River Connection Plant Walk

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our River Connection Plant Walk at Thomson Reservoir on Sunday, September 15! Valerie Ross Zhaawendaagozikwe, an enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe/Long Plains First Nation with Duwamish, Dakota, Ojibwe, and Yakama heritage, recently led a River Connection Event hosted by the St. Louis River Alliance. During her walk twenty-two attendees learned about the significance of native plants located near the Thomson Reservoir. Her passion for and knowledge about plants helped others discover plant qualities that have long sustained Indigenous communities.

Participants also learned about the two-year remediation project about to start at Thomson Reservoir. Barb Huberty, St. Louis River Area of Concern Coordinator for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, explained how an activated carbon amendment will be applied to the sediments in areas of the reservoir with lower-flows. The amendment will bind to dioxins and furans to help prevent those contaminants from accumulating in the bottom dwelling organisms and moving up the food chain into fish and humans.

Primary funding for this $36.6 million project is being provided by three sources: the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)/Great Lakes Legacy Act, state of Minnesota bond funds, and a private partner. GLRI funds also supported the plant walk.

In an effort to (re)connect communities and neighborhoods adjacent to the St. Louis River, the Alliance is hosting four River Connection events per year until 2027. The goal is to provide free, diverse events to help community members find what they love to do along the river, all while reducing barriers by providing gear and expertise. Sign up for the Alliance’s newsletter to be the first to know what’s coming up!