DETROIT LAKES
— “Habitat loss and water quality determine the destiny of mankind.”

Being a concerned environmentalist, I look back on how our little community has fared in 2024 to make sense of what is best for the planet. I’d like to mention some of the winners and progress that was made. No doubt I will miss some.

To define the crux of the effort for the busy “man on the street,” native prairie stores a surprising amount of carbon. Trees, as they grow and mature, sequester tons of carbon. This diminishes greenhouse gases harmful to mankind. Methane is even worse than carbon; gas from cattle creates massive methane, hence a need for us to become more vegetative in our eating habits.

Businesses are generally bricks and mortar; two have delighted me no end. The Lodge just can’t be beat. As they built, they created avant garde landscaping: 2 raingardens – big ones – each with a French drain. Botanists selected the plants. Where vehicles enter, a narrow band of wild grasses and wildflowers captures the gaze of visitors.

Morrison Eyecare has its little rain garden right on Washington Avenue.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church displays tasteful use of native plants. Strange but true, its chokeberry bush could become a cash crop!

Then there is the City of Detroit Lakes. Multi-faceted improvement is going on as I write this. City Parks Manager Tom Gulon has posted data on every tree on city property. With assistance, he completed the laborious work and, because it was thorough and complete, received a grant. Included in the requirement: Should a fallen tree die, a prompt replacement must be accomplished.

Lance Akers for many years has been a scout leader, and the City Park Board has selected Tom Gulon’s possible sites for Lance’s scouts to seed natural prairie. Specialists will huddle to winnow the sites.

With an engineer, The Pelican River Watershed District held several two-hour sessions with certain agencies to hone watershed rules. Water is crucial. Certain of their rules must be tight. Many persons not knowledgeable about environmental issues can become less than happy. Without clean water, man cannot live. The County Board must work as a sleuth to find skilled scientists who can offer wisdom in managerial positions on PRWD. On the teaching side, their new pamphlet for young and old is really fun and easy to read.

A star player under the Becker County commissioners banner is recently-retired Sandy Gunderson. The community learned a lot from Sandy teaching recycling. She might be retired, but is fast forwarding with new environmental ideas.

Lowell Deede is best known for learning by doing: Walking every road of Becker County and learning water quality in every spot! That was his contribution, among others, as a manager on PRWD. Today he has shifted gears to bumble bees! We need his knowledge.

The Izaak Walton League, Prairie Woods Chapter (Ikes) clearly made themselves heard in 2024: Minnesota Department of Transportation felt the brunt of strong protest over widening Highway 34 by Snellman – where MnDOT’s felling of mature trees threatened the existence of the Minnesota state flower, the Ladyslipper. That was not the only inroad the Ikes made. We’ll hear more about swine feedlots not far from water and the churning of wakeboats.

Master gardeners, taking calls about gardening, broadened their outreach in 2024 by adding a monthly noon presentation at our local library. As for me, I continue to laden my property with only native plants. That takes research. The threat of the emerald ash borer prompted removal of several this winter. I have only battery-powered tools. My presentations in 2024 were natives > biodiversity > insects > birds. This year I hope to present on native wildflowers.

Finally, our neighbor to the east is outshining itself with a major purchase of Wannigan Park in Frazee. It’s deep into fund raising.We are fortunate and blessed to have such a nice community.