The Minnesota Land Trust, Washington County, and Science Museum of Minnesota permanently protect St. Croix Watershed Research Station Land
At the Science Museum of Minnesota’s St. Croix Watershed Research Station, groundwater bubbles up to the surface through a “boiling sand spring.” Native plant communities like cold-water wetlands, oak forests and restored prairie harbor a large number of Minnesota’s Species in Greatest Conservation Need. And a clear, cold stream boasts brook trout—a surprising sight in Washington County.
Washington County and the Minnesota Land Trust have completed a conservation easement to protect the remarkable land found on the Museum’s station and its surrounding property forever.
The project provides current and future environmental benefits for residents of Washington County and the state of Minnesota, and secures a foundation for the Science Museum’s continued research.
As Minnesota Land Trust Executive Director Kris Larson notes, it “not only protects the property’s water resources and wildlife habitats, but it will also allow the Research Station to continue its critical scientific work for decades to come. We applaud the Science Museum’s vision and leadership; this is an important win-win for Minnesotans.”
Learn more by viewing the full press release: Minnesota Land Trust, Washington County, and Science Museum of Minnesota permanently protect St. Croix Watershed Research Station Land [PDF]
This conservation easement was made possible thanks to the members of the Minnesota Land Trust and with funding from Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund, as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature and recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC).
Funding was also provided by the Washington County Land and Water Legacy Program, a voter-approved bond referendum for the preservation of water quality, woodlands, and other natural areas.
