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Northern Dakota County Sierra Communities Sierra Club volunteers from the Northern Dakota County Sierra Community Group had a display booth at West Saint Paul Days on Saturday, May 21, to get the word out about recent transit cuts and the needs for better transit options. Others headed out into the crowd of parade spectators to collect surveys on transit needs and interests.
Thursday evening, July 14, the Northern Dakota County Sierra Communities group kicked off their Light Rail Transit Campaign. Over 40 community members attended, including several city council members and West St. Paul's mayor. The forum was held at the Dodge Nature Center in West St. Paul. Rick Hansen of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Mat Hollinshead, Sierra Club Executive Committee member and transportation chair, and Joshua Houdek, Sierra Club Land Use and Transportation Organizer made up a panel of guest speakers, comprised to educate community members on the topic of Light Rail and the potential benefits that light rail could bring to their area. The speakers' presentations were followed by a question and answer session that drew excellent participation from the attendees. The evening was a success and the Northern Dakota County Sierra Communities group looks forward to an equally successful campaign.
Sierra Neighborhoods - South Minneapolis On May 5th, Sierra Neighborhoods, a campaign to raise awareness about water quality in South Minneapolis, had its first house party in Seward Neighborhood! In a time when environmental problems can seem enormous and insurmountable, Seward residents are taking action to change their personal impact on Minnesota's water. The house party brought in 18 people who arrived conveniently just after a large downpour. The storm passed with perfect timing, allowing for an outdoor demonstration and discussion on the concept of stormwater runoff beside the host's gutter. Participants were eager to view two kinds of rain barrels outside and listen to a couple of experts, one on native plants and one on good infiltration and pervious pavement. The group moved inside for the workshop, and a great discussion ensued. Comments from participants included values such as "I want my children to be able to swim in Lake Nokomis," "I canoe, and I love clean rivers," "I live by the Mississippi, and I want to keep it clean. I don't have time for a lot, but these changes are something I can do." The volunteer leaders took this opportunity to point out the goal of Sierra Neighborhoods being not only about cleaning up the lakes and rivers, but sustaining a community of people who care for the environment together. Energized by their new level of knowledge and solid tools for personal action, participants stayed well after the program to talk, share ideas, and make plans to keep in touch and connect on other resources.
On July 16th, Sierra Neighborhoods had a very successful event "landscaping for water quality" with 16 participants. The day started off with volunteers planting native plants, donated by a local greenhouse, at a public park in the neighborhood. Participants learned about the environmental assets of cultivating native plants, and then inside for a more in depth presentation from a local resident on tips for gardening for water quality. Most of the participants were new, and expressed interest in engaging their neighbors on better practices for water quality. The group plans to meet again soon to discuss future endeavors and the next direction of the program after the summer. In July, Sierra Neighborhoods was featured on the front page of the Seward Profile! Wayzata Sierra Communities Wayzata's Sierra Communities group held their first event on Wednesday, June 29th, a workshop on Gardening and Landscaping for Water Quality. Turnout vastly exceeded our expectations, with 18 community members attending to hear presentations on runoff and its effect on local lakes, selecting safe gardening products, and tips on building a rain garden. Speakers included Brian Vlach, Environmental Specialist at Three Rivers Park District; Patti Landres, Sierra Communities volunteer and a former horticulturist; and Sandy Ahlstrom, Master Gardener. On July 16th, 10 adults, 5 kids and a dog attended a hike entitled "Exploring a Local Wetland" in Wayzata. We hiked the old Dakota Line Railbed, currrently being converted into a multi-use recreational trail for the region. Jenny Schaust, Outreach Coordinator for Hennepin County Environmental Services discussed water quality, wetland health, and native and invasive species. She also invited participants to learn more about the Wetland Health Evaluation Program.
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