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Overview:
Our Mission
From four real seasons to 10,000 lakes, our weather and natural resources define life in Minnesota. Passing our experiences and traditions on to our children, being good stewards of our land and lakes -- these are values that that we all share. At Conservation Minnesota, our mission is to turn our shared conservation values into state priorities and provide you with the information you need to make decisions for your family, community and future.
Why is our work so important?
The biggest conservation decisions are made by elected officials. So one of the most important things we can do to protect our land, lakes, and way of life is to affect the outcome of those decisions. Conservation Minnesota keeps you informed about pending issues and gives you the tools to make your voice heard.
For example: In 2008, the Governor and Legislature created Lake Vermillion State Park and, in one move, preserved 2500 acres of rugged Minnesota wilderness. In 2006, they passed a law that will reduce toxic mercury emissions by 90% -- keeping our air and lakes cleaner. Those were great decisions with tremendous impact, galvanized by support from citizens like you who spoke or wrote to their elected officials.
Just as easily, a bad government decision can wipe out the years of progress each of us has worked hard for by recycling, conserving, and being careful not to pollute our air and water.
But the every day decisions that we each make are important too. From how you travel and what you eat, to where you swim and what’s on your ballot, we help you know the stakes for your family and Minnesota’s great outdoors. In 2008, over 20,000 Minnesotans visited our CheckMyLake.org website to see whether it was safe for their children to swim and fish. And on Election Day, more than 1.6 million people made history by deciding to vote yes for the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. This is what is possible when each of us has quality information to make personal decisions.
How do we work?
Conservation Minnesota uses personal stories and state of the art information tools to make complex issues understandable, empowering every Minnesotan to make smart choices for their family and effectively voice concerns to elected leaders.
What makes us unique?
Conservation Minnesota gives people valuable and easy-to-use information to help you make choices for yourself and your family…for example, whether your favorite lake is safe to swim in.
We are truly bipartisan – from the board of directors down to key staff…you can be sure the information you are getting doesn’t come with a partisan political agenda.
We provide a full set of tools, information and strategies to help Minnesotans protect our lakes, lands and way of life. In doing so, we create the conditions for Minnesota citizens and all of our conservation and environmental partners to fulfill their aspirations.
We bypass jargon, make issues understandable to people, and avoid shrill, negative rhetoric by focusing on what can be and is being done.
We communicate clearly with the public and elected leaders when important decisions are being made… and provide opportunities and tools for you to affect the outcome of those decisions.
