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Installing a rain barrel at home can save water and have a significant impact on your water bill. Depending on the size of your home and the amount of rainfall in your area, you can collect a substantial amount of rainwater with a simple system. Rainwater stored in rain barrels can be used to water [...]

Invasive species – those that are not native to a specific region – often grow fast, spread easily and displace native species. Invasives come in many shapes and sizes, negatively impacting wildlife diversity and the health of an ecosystem. Invasive weeds can reduce crop yield and compete with native forage plants in pastures, reducing food [...]

Bald eagles are found throughout North America, and the Northern Mississippi Valley is a great winter viewing spot. Up to 5,000 bald eagles winter on the Mississippi River between Cairo, IL and St. Paul, MN.  Bald eagles prefer habitats near open water where there is an abundance of fish, as well as old-growth forest and [...]

For every two minutes a car idles, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to drive one mile. While it may be tempting to idle your car for a few minutes to “warm it up” during winter, 30 seconds is plenty of time to get going. Tailpipe emissions from cars contain pollutants [...]

Did you know that most people in the United States live within a mile of a river or stream? More than 60 percent of our drinking water comes from rivers and streams, which also support a variety of wildlife and fish, and provide many recreation opportunities. Fishing alone generates an estimated 116 billion dollars in [...]

Did you know that the Mississippi River provides drainage for 41 percent of the continental United States?  This means that if a single drop of rain falls anywhere in this area, which includes all or part of 31 states and two Canadian provinces, it becomes a part of the Mississippi River Watershed.  The fate of [...]

Fall in the Mississippi River valley presents a beautiful sight of changing colors, produced by a diversity of trees such as maple, ash, oak, hickory, dogwood and sumac, to name a few.  The Upper Mississippi River Valley adds its own uniqueness to the scenery by providing a backdrop of steep bluffs and cliffs flanking the [...]