News from August, 2009

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All Months in 2009

In Search Of The Fairest Garden

When the Washington Conservation District (WCD) approached the county fair board in 2006 about building four demonstration raingardens at the Washington County Fairgrounds, some board members were a bit skeptical. In addition to the one week per year that people flock to the county fair, the fairgrounds are also host to a variety of events, including horse shows, canine agility competitions and llama festivals. These raingardens would need to be attractive, effective and able to survive with no maintenance from the grounds staff and only occasional upkeep from Master Gardeners and WCD staff. Three years later, the gardens are thriving ...
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If You Plant It, They Will Come

In his book, Bringing Home Nature: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens, Douglas Tallamy makes a suggestion that many of us would find strange. He advises that we plant trees, shrubs and flowers that are native to our area in order to intentionally attract more insects to our yards. “What?” you are likely thinking. “Why would we want more bugs? Aren’t there enough in Minnesota already?” Not all bugs are created equal, however, and without a healthy variety of insects in our yards, we won’t be able to sustain the birds, tortoises, foxes and other animals that most ...
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Dentist Seeks Buffer Zone Along The Zumbro River

http://www.startribune.com/local/52031387.html?page=4&c=y

ROCHESTER - The Zumbro River is slow and lazy on a summer's day as it curves along a gentle bend near Terry Klampe's home just outside Rochester.

But all is not tranquil in Olmsted County.

Klampe, a dentist and ardent conservationist, has filed a complaint to give the river some space in farm country.

Farmers are thwarting the law by planting corn and soybeans to the edge of the river and its tributaries, Klampe said, violating pollution rules that require a 50-foot buffer of permanent vegetation to protect streams and lakes from soil and ...
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Golden Opportunity

A Minneapolis couple celebrate their 50th anniversary with a unique gift to the neighborhood - rain gardens for everyone on their block.

By KIM PALMER, Star Tribune Last update: August 26, 2009 - 7:47 AM

After 50 years of marriage and four grown kids, most couples are done with procreating. Not Bob and Debby Wolk. They recently gave birth to 11 baby rain gardens, one for every yard on their southwest Minneapolis block.

The Wolks hatched the plan earlier this year. Their 50th anniversary was a few months away, and they were trying to come up with ...
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