On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, more than thirty members of CURE (Clean Up the River Environment) and the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) boarded a bus heading to the State Capitol from southwest MN to take part in Water Action Day. Rural Minnesota was well represented, as members boarded the bus from Clarkfield, Appleton, Olivia, Montevideo, Marshall, […]
Water Action Day at the State Capitol Read More »
In 2009, McDonald’s made a promise to U.S. consumers because of the work of a small group of rural Minnesotans living around RD Offutt’s (RDO) potato fields. McDonald’s promised to cut its use of pesticides on its French fries. Seven years later little has changed in McDonald’s pesticide consumption. Those rural Minnesotans are still sprayed
Toxic Taters Week of Action Read More »
On Thursday, August 18th Governor Dayton kicked off a Year of Water Action at Itasca State Park, near the headwaters of the Mississippi River. For the next twelve months the Governor will use his platform to educate Minnesotans on the issues facing water in our state and empower them to take action. “We have
Governor Dayton kicks off Year of Water Action Read More »
Since April at the Camp of the Sacred Stones, land and water protectors of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe have stood in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). In recent weeks the camp has swelled to thousands as members of other indigenous communities and anti-pipeline activists have rushed to the area to stand with
Native Communities Resist Pipeline Project Read More »
[easy-image-collage id=7030] On June 11, National Get Outdoors Day, CURE partnered with the MN DNR for year two of the “Paddle the Minnesota River in a Day” event. The Minnesota River Trail is 318 miles long beginning at the foot of Big Stone Lake and ending at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The
125 miles in the Upper Minnesota River paddled by CURE Members Read More »
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
Creating a Community-Based Minnesota Water Ethic Read More »
This is the third part in a multipart series called Groundwater 101. Groundwater 101 provides the foundation for a good working understanding of groundwater—the source of drinking water for 75% of Minnesotans. Post by Ariel Herrod, Watershed Sustainability Program Coordinator.
Groundwater 101: Why Should I Care? Read More »
This is the second part in a multipart series called Groundwater 101. Groundwater 101 provides the foundation for a good working understanding of groundwater—the source of drinking water for 75% of Minnesotans. Blog post by Ariel Herrod, Watershed Sustainability Program Coordinator.
Groundwater 101: Where Does Groundwater Come From? Where Does It Go? Read More »
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.
Groundwater 101: What’s Geology Got to Do With It? 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!
