Updates & Stories

A thick grey and white bulwark of aspen stems stood firmly before us. In the weak April morning light, the thick stand of trees appeared impenetrable; the wind whispered their claim to the acres of land before us. I certainly couldn’t argue about their dominion over this landscape, but when working for the Corps it is best to be inclined to audacity not doubt.  Read More

What started as an awkward gaggle of young men, quiet, withdrawn and quirky, unsure of what lay ahead of them, quickly turned into a friendly yet hardened fire-fighting, saw-curd-chewing, dedicated force to be reckoned with.   Read More

One of the largest problems in urban areas is dealing with stormwater. The excessive amount of concrete in urban areas means that water is unable to flow directly into the ground. In fact, even your front lawn will produce runoff because the dense grass and root systems do not allow for much water to actually soak in. Because of this we have storm drains that direct water out of the streets and out of sight as quickly as possible. Read More

Disturbing the picturesque scenery of Midwestern forests is an army of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata). An invasive herb, it has been in North America since 1868. Being quite tasty, it was likely brought as food. It does make a good pesto. Since its arrival, however, it has become one the most invasive plant species of the eastern U.S. and Canada. Read More

Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes but what many people don’t realize is the number of rivers that can be found here. Of Minnesota’s 69,000 miles of rivers and streams, over 4,500 miles have been designated by the DNR as a water trail, a stretch of river maintained for recreation and paddling purposes. Year in and year out this state has been rated as having one of the best water trail systems in the country. However, until recently, many people have failed to realize this recreational opportunity in their backyard. Read More

By now you, your spouse/significant other, your dog and even the elderly couple down the street have had the opportunity to take a stroll or two outside in the gorgeous weather Minnesota has been having. The leaves are turning green and the flowers are starting to bloom like our souls from their winter hibernation. Even the thunderous claps from the sky, pouring down on us these past few weeks have been beautiful in their own regard, inspiring spring attitudes and nostalgic memories of storms of yesteryears. This may all seem fine and dandy, but you ask, “What does this all mean?” Read More

Nestled between the Mississippi River and Pickerel Lake, just southwest of Harriet Island in St. Paul, lies Lilydale Regional Park. Named for the town that once stood in the low-lying floodplain, Lilydale is a well of natural and cultural history in Minnesota. Read More

With an early snow melt in Minnesota and most of the state in a drought, this spring’s fire season has been the busiest since 2010 for field crews. The DNR began requesting crews in March, the earliest ever and before many corps members had completed fire training. During one week, 11 crews were out on fires, requiring staff members to suit up and complete scheduled prescribed burning projects. In all, virtually every field crew has been called up to battle wildfires, with almost a dozen in the Bemidji area alone, one of the driest areas of the state. Read More

About 100 volunteers and Corps field crews partnered with the nonprofit RNeighbors to plant almost 200 trees on May 2 in Rochester, Minn.  Read More

We are thrilled to have a large contingent of bloggers this year, sharing their experience while in the Corps. If you haven't seen the first month of posts from our inaugural group of five writers, scroll down and check them out! In the meantime, we welcome four more, three of them from our Iowa and Missouri crews.  Read More