Yes, I was sick of writing.

My specialty being forest ecology, spring in the Northern Hardwoods is always a fascinating time, as the blossoms in the understory appear, grabbing the sun before the sun is stolen by the leaves in the canopy. I apologize for the shots as the lighting was difficult...

A Trillium

A Wild Ginger Flower

And a Bloodroot Blossom

This area had a fairly rich understory. I saw one earlier in the day that had obviously been hit hard by Lumbricis terrestris, the invasive nightcrawler. Notice the complete lack of understory and bare soil.

With a cohort of worm species and heavy deer browsing, the understory is dominated by sedge and a few survivors. Notice the lack of seedlings...

As the canopy trees die off, there is nothing to replace them. The question becomes, what will? What is the extinction deficit for this location? Will it simply be colonized by invasive species and the biomass will be essentially equivalent?

Big Stone II, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission the EPA and Excelsior:

I'll defer to Legalectric for their coverage, but change can come quickly. Something unthinkable only two weeks ago happened; The EPA objected to the Big Stone II permit. This after the Minnesota PUC and its South Dakota equivalent let the thing walk with a "promise us you will do thigns right permit". Maybe now the reasonable choices needed in Minnesota can actually be made, since the state is controlled by the right wing. Hopefully, this will have an effect on boondoggles like Excelsior.

Warning...Environmental policy, so it is a bit wonkish. Having worked for different divisions within the DNR( no longer), and with my research and current work in this very field, it is very dear to me.

The details for the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment:

How much will it raise and what will it be used for?

The current general sales and use tax rate is 6.5%. Sales tax
revenue is deposited in the state General Fund.) It raises the state sales tax to 6.875% and dedicates the additional proceeds as follows:
• 33% to a newly created Outdoor Heritage Fund to be spent
only to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests,
and habitat for game, fish, and wildlife (approximately
$80 million in FY 2010 and $91 million in FY 2011);
• 33% to a newly-created Clean Water Fund to be spent only
to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers,
streams, and groundwater, with at least 5% of the fund spent
to protect drinking water sources (approximately $80 million
in FY 2010 and $91 million in FY 2011);
• 14.25% to a newly created Parks and Trails Fund to be
spent only to support parks and trails of regional or statewide
significance (approximately $35 million in FY 2010 and $39
million in FY 2011);
• 19.75% to a newly created Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund
to be spent only for arts, arts education, and arts access, and
to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage
(approximately $48 million in FY 2010 and $54.5 million in
FY 2011).

The money does not automatically go to the Minnesota DNR. It is competitive money, meaning agencies and groups propose projects which are then evaluated for funding.

Finally, some stability, and maybe some new projects and repairs...Believe me, I have my stories.