Environment Articles

Images of the Bradford pear tree (sometimes referred to as “Callery” pear) may appear in nursery catalogs cloaked in a solid sheath of white blossoms. Local nurseries sell them.
 
But buyer beware: Bradford pears may be a “wolf in sheep’s’ clothing.

By Barry Brown – Freeman Park Advocate
 
On June 11th your voice counts! People often ask: What are the plans for Freeman Park wooded areas and trails now that most of the buckthorn has been cleared from 20 acres of woodland? To be blunt, the City of Shorewood had no plan when they cleared the buckthorn except to utilize a $50,000 grant from the DNR that was about to expire, and still, has no workable plan today.

EPA Increases Enforcement Activities to Ensure Drinking Water Systems Address Cybersecurity Threats What is your city’s security plan? Source:  United States Environmental Protection Agency This Enforcement Alert provides community water systems (CWSs) with information on immediate steps they can take

By Barry Brown, Freeman Park Advocate — 
 
Freeman Park has 30 acres of ball fields for baseball, soccer and a variety of events, but there’s also 30 wooded acres that until now, has been neglected for decades. Now that 20+ acres of buckthorn has been removed, what do we do with the wooded areas and walking trails? Many people have contributed to a vision for the wooded areas, but City officials would not allow me to share this vision with City Council. So, I am sharing it broadly with the SCA readers. Our modest vision for 2024 improvements is affordable and realistic.

This time of year, many of us are shopping for new plants for our gardens, planting our vegetable gardens, or cleaning out diseased trees or bushes. We are fortunate to have tremendous resources to support our beautiful gardens through the University of Minnesota.

The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) oversees the “control” of the nuisances in the metro area.  MMCD is funded through a line item on our property tax bills.  We all pay for it. 
 
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) has been conducting surveillance and treatment activities in your community to reduce the risk of disease and annoyance in an environmentally-sensitive manner.
 
Read the full article, including MMCD contact information for comments.