1. Chloride consultations and best winter maintenance practices. Last updated February 2025.

• This media kit highlights the chloride consultations that WMWA is offering and encourages residents to follow best winter maintenance practices.

2. Blue Thumb Partnership. (4 sections) Last updated March 2025.

• Overall Highlight - Planting for Pollinators
• Native Plant Sales
• Lawns to Legumes
• Plant Finder​​

3. Earth Month and Adopt-a-Drain. Last updated April 2025.

• This media kit highlights Earth Month and includes directions for residents to clean up streets, improve water quality, and sign up for the Adopt-a-Drain program.

4. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). Last updated June 2025.

• This media kit highlights what AIS are, encourages residents to take preventative measures, and pledge to stop the spread of invasive species through lakepledge.com.

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5. Pet Waste. Last updated June 2025.

• This media kit educates residents on pet waste pollution and encourages people to pick up pet waste. There is a newsletter and set of social media posts with a focus on summer, and another newsletter and set of social media posts with a focus on early spring. 
• Pet waste utility insert & pet waste postcard (blank return address). If you wish to print the utility insert or postcard on your own, you are welcome to do so. Otherwise, contact Grace at [email protected] to get items printed and/or mailed for you. If you want either of these items printed, please let Grace know how many copies you would like, and Hennepin County staff will get those delivered to you. Then, you can mail the utility insert as you wish or use these materials at outreach events. If you would like Hennepin County to mail the postcard for you, you will need to send along a mailing list.

6. Water Conservation and Drought. Last updated July 2024. 

• This media kit includes information to help residents enhance water conservation efforts during late summer. Residents are encouraged to plant drought-friendly plants, create landscapes resilient to a changing climate, and reduce water usage. There is a newsletter and set of social media posts. 

7. Fall Lawn Care. Last updated September 2024.

• This media kit includes information to help residents improve practices on their properties to reduce leaves going into storm drains during the fall season and encourages residents to sign up for the Adopt-a-Drain program.

8. Chloride Pollution Reduction. Last updated October 2024.

• This media kit includes information to help residents and facilities reduce their reliance on chlorides for winter maintenance. Residents and property owners are encouraged to adopt best management practices in the winter season and attend MPCA Smart Salting trainings. In this media kit there are two sets of articles and social media posts for TWO separate audiences (property management and residents).

9. Leave it to Beavers. Last updated January 2025.

• This media kit offers information on the water quality and additional environmental benefits of preserving and protecting terrestrial and aquatic habitats, using beavers as an example. It also includes recommendations to reduce damage related to beaver activities.

In the news...

COLUMN: Remember, too much salt is harmful for MN waters | Free | hometownsource.com Published in 9 APG, Hennepin County area papers (Osseo maple Grove Press, Crow River News, 2 Sun Posts, 2 Sun Currents, and 3 Sun Sailors). 

Star Tribune Article: How much deicing salt to use in Minnesota this winter

COLUMN: Collaboration takes four Hennepin County lakes off the impaired waters list | Free | hometownsource.com Published in 9 APG, Hennepin County area papers (Osseo maple Grove Press, Crow River News, 2 Sun Posts, 2 Sun Currents, and 3 Sun Sailors).
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