Mexico is certainly experiencing some bad PR lately. Hurricane Katrina was already five years ago, yet rebuilding efforts were still very much in progress when a wrench was thrown in the plans: the biggest oil spill our world has ever seen. Oil gushed for nearly three full months before it was capped, spilling just shy of five million gallons. Unfortunately, this was all on top of a pre-existing condition: the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. But what does this have to do with Minnesota? Much to our dismay, nutrients being washed in to the Gulf of Mexico are from our beloved Mississippi River.

Friends of the Mississippi River is currently seeking applicants for the fall Mississippi River Challenge Communications and Marketing Assistant/Internship. This is an excellent opportunity for students to bolster their resume in a highly competitive field and polish their skills in a supportive, professional environment.

Are chemical contaminants in the foods we eat, in the products we put into and on our bodies and in our lakes and rivers causing birth defects in humans? Louis J. Guillette Jr., an internationally recognized reproductive biologist who has spent 25 years studying sexually stunted alligators and other wildlife from polluted waters in Florida and around the world, says a growing body of research shows those chemicals Contaminants, Water and Health: New Lessons from Wildlife.

Darby Nelson is President of the Board of Conservation Minnesota and a member of the Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which advises the Legislature on the spending of funds for fish, wildlife and game from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council has completed evaluating the thirty projects we invited to present before us, and are now making our individual allocations. Staff has requested us to return those to the office no later than September 8. Staff will then average allocations by all council members for each project. Chair Kilgore has laid out a set of principles by which council members are to proceed. Here are some of those guidelines.

Darby Nelson is President of the Board of Conservation Minnesota and a member of the Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which advises the Legislature on allocating money for fish, wildlife and game from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council has completed evaluating the thirty projects we invited to present before us, and are now making our individual allocations. Staff has requested us to return those to the office no later than September 8. Staff will then average allocations by all council members for each project.

John Helland worked on environment and natural resource issues for the legislature, and now writes, blogs and enjoys leisure while watching from afar. He is now a proud grandfather, too. I should have furnished this post two months ago, when a great exhibit at the University of Minnesota I only had the chance to see it recently and, unfortunately for those that may want to visit, it closes at 5 p.m. this Sunday on campus.

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Kristin Eggerling reports favorably on a show about the preciousness of water performed at the Trollwood Arts Center on the outskirts of Moorhead. Sitting at the show, it occurred to me that this was a perfect example of what the Legacy funds are all about. More like a community workshop, the residency and show combined the arts with environmental education and history, and provided an opportunity for a healthy discussion about water, especially flooding.

Every once in a while, I pick up Go Green, Save Green by Nancy Sleeth to get ideas on how to conserve energy, water, and other resources. .

A small Minnesota school has again proven powerful on a national scale by finishing third in a national environmental science competition. A perennial state-level competitor in the Canon Envirothon, Rushford-Peterson High School placed first in Minnesota and third in the 2010 national competition, in which more than 500,000 students from North America participated. The high school has approximately 600 students, and 10 formed the initial team.

Imagine yourself winding down the Gunflint trail by car with the windows rolled down and the scent of wildflowers permeating your vehicle. A slightly jolting feeling.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Among other things, the percentage of color change region by region and a forecast of peak color.