Water Month 2019
Volunteers head into Talahi Woods in St. Cloud to restore oak forest on the bank of the Mississippi River. Iyana Esters | The Water Main
We’ve just wrapped up another successful MPR Water Month!
Throughout July the Water Main partnered with organizations across Minnesota to help folks gets outside. Forming a sense of connection to water and the outdoors is key to our mission of building public will in support of clean, accessible and affordable water. And the research shows it. Time spent in nature can improve mental health, subdue ailments like high blood pressure and strengthen social bonds.
That’s the idea behind our new app, Outside in MN. We launched the app with MPR News during Water Month to highlight how Minnesotans of all abilities and experience levels can explore the outdoors. The app has how-to guides (birdwatching, canoeing, stargazing and more!), weather updates and a calendar of beginner-friendly outdoor events throughout the state.
We even hosted some outdoor events of our own to help people get Outside in MN. Dozens of volunteers, including MPR News environment reporter Kirsti Marohn, helped restore the oak forest at Talahi Woods on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Cloud. We partnered with the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley for a water-themed Adult Night Out, DJ’d by Jade from the Current. And Minnesotans shared with us their favorite ways to explore nature by posting photos with the #OutsideinMN tag.
MPR News environmental reporter Kirsti Marohn pulls on a pair of work gloves, preparing to help restore the oak forest at Talahi Woods in St. Cloud, on the banks of the Mississippi River. Iyana Esters | The Water Main
The MPR News team also accelerated their coverage of water issues. Among the highlights were live broadcasts of Morning Edition and MPR News with Angela Davis from Tettegouche State Park on the shore of Lake Superior. And the Water Main partnered with North News’ summer interns to produce a multi-media feature that examined the North Minneapolis community’s connection to the Mississippi River.
MPR News host Angela Davis broadcasts live from Tettegouche State Park on the shore of Lake Superior. Derek Montgomery for MPR News.
Morning Edition host Kathy Wurzer conducts an interview at Tettegouche State Park on the shore of Lake Superior. Lauren Humpert | The Water Main
MPR’s music services dove into water month too. Classical MPR curated a calendar of over 150 outdoor concerts, including a live broadcast of The Parker Quartet performing at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum along the Mississippi River in Winona. Over at The Current, Oake and Riley in the Morning kicked off water month with a water-themed Coffee Break, and the Purple Current streamed an hour of water-inspired music.
Even though Water Month is over, the summer is not! There’s still plenty of time to get outside. So download Outside in MN now, and start exploring!