Moonstone Farm in Montevideo was the backdrop for The Keep the Hives Alive Tour stop in Minnesota River Valley. CURE and partners hosted the event on the Richard Handeen-Audrey Arner farm where diversified, sustainable, and holistic farm management has taken shape as a result of decades of planning and strategic design. Pollinators find refuge on […]
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On May 9th the Pesticide Action Network (PAN), an international network working to replace pesticide use with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives, released a report titled “Kids on the Frontline.” The report, which assesses dozens of independent studies, links pesticide exposure to health impacts such as leukemia, brain cancer, and developmental disorders in both
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CURE members were in attendance at the 41st annual Salt Lake Birding Weekend in southwestern Minnesota this past weekend. Near 100 avid birders drove in from around the region for this amazing rite of spring on the prairie. There were guided tours for birders around Salt Lake, Big Stone Refuge, the lakes, wetlands and native
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Over two dozen CURE members joined and supported the MNi Sota Nibi Walk from the headwaters at Big Stone Lake in Ortonville to the confluence at Fort Snelling on Pike Island. The 330 mile walk began on March 25th and concluded on Friday, April 1st. Water was taken from the headwaters and carried the entire
In February, CURE and Land Stewardship Project (LSP) came together to bring 70 of our members as clean water advocates to Governor Dayton’s Water Summit in St Paul. At the summit, the governor opened the day by naming the problem – degraded water as he observed it in several areas of the state. In his
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“What we really need is to establish an ethic of clean water practices.” I urge you, and I ask you, to spend today establishing our ethic: that clean water practices are every Minnesotan’s responsibility. That anything less is unacceptable. And that it’s achievable if all of us do our part.”– Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, Water
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The purpose of the Water Walks is to draw attention to the river’s contamination and at the same time, honor the water as a living being. “The Walks are extended ceremonies for the water led by Indigenous peoples,” states Day.
“The Governor needs our help to move the needle on water,” said Duane Ninneman, CURE Executive Director. “Shining a light on the polluters and obstructionists is paramount for us in 2016. We will prioritize our focus on addressing pollution to our state’s surface waters and groundwater, squarely targeting the greatest contributors to water degradation and aquifer depletion in the Minnesota River Basin: unsustainable land use and unsustainable agriculture practices.”
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In August, CURE received a call from a landowner in Sacred Heart South Township, Renville County. He was one of four residents notified by the Renville County Board of Adjustment and Appeals that a public hearing had been scheduled to consider a variance request to re-open a Duininck Inc. gravel mine.
CURE Responds to Help Local Residents; Small Victories Follow Read More »
For nearly two years, CURE has developed curriculum in watershed education and exploring ways to disseminate those resources. With 12 Major Watersheds in the Minnesota River Basin, and a total of 81 watersheds state wide…
Watershed Academy 101: The Upstream Impacts on Downstream Outcomes Read More »
Kelsey Olson (she/her) joined CURE in 2025 as its Director of Environmental Stewardship. As a skilled environmental naturalist, Kelsey’s work focuses broadly on environmental education and advocacy with a keen focus on rural land use and how that use impacts our environment and climate. Working Lands, how land is used to support agriculture and forestry, is a key focus of her work. She brings 15 years’ experience in public communication, environmental education, and rural community engagement – strong communication strategies are core in her work. This includes two terms of service with AmeriCorps in the VISTA program in Oregon and Maryland and a nearly 10-year career as a naturalist followed. She recently worked on communications and marketing for rural economic development.
Kelsey lives in New London, MN, with her young children, husband, dog, and two cats. They enjoy spending time together outside and finding small treasures in nature. Visits to Minneapolis often include visits to one of their favorite historical museums, the Minnesota Swedish Institute. Kelsey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, whether this is canning local produce, making kombucha, or other treats!
