Land & Water

Buffers Now! Update: Though the Legislature is Stalling, Public Pressure is On

Land & Water

Though there was a flurry of activity in early March when the buffer bills (HF 1534 and SF 1537) were introduced, since then, much of the public legislative activity around buffers has stalled. A hearing in the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee went nowhere, and while the Senate Bill was passed out of the Environment and Energy Committee with ease, it was never heard in the Senate Jobs, Agriculture, and Rural Development Committee, the next stop on the train.

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Groundwater 101: What’s Geology Got to Do With It?

Land & Water

Groundwater is a big deal. That much is clear. When 75% of Minnesotans turn on the tap, groundwater comes out. About 30% of the world’s freshwater is groundwater. And plentiful, clean water is a key component of Minnesotan identity, even as lake levels drop, wells run dry, and seasonal floods cost the state millions of dollars. Post by Ariel Herrod, Watershed Sustainability Program Coordinator.

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Big Stone State Park Collage

Minnesota’s State Parks – An Excellent Opportunity to Explore the Outdoors

Land & Water

As summer approaches and we all begin looking for ways to get outside, CURE, of course, offers many opportunities through our Events and Adventures Program. But we would be remiss in not mentioning our State Parks, a branch of the DNR that has been specializing in outdoor experiences since the founding of Itasca State Park in

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Kelsey Olson

Kelsey Olson

Director of Environmental Stewardship

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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 American Swedish Institute. Kelsey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, canning local produce, and making kombucha.