Latest News & Updates

A new pocket of prairie habitat is taking root at Jefferson Elementary School in Faribault, creating a space where students, pollinators, and the community can grow together.

The transition from conventional tillage to strip till or no till can resemble the seven stages of grief as farmers work through the emotional and management changes that come with reducing tillage.

Soil health practices are increasing in Rice County, including the planting of cover crops on about 10,000 acres and no-till/strip-till on about 8000 acres.

This spring, more than 800 third-grade students throughout Rice County had the opportunity to learn about pollinators, native plants, and prairie habitat through the Rice Soil & Water Conservation District’s (SWCD) Pocket of Prairie Program. Now in its fourth year, the program continues to connect students with hands-on conservation education while encouraging families to create small pollinator-friendly spaces at home and at school.

Students from across southeastern Minnesota gathered this spring at the Byron Sportsmen & Conservation Club near Byron, Minnesota to compete in the annual Southeast Minnesota Envirothon.

Before deciding to excavate seasonally flooded areas to create a wetland, consider managing it with native plants to create a biodiverse habitat crucial for migrating species, amphibians, and other local wildlife!