 This spring, Hennepin County forestry and conservation staff planted 15,000 tree seedlings on a conservation easement in Independence. Check out this video to learn more.
The habitat restoration project involved planting 23 different tree species that will integrate with the surrounding forest, adding wildlife habitat, making our tree canopy more resilient to climate change, pests, and disease, and enhancing the benefits that tree provide.
Many of the natural areas in the county are on private land or owned by local government, which is why we work with landowners and partners to develop conservation easements. A conservation easement is an agreement between a property owner and Hennepin County or a nonprofit like Minnesota Land Trust that includes a set of development restrictions that permanently protect habitat and open space on the property.
As trees grow, the more climate benefits they provide. This is one of the many projects Hennepin County is pursuing to act boldly on climate change. We have committed to planting 1 million trees by 2030 and acquiring 6,000 acres of conservation easements by 2040.
For more information, contact trees@hennepin.us.
 Hennepin County recently awarded 28 Green Partners grants totaling more than $700,000 to community organizations to engage their audiences in learning about and taking action to protect the environment.
Grantees include nonprofit organizations, community groups, youth programs, congregations, park districts, schools, and community education programs.
Together, these projects will engage more than 9,500 people, including more than 7,500 youth, offer green job employment and training to more than 50 youth, and reach more than 220,000 people with environmental messages. The majority of projects funded in this round will engage audiences facing disparities.
The program offers three types of grants:
Environmental action grants
These projects focus on motivating adults to take environmentally friendly actions.
Some actions these grantees will focus on include avoiding single-use disposable plastic products, cleaning out storm drains, reducing use of hazardous products, increasing access to renewable energy and energy efficiency practices, repairing and sharing power tools and electronics, and learning about climate solutions.
Youth environmental education grants
These projects focus on engaging young people in environmental education and stewardship.
Projects will focus on a variety of environmental topics, including climate change, mending and repair, reducing waste, renewable energy, pollinators, sustainable products, sustainable landscaping, tree care, urban agriculture and sustainable food systems, and water conservation and protection.
Youth and educators will be engaged through a variety of activities, including canoeing, caring for aquaponics systems and gardens, curriculum development, field trips, hands-on activities, nature hikes, printmaking and poetry, puppet shows, studying culture and history, and teacher workshops.
Youth green jobs
The projects in this pilot grant program will offer green jobs education, training, and employment.
A variety of green jobs opportunities for youth will be offered by these grantees, including in composting, environmental policy, green infrastructure, renewable energy, sustainable business management, sustainable landscaping, urban agriculture, waste prevention, and recycling.
Read about the the projects and community groups that received funding. For more information, contact Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us.
Hennepin County recently awarded 10 grants totaling $1.5 million through the Environmental Response Fund to help revitalize properties by funding the assessment and cleanup of contamination. These grants help recipients overcome barriers that the cost of environmental cleanup pose to site improvement or redevelopment. Cleaning up these sites also reduces the risk to human health and the environment.
The grants awarded will fund asbestos and lead-based paint abatement, vapor mitigation, and contaminated soil assessment and cleanup. The projects supported by these grants have multiple benefits, including increasing the tax base, creating permanent jobs, creating market-rate and affordable housing, and enhancing green space.
Applications being accepted for the fall 2023 grant round
Applications are due November 1 for the fall funding round. Applications must be submitted through the Hennepin County Supplier Portal.
Cities, economic development agencies, housing and redevelopment authorities, other local public entities, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses and eligible to apply. Contact brownfields@hennepin.us for more information or to discuss project ideas prior to applying.
Info session: Brownfield funding for redevelopment in Minnesota
Tuesday, September 12 from noon to 1:30 at the Oxboro Library in Bloomington.
Hennepin County – in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), the Metropolitan Council, and Ramsey County – will be hosting an information session to discuss funding opportunities for brownfield sites.
 Recently, several of the county’s environmental programs received achievement awards from the National Association of Counties, which recognize innovation in county government programs. The following programs received awards:
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Zero Waste Plan development, which involved robust engagement centering community voices often left out of solid waste decision making processes.
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Green Jobs Pathways Program, which created a supportive cohort of youth of color to explore environmental careers and develop career-readiness skills.
Habitat restoration at Camp Eden Wood
 Students from Central Middle School in Eden Prairie visited Camp Eden Wood at end of school year to help pull garlic mustard as part of an ongoing habitat restoration project. The project, which is supported by a Hennepin County Good Steward Grant, involves removing noxious weeds like buckthorn and garlic mustard and planting more than 2,000 wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.
Camp Eden Wood is owned by the City of Eden Prairie and leased by True Friends, a nonprofit organization. The 20-acre camp tucked in the woods on Birch Island Lake serves youth with special needs and is available to the community as a retreat, meeting, and team-building site.
Key aspects of the project that helped secure the grant include the collaboration among partners, opportunities for education, and long-term commitment to improving and maintaining native habitats within an ecologically significant area. Partners in the restoration include True Friends, Eden Prairie Parks and Recreation, Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, Minnesota Native Landscapes, Eden Prairie Schools, and Hennepin County.
Read more about the project in Eden Prairie Local News.
Building material drop-off events
 Have unwanted building materials and tools laying around? Don’t throw them out – donate instead! A local nonprofit, Better Futures MN, will be at two upcoming events to take used building material donations from residents.
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Orono: Saturday, September 16 from 8 a.m. to noon, open to residents of Orono, Long Lake, Spring Park, and Minnetonka Beach, learn more
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City of Brooklyn Park: Saturday, September 23 from 9 a.m. to noon, open to all Hennepin County residents, learn more
Our partners will vet materials for quality and resale potential, and they reserve the right to refuse unusable items. All items accepted will be taken for free. Inclement weather could impact these events.
For more information, contact olivia.cashman@hennepin.us.
Composting workshops
Learn how to set up a compost pile, what materials you can compost, how to get the mix right, and more from a Hennepin County composting and recycling specialist.
Fall is a great time to start composting since there is an abundance of dry, fallen leaves. These “brown” materials add carbon to your compost pile to balance the nitrogen from the “green” materials like fruit and vegetable scraps. Learn more about how to compost in the Green Tip below!
Webinars
- Friday, September 8 from noon to 1 p.m. Virtual. Register here.
- Tuesday, September 12 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Virtual. Register here.
In-person workshop
- Wednesday, September 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Maple Grove Library. Register here.
Attendees of the in-person workshop will be entered into a drawing to win a free compost bin from Hennepin County.
 Give back to nature by composting in your backyard! About 25 percent what we throw away is organic materials like food, napkins, and paper towels that could be put to better use as compost. Composting at home is a great way to reduce trash, help plants grow, and make your soil healthier.
To get started:
- Get a compost bin. Many lawn and garden stores sell compost bins, or you can make your own.
- Collect fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, paper towels, napkins, and egg cartons in your home and layer them with plant trimmings, grass, and leaves from your yard.
- Pay attention to get the right mix of three parts brown materials (dry leaves, twigs, paper towels, and napkins) to one part green materials (fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, plant trimmings, and coffee grounds). This will provide the right balance of nutrients for the microorganisms that break the materials down into compost.
- Maintain your compost pile by turning it with a shovel or pitchfork weekly to monthly. In six months to a year, the materials are recycled into nutrient-rich compost.
- Use your compost in your yard, garden, or planters to add nutrients to the soil and to help plants grow.
Want to learn more? Attend an upcoming workshop and find additional resources at hennepin.us/composting.
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