E.D. Jeff Forester talks Carp with Jake Judd, KRCQ Radio:

Part 1 (mp3 audio - 13.52 MB)
Part 2 (mp3 audio - 9.77 MB)

Asian Carp

Since last spring MSRPO has been meeting with a coalition of groups to stop Asian Carp from spreading into Minnesota. With the discovery of environmental DNA, or eDNA in the Minneapolis area, our work is even more urgent.

If Asian carp make it past the Coon Rapids Dam, they threaten the lakes, rivers and streams of the Upper Mississippi River basin. Minnesota's way of life is incompatable with Asian carp.

On December 7th, the Army Corps of Engineers closed the locks at St. Anthony Falls for the winter. MSRPO was part of a tele-press conference held to publically advocate that the locks remain closed until a redundant system of carp barriers is established to prevent the carps' northward migration.

Star Tribune "Close the Lock Campaign Kicks Off"

KSTP :Coalition Meets to Find Solution to Asian carp Spread

Grand Forks Herald "Minnesota outdoors, environment groups see 120 days toi stop asian carp"

On December 19th, Gov. Dayton hosted his third  Carp Summit, affirming his commitment to stopping the spread of Asain carp and Aquatic Invasive Species, AIS in Minnesota. Sen. Klobuchar, who has attended the last two summits, also committed her office to pressing legislation that would require the Army Corp of Engineers to manage the locks in a way that prevented AIS spread, even if that means temporarily closing the locks.

Hometopwn Source, "Dayton urges state officials to take quick action in fighting Asian carp"

Property Tax Reform Now!

Greetings:

Many of us received bad news when we opened our truth in taxation statements. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it may not be the train.

* Minnesota is projected to have a budget surplus in the short term.

* Efforts to redesign government and our tax system are gaining traction and momentum.

As this article, Local leaders look for way to reshape government, makes clear Minnesotans at all levels of government and non-governmental organizations are working to steer our state back onto firm ground.

Now is the time to make our case to legislators...to let them know:

* Lake shore property has born incredible property tax pressure for a decade. This unsustainable tax pressure is forcing sales and subdivision of riparian land.

* It is past time for a major state and local fiscal system overhaul including property tax relief for sensitive shore lines.

Send this email to your legislator and let them know what has happened to your property taxes as a result of the last budget resolution. Please look at your truth in taxation notice, and insert the projected increase into the blank in the email.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

MSRPO takes no money from state agencies, foundations, or other groups. We are entirely funded by voluntary membership contributions. We are TOTALLY DRIVEN by our members' concerns. Therefore it is critical we know what those concerns are.

If you have not yet taken our 2011 Membership Survey, please do so today.

MSRPO Members Speak Up Survey

Thank you for your support and your ideas. Please keep in touch.

Each Legacy Letters was chosen to recognize, celebrate and commemorate moments in our state's history that shape who we are today as Minnesotans.

Jeff Forester, of course wrote about his family's connection to a cabin on Lake Vermilion, built almost a century ago by his great grandfather, a "Cousin Jack" who emigrated to northern Minnesota to open the Tower Iron Mine.  Forester knows that it is family time spent togtether on a lake or in the woods that is a uniquely Minnesotan tradition.

4:00-6:00 p.m. Aquatic Invasive Species inspection/decontamination instruction
5:00 p.m.  Doors open for cocktails and silent auction
6:00 p.m. Appetizers served
7:00 p.m. Darby Nelson book release event for For Love of Lakes, a book reviewers are already calling the Sand County Almanc of water.
7:30 p.m. Raffle, Silent Auction and Business Meeting- Top Item Waikiki Time Share!

The 2011 MSRPO Annual Meeting will be a lot of fun, so mark your calendars and plan on attending.  You will also have a chance to get instruction by the DNR in Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) inspection, focusing  on the new AIS rules to stop the spread of AIS.

Participants will be empowered with the knowledge and skills to educate those entering  and leaving the lakes we love about AIS prevention and will be taught how they can protect our lakes from becoming infested.  They will be able to identify when a risky and/or illegal situation may be occurring and will be taught how to deal with those situations accordingly.

Training will include about an hour of "classroom"  time and then will move out to the parking lot for hands on training with an actual boat and state of the art portable decontamination station. The entire presention is expected to take less than 2 hours.  This is an incredible opportunity to get smart about AIS control on our lakes.

This opportunity is free.  Please call the office to let us know if you will be attending so we can enough materials on hand for everyone - 1-952-854-1317.

Then we PARTY!

This will be a fun night with free appetizers, door prizes, cash bar, and an opportunity to meet your newly elected MSRPO Board members and others, talk, visit, win some great prizes, and do a little MSRPO business.

• Aquatic Invasive Species inspection and decontamination training by the Minnesota DNR
• Delicious appetizers
• Cash bar
• Door prizes
• Raffle
• Silent auction
• Guest speaker Darby Nelson

Darby Nelson, Professor Emeritus at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and aquatic ecologist, has served three terms as a Minnesota state legislator and is the former board president of Conservation Minnesota. Darby is a great advocate for lakes, and his new book, For Love of Lakes , is sure to be a must read fro anyone who spends time on our waters.

For Love of Lakes is an affectionate account documenting our species long relationship with lakes--their glacial origins, Thoreau and his environmental message, and the major perceptual shifts and advances in our understanding of lake ecology. This is a necessary and thoughtful book that addresses the stewardship void while providing understanding of our most treasured natural feature. An important and thoughtful book poised to be The Sand County Almanac of lakes.

Nelson's interplay of emotion and logic stimulates the reader to think--and that is a good thing. For Love of Lakes is poetic tot he end--a wonderful read for all who enjoy natural history.

John Magnuson,  Emeritus Professor of Zoology and Limnology,University of Wisconsin-Madison

View Map

Golden Valley VFW
7775 Medicine Lake Road
Golden Valley,  MN  55427-3501
763-545-9996

Please RSVP at 1-952-854-1317.
-AIS Instruction Only
-Party Only
-Both AIS Training and Party

A one month accumulation of zebra mussels taken from Lake Minnetonka.

Local residents and lake associations are the first line of defense.  In an effort to empower more people in the fight to stop the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), MSRPO is offering a training course in inspection and decontamination at their Annual Meeting on Wednesday, October 19 starting at 4:00 p.m. at the Golden Valley VFW.  Lake associations and other groups are encouraged to send those interested in becoming certified so that they can take a more proactive stance against AIS.

Training for AIS Inspection/Decontamination Certification during the 2011 MSRPO Annual Meeting, Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at the Golden Valley VFW

4:00-6:00 p.m. Aquatic Invasive Species inspection/decontamination certification
5:00 p.m.  Doors open for cocktails and silent auction
6:00 p.m.  Appetizers served
7:00 p.m.  Surprise Guest Speaker TBA
7:30 p.m.  Raffle and Business Meeting

Participants will be empowered with the knowledge and skills to educate those entering  and leaving the lakes they love about AIS prevention and will be taught how they can protect their lake from becoming infested.  They will be able to identify when a risky and/or illegal situation may be occurring and will be taught how to deal with those situations accordingly.

Training will include about an hour of "classroom" time and then  will move out to the parking lot for hands-on work on an actual boat with a state of the art portable decontamination station.  The entire class is expected to take less than 2 hours.

The class is free to MSRPO members.  Please call the office to let us know if you will be attending so we can have enough materials on hand for everyone - 1-952-854-1317.

In spring the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) launched a three-year study by placing two monitoring devices like the one pictured above at each of 32 sites from Gray's Bay to Halsted Bay. During its first monthly check of the devices in late June, the District found zebra mussels at 24 locations.

"It's no surprise the zebra mussel infestation is spreading west across the lake," said MCWD Water Quality Technician Kelly Dooley. "This invasive species is known for its rapid growth and we're committed to doing everything we can to prevent its spread to other waters, but we need the public's help. We all need to do our part to save the summers we love at local lakes
and streams by stopping the spread of zebra mussels."

Legislation passed last session requires boaters to Clean, Drain and Dry their boats after leaving Minnetonka and before launching in another lake or river.

The three-year MCWD study will document the extent of the zebra mussel infestation and give scientists baseline information to help them better understand and manage the spread of this invasive species. Left unmanaged, zebra mussels will continue to spread, littering beaches with their sharp shells, severely impacting fisheries, damaging boats and equipment, and destroying the health of local lakes, rivers and streams.

Last session MSRPO worked hard to pass laws that have helped slow the spread of AIS in other states, and worked to secure funding to set up a comprehensive statewide program.  "Implementation this summer has been slow to get going," said MSRPO Executive Director Jeff Forester.  "Given the data and pictures from the MCWD, it is clear that zebra mussels do not care about government shutdowns."  In lieu of a statewide effort, local lake associations, COLAs, and watershed districts have been left to try to protect the waters in their care, creating a patchwork quilt of efforts.  "Even once a comprehensive plan is up and running, it is going to be critical that local organizations get involved.  That is why AIS inspection and decontamination certification is so important," said Forester.

The monitoring effort on Lake Minnetonka comes amid a public awareness campaign the MCWD launched this summer in partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the City of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The "Save Our Summers" campaign reminds people to clean, drain and dry their boats and equipment before entering new water to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. For more information, visit the "Save Our Summers" page at www.minnehahacreek.org .

Minnehaha Creek Watershed District covers approximately 181 square miles, including Minnehaha Creek, Lake Minnetonka, the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes and Minnehaha Falls. The District is charged by state law to protect, improve and manage water resources.
It does so through scientific research and monitoring, public education, cost-share grant programs, permitting and collaborative efforts with the 27 cities, two townships and two counties (Hennepin and Carver) that are in the District. For more information, visit
www.minnehahacreek.org .

• Defines decontamination, suggesting the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species guidelines.
• Defines "Inspector" to include anyone certified by the Commissioner, even if they are not a licenced peace officer.  Empowers these inspectors to be able to order inspection anywhere in the state, and if needed order decontamination of water related equipment before it is put into waters of the state.
• Makes "compliance with aquatic invasive species inspection requirements... an express condition of operating or transporting water related equipment" in Minnesota.
• Empowers conservation or peace officers to set up "check stations," to check for AIS.
• Requires water related service providers to complete AIS training to get a permit.
• Disburses AIS penalties to the issuing agency, thereby creating further incentive for local law enforcement to enforce AIS regulations.
• Requires boat owners to display an educational rules decal (supplied at no cost by the DNR) on their boats.  This will keep the AIS message constantly in front of all boat operators, even those who are not the owner and may not know the rules.
• Gives the commissioner increased leeway in dealing with fishing tournaments by the addition of,  "The commissioner may require mandatory decontamination of boats participating in fishing contests on infested waters."
• The bill was effective the day after Gov. Dayton signed it on Saturday, May 28, 2011.

The bill did not increase either civil or criminal penalties for violating AIS rules.


When the Legislative session ended in May, there was no appropriations bill passed to implement the AIS program.  Funding for AIS was part of the final budget solution passed on July 20th however.

Including the money that comes from the AIS surcharge on boat registrations and general fund dollars that have traditionally gone into AIS work, there were a number of one time transfers that will provide $8,743,000 in 2012 and $10,754,000 in 2013 for AIS work.  While this represents almost a doubling of the state's previous AIS budget, and represents a significant commitment, this increase is due to one- time funds, meaning we will have to return to the legislature to secure a reliable and predictable funding source for this work.

As the dust settles from the shutdown, MSRPO and a number of groups will be working with the DNR to establish best management practices to prevent the spread and manage AIS in Minnesota.  The work will be ongoing, but we have made a very very significant first step towards implementing a plan.

Moving Forward

Over the next few months MSRPO will be actively working to build coalitions with organizations that have a shared constituency.  We will work to increase our membership base and grass roots power.  Please do take a moment to forward our emails to friends, associates and others who share our values.  the more people involved, the more power our collective voices will have.

This week Executive Director Jeff Forester met with Minnesota Water's new Executive Director Lois Sinn Lindquist to celebrate the progress made on AIS during the last session and to welcome Lois to her new role as leader of Minnesota Waters.  Lois commended the work MSRPO did last session and recognized the critical activism of the COLA Collaborative.  Said Lois, who worked on the AIS issue at the local level last session, "The energy generated around this work is palpable, meaningful and could be measurable."

Said MSRPO Executive Director Jeff Forester, "Already Lois and Minnesota Waters have made a major contribution by promoting  a presentation at Douglas County by Dr. Daniel Malloy into promising research and strategies for control and containment of zebra mussels."  

Recognizing a potential for strong collaboration between the two groups and the strengths each bring to the table as we push issues where our agendas meet.  There is no doubt that a strong partnership and engaged citizenry will benefit our shared constituents, and Minnesota's lakes and rivers.

MSRPO will continue to pursue other meaningful collaborations and partnerships with other outdoor, conservation, hunting, fishing and policy groups to benefit both our members and the state as a whole.

As always, we will keep you informed via these email newsletters.  As you see your state legislators at the grocery store or at town hall meetings, be sure to thank them for the work they did on AIS this session, and encourage them to take a stand on forging a permanent solution to Minnesota's perennial budget woes.

Jeff Forester, executive director of the Minnesota Seasonal and Recreational Property Owners Coalition, says, "Our property tax code is one of the most environmentally destructive in the nation. We spend tens of millions of dollars trying to preserve our lakes and rivers, but our property tax system almost guarantees it will fail because the taxes are so high that property owners have to keep subdividing and building in order to hold on to a piece of it." (Submitted photo)

Politics In Minnesota

by Britt Robson
Published: July 13,2011 
Time posted: 3:37 pm

While the politicians continue to bicker and stonewall over the state budget at the Capitol this month, Jeff Forester is blissfully in the middle of nowhere, off on Pine Island up in Lake Vermillion.

The 49-year-old Forester has an intimate, longstanding relationship with the territory. At the turn of the 20th century, his great-great-grandfather claimed a piece of the island before he was killed while working in the Tower-Soudan mines. In an effort to establish a deeper intellectual and emotional connection with that legacy beyond his regular trips to the island, Forester wrote a  book, "Forest for the Trees: How Humans Shaped the North Woods," in 2004. A finalist for a Minnesota Book Award, it has been highly praised for its comprehensive research, lively style and wide-ranging approach to the subject. It's fair to say that the land and people of northeastern Minnesota have etched some indelible grooves in his character and identity.

But other, very different grooves also dovetail into the mix. Although he cherishes his rural piece of the original family homestead, Forester spends most of his life residing in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis with his wife, Allison, who teaches middle-school math and dance, and their two children. He is a registered lobbyist at the Capitol in St. Paul. And while he hasn't written any tomes on the subject, he knows nearly as much about the vagaries of the property tax system in Minnesota as he does about the ecosystem up north.

This fascinating lifestyle is coated with a dull job title. In addition to being a freelance screenwriter, Forester is the executive director of the Minnesota Seasonal and Recreational Property Owners Coalition Inc., a name so wretchedly banal that he is currently offering a $25 prize to the person who contacts the organization's website (www.msrpo.org) and suggests the best new moniker.

He was one of the first board members of the MSRPO, getting in on the ground floor because the organization was founded in 1994 by another property owner on Lake Vermillion who sent letters to his neighbors urging them to band together, mostly to fight high property taxes. Even before he ascended to become executive director in 2003, Forester continued focusing on reducing property taxes for the organization's 6,000 dues-paying members while adroitly broadening tax policy so that encourages more sustainable management of the land and water.

"Our property tax code is one of the most environmentally destructive in the nation," Forester says bluntly. "We spend tens of millions of dollars trying to preserve our lakes and rivers, but our property tax system almost guarantees it will fail because the taxes are so high that property owners have to keep subdividing and building in order to hold on to a piece of it."

With practiced élan, he spins a narrative that simultaneously tugs at the family heartstrings and slides pegs to the right side of the abacus. Family cabins "are heirlooms more than assets," with owners holding on to them for an average of 25 years (the longest in the upper Midwest) versus just seven years for a typical residential property. But high property taxes force people on fixed incomes to subdivide for piecemeal sales (the average lot size decreased from 78 acres in 2001 to 53 acres in 2006) or build more rental units, at a cost to the environment.

In response, the MRSPO successfully lobbied for passage of the Sustainable Forest Incentive Act (SFIA) in 2001, which provides a 35 percent property tax break for owners of woodland acreage who enter into an eight-year covenant that includes a sustainable forestry plan written with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Forester would like to see similar legislation to protect shorelines, but the momentum is going the other way, as the anti-tax Republican-majority Legislature repealed SFIA this session, making it one of the many items held in limbo by the budget stalemate.

Budget woes don't help property owners

Forester and his organization had better success earning legislative passage for a bill controlling the spread of aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussels. "When we lose the ability to fish a lake because of invasive species, we are losing our brand nationally," he says. "Our members come from all over the country, and they don't come here for the winters. Sometimes we forget how uniquely beautiful this place is."

Of course, resolution of the bill to control aquatic invasive species is also subject to the final bargain over the budget. Forester says in these days of political polarization, it is a bonus to be able to lobby for bills that cut across party lines - it is not uncommon for both the environmentalists in the Sierra Club and the economic conservatives in the Minnesota Taxpayers League to simultaneously support the laws he is pushing.

The greater obstacle is the chronic budget deficits that make it increasingly difficult to free up revenue for new programs or tax relief. Forester and other MRSPO members have begun to consider better ways to use the contingencies for conservation and land management contained in the Legacy Amendment as a way to make progress toward their goals.

Then there are the more innovative, unconventional projects such as the "organic, free-range Christmas trees" Forester sold in partnership with Will Steger over the previous December holiday. The trees were culled from forests in overcrowded areas where fires were not desirable for land management, and consumers who returned them to the vendor after the holiday were assured that the trees would be recycled in the biofuels electricity plant in St. Paul.

Through it all, Forester strives to practice what he preaches, continuing to camp in a tent during his visits to Pine Island over the decades, and following the best water and land use practices he learned in the course of researching "Forest for the Trees." By the standards of most paid lobbyists, he earns a meager amount from his position at MRSPO, supplementing his (and his wife's) income by writing environmentally oriented screenplays.

The Forester File

Name: Jeff Forester

Age: 49

Job: Executive director of the Minnesota Seasonal and Recreational Property Owners Coalition Inc.

Grew up in: Chicago

Lives in: Minneapolis

Education: B.A. in English and rhetoric from the University of Illinois, M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Oregon

Family: Wife, Allison; son, Billie, 11; and daughter, Daisy, 10

Odd job: Working on a farm owned by author Ken Kesey ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Sometimes A Great Notion") in Oregon

Added warmth comes into his voice as he talks about "the privilege of being able to talk to all these old goats who are longer around" while gathering material for the book. As someone who lives primarily in Minneapolis but has ties to the local Pine Island community that go back more than a century, he is motivated by the common ground.

"There can be an 'us-against-them' mentality between the seasonals and the locals, but cabin owners frequently sell their place in town when they retire; they very much care what happens up here," he says via cellphone from the island's shore. "Most of us want to be good stewards of the land. My job is to make that easier."