Agate

Wonders of the Near North

Wonders of the near north.
  • Home
  • About Agate
  • Archive
  • Donate

Minnesota tweaks wild rice rule

By Stephanie Hemphill | August 7, 2016 |

Seeding wild rice in the St. Louis River. Photo by Cheryl Katz. Used with permission.

Minnesota adjusts a formula designed to protect wild rice waters from sulfate pollution.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Research, Resource Management, Science, Water quality Tagged With: Northern Minnesota, resource management

Book review: What Should a Clever Moose Eat? by John Pastor

By Stephanie Hemphill | June 13, 2016 |

Author John Pastor illustrated his book on the complexities of North Woods ecosystems.

Ecologist John Pastor poses and answers fascinating questions about North Woods ecosystems.

Filed Under: Agate Book Review, Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Research, Science Tagged With: conservation, Nature, Northern Minnesota

Duluth activists want more from community solar project

By Stephanie Hemphill | May 31, 2016 |

Community solar is growing fast in Minnesota, but not so fast in the rest of the region. Clean energy advocates say Duluth-based Minnesota Power’s proposal for a pilot community solar garden is too timid.

Filed Under: Climate Change, Homepage Bottom Features, Issues Tagged With: fossil fuels

Minnesota puts taconite mine permitting “on pause”

By Stephanie Hemphill | May 9, 2016 |

U.S. Steel's Minntac mine near Virginia, MN has a permit that expired in 1992. Photo: Creative Commons.

As the federal government investigates whether it should take away Minnesota’s authority to regulate industry, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says it has put most mining permit activities “on pause.”

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Regional Environmental News, Resource Management, Water quality Tagged With: Economy, environmental review, mining, Northern Minnesota, policy, resource management

Efforts to restore wild rice in the St. Louis River face challenges

By Stephanie Hemphill | April 25, 2016 |

A healthy stand of wild rice, Zizania palustris, at harvest time. Ojibwe people call this important activity “manoominike.” The standing partner uses the “gaandakii’igan” (push pole) to get around and the seated partner uses the “bawa’iganaakoog” (knocking sticks) to collect the rice. Photo by Cheryl Katz.

Efforts to restore wild rice in the St. Louis River estuary face potential challenges from carp, Canada geese, and sulfate pollution from upstream taconite mines.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Resource Management, Uncategorized, Water quality Tagged With: Lake Superior, Northern Minnesota, resource management, St. Louis River, tribes

Researcher crusades for policies to protect water: profile of Dr. Deborah Swackhamer

By Stephanie Hemphill | March 24, 2016 |

Dr. Deborah Swackhamer

As a graduate student, Deborah Swackhamer made important discoveries about toxic chemicals polluting the Great Lakes; as a researcher she endured a grueling industry investigation; as a public scientist she showed how to make Minnesota’s lakes and rivers cleaner. In retirement she continues her lifelong quest to improve water quality.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Research, Resource Management, Science, Water quality Tagged With: Lake Superior, minnesota, resource management

Book Review: Amethyst and Agate: Poems of Lake Superior

By Stephanie Hemphill | March 7, 2016 |

At the Shore, by Duluth print artist Cecilia Lieder.

Poets and visual artists contemplate Lake Superior.

Filed Under: Agate Book Review, Art, Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature Tagged With: Lake Superior, poetry

Comparing PolyMet to Wisconsin’s Flambeau Mine

By Stephanie Hemphill | January 21, 2016 |

The Flambeau mine operated just 140 feet from the Flambeau River from 1993 to 1997.

A critic of the proposed PolyMet mine in Minnesota compares the project to the Flambeau mine, which operated in Wisconsin in the 1990s.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues Tagged With: environmental review, mining, rivers

Book Review: Plain Radical by Robert Jensen

By Stephanie Hemphill | December 14, 2015 |

Robert Jensen

Book celebrates Minnesota peace, justice campaigner.

Filed Under: Agate Book Review, Homepage Bottom Features Tagged With: lifestyle, minnesota

Tribes work harder, gain more influence, on environmental decisions

By Stephanie Hemphill | November 3, 2015 |

Technicians from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa seed wild rice in the St. Louis River Estuary, fall, 2015. Photo by Cheryl Katz.

Over the past few decades, Ojibwe bands have been increasing their ability to work on a broad range of natural resources-related issues.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Resource Management, Science Tagged With: tribes

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • Next Page »

Welcome

A magazine about nature, science and conservation in Minnesota and the surrounding Great Lakes Region.

Getting Acquainted

Take our Reader Survey

Subscribe By Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Agate and receive notifications of new posts. Subscribing is free.

Please Support Agate

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in