10,000 acres for 10,000 lakes
by Deborah Karasov | Jul 19, 2022
| 1 Comment
| 1 Comment
Summary:
This idea does not simply raise awareness of the critical issue, but also accomplishes actual work. All our volunteer events include teachable moments. Fifty percent of our 2,000 annual volunteers are youth. Community involvement will increase awareness, build a sense of shared responsibility, and promote civic action and water stewardship. Traditional education is about learning, citizen engagement through Great River Greening is also about doing.
About You
About You
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Karasov
Country
United States, MN
City
About Your Organization
Organization Name
Great River Greening
Organization Website
http://www.greatrivergreening.org
Your Idea
Name your idea
10,000 acres for 10,000 lakes
Describe how you would use $15,000 to help your community become aware of and address water issues in Minnesota.
Great River Greening involves volunteers in restoring prairies, forests, and waters. The story of Great River Greening is a story of people’s desire to make a positive difference: one volunteer, one shoreline mile, one acre at a time. Together, our efforts add up if guided by compassion and vision. We propose to involve 5,000 volunteers in improving 10,000 acres that are degrading waterways.
How do you define your "community"?. How are water issues affecting your community?
Our community is the state of Minnesota. While the issue of water quality is complex and there are many policy initiatives, we as a community of volunteers can do many things in the next five years. Water is the most critical resource issue of our lifetime and our children’s lifetime. The health of our waters is the principle measure of how we live on the land.”-- Luna Leopold
Innovation
Describe how your idea is creative.
This idea does not simply raise awareness of the critical issue, but also accomplishes actual work. All our volunteer events include teachable moments. Fifty percent of our 2,000 annual volunteers are youth. Community involvement will increase awareness, build a sense of shared responsibility, and promote civic action and water stewardship. Traditional education is about learning, citizen engagement through Great River Greening is also about doing.
Impact
Describe how how you expect your idea to make a difference in your community.
Greening ecologists will create partnerships to develop conservation action plans for targeted subwatersheds and then work with local public and private landowners to implement concrete practices. We will develop innovative tools to restore wetlands and showcase results throughout the state. In keeping with Greening’s mission of community-based restoration, volunteer opportunities for all ages and community events will be part of the implementation or monitoring where ever possible. Change can happen in ways that positively impact the resource without negatively impacting individual or local economies. We can work with our partners and the landowners to craft that solution.
Sustainability and Growth
Describe how your idea will "stick" in your community and how you think it could be repeated in other communities.
Great River Greening has been a key leader in community based restoration natural areas in Minnesota for over fifteen years. We have worked on water-related restoration projects since our inception in 1995. Our community-based approach successfully reaches the broadest constituency, making long-term impact by developing stewards of the land from every background and income level. We have engaged more than 25,000 volunteers over our history, who helped to plant 60,586 trees and shrubs, and restored thousands of acres. Minnesota is at a crossroads. To do nothing is to put our quality of life, and environmental and economic future at stake. Greening was founded on the principle that the best to time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is now. Today, we must begin to help restore our freshwaters.
 | Mikey Bang said: I think this is a good idea and I hope they would also consider preserving the lake to last in time and for the next generation. - Feed ... about this Competition Entry. - 846 days ago read more > |
 | Deborah Karasov updated this Competition Entry. - 1773 days ago |
 | Deborah Karasov submitted this idea. - 1773 days ago |
Take action: |
||
|
discuss |
share this entry |
|
|
Like this (1 like) | ||