Land & Water​

A slender woman in a green zip-up pullover, jeans, and teal stocking cap stands with her hands in her pockets in a snow-covered field beside a long plastic-covered high tunnel greenhouse, with rolling hills in the background on a winter day in southeastern Minnesota.

Featherstone Farm: Growing Organic Food Through Fair Labor

Discover Featherstone Farm, a Minnesota organic vegetable farm rooted in soil stewardship, fair labor and local food systems since 1994.

Community members talk with utility staff at a Dairyland Power open house in Preston, Minnesota, reviewing poster displays about the proposed Gopher-to-Badger high-voltage transmission line project.

Planned Gopher-to-Badger Link Addresses Regional Power Needs

Dairyland Power outlines plans for the Gopher-to-Badger Link, a proposed 765kV transmission line across southern Minnesota to strengthen the regional electric grid.

A narrow trout stream curves through a wooded valley with patches of snow on the grassy banks and leafless trees on both sides, showing clear water flowing through a restored creek channel in winter

Landowners Recognized for Protecting Creek Habitat in Winona County

Landowners Claire Bender and Sue Ramthun are honored as Outstanding Conservationists for protecting land resources and restoring trout habitat along Trout Run Creek, a Root River tributary in Winona County, Minn.

Six Canada geese glide across a calm river lined with autumn trees, their orange and gold foliage mirrored in the still water.

Essay | Summer, Spring, Winter and Fall, Water Calls to Us

A reflective essay by John Weiss exploring our deep connection to water in all its beauty, its warnings and the vital role it plays in our landscape and lives.

cross country skiers on a snowy trail

From Ski Trails to Hiking Paths, Heat is Reshaping Recreation and Our Attitudes

A warming climate presents growing challenges for outdoor recreationalists, including trail users. The Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk has this overview heading into another year of winter recreation.

prairie seeder in the field

Farm Programs Support Permanent Prairies, Wetlands and Sensitive Groundwater

Agricultural projects from Mower and Houston counties advance land preservation and water quality initiatives – updates from our county ag professionals.

Two people, Barb and Joel Mielke, stand in front of rolling prairie and oak savanna on their Fillmore County property, smiling in the sunlight.

Barb and Joel Mielke’s 37-Year Quest for Biodiversity in Bluff Country

Part three of Alison Leathers’ series on local conservationists features Barb and Joel Mielke who’ve restored prairie and oak savannah in Fillmore County, fostering biodiversity and creating habitat that’s now home to one of the region’s largest bat colonies.

view from bluffs looking at river valley and beyond

ESSAY | Hiking Wisconsin’s Driftless Bluffs and Prairies

Our scenic blufflands, valleys and trails aren’t restricted to Southeast Minnesota alone, as a day’s hike into Western Wisconsin’s Driftless Area will prove!

A person wearing a bright green shirt and blue shorts stands beside three colorful kayaks—red, blue, and green—resting on a new concrete boat ramp that slopes gently into a calm, tree-lined river. Two white pickup trucks are parked nearby, one with a small trailer stacked with more kayaks and orange life vests. Sunlight filters through leafy trees, casting dappled shadows on the water, while the opposite riverbank reflects green and gold tones of early autumn.

Water Enthusiasts Gain New Access to Cedar River State Water Trail

New public access in Mower County’s Lyle Township opens the Cedar River to more paddlers and anglers, highlighting a successful partnership among state, county and local conservation groups.

photo of sunset across body of water

Paddling the Mississippi River is a Grand Adventure!

Mississippi River expedition will be canoeing past southeastern Minnesota; details from the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk.

A young woman (left) and a young man (right) stand on either side of a wide, rusted bridge railing and hold a container of water with a rubber tube coming out of the bottom of the container.

Conservation Conversation on Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Quality

Alison Leathers continues her Conservation Conversations with a report on the Fillmore County SWCD and its wide range of services for farmers and landowners.

A large screen behind a stage lined with people in chairs shows a womean sitting in a folding chair in her grassy yard.

Fillmore County Farmers Featured at Farm Aid 40

Local farming couple Vance and Bonnie Haugen were featured during the Farm Aid 40 events held in Minneapolis in September 2025. Root River Current‘s Julie Fryer was there.

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