July is the heart of field season when it comes to carrying out stream restoration work across the state. Tackling riparian invasives, culvert replacements for fish passage, scoping potential projects, maintenance of trees, and full-on instream habitat improvements – the staff, members, volunteers, and contractors of MNTU have been busy. 

Here’s a bit of what’s been going on around the state. 

Southeast Minnesota 

Spring Creek Habitat Improvement Project – Crews recently completed the construction phase a 1,300-foot habitat improvement project on Spring Creek near West Albany (Wabasha County). The design focused on channel narrowing to improve sediment passage, bank sloping to reconnect the floodplain, and adding important habitat features including riffles for spawning and food production, large pools, and toewood. Following construction, MNTU and its contractors will focus on establishing native riparian vegetation and monitoring the design. 

MNTU has also been checking in on recent projects. At Mazeppa Creek (installed summer 2025), we are pleased to see that native forbs are thriving – like this spiderwort.  

Caption: Flowering spiderwort at Mazeppa Creek (Wabasha County) in the first year of vegetation management following 2025 in-stream construction. 

Also in southeast Minnesota, MNTU recently hired a design and oversight firm to start the planning for a stream improvement project on the South Branch of the Root River in Lanesboro. MNTU staff and habitat advisory members, MN DNR, design consultants, and representatives from the city of Lanesboro will be on the ground to start scoping the design early next month. 

North Central Minnesota 

MNTU and local DNR staff recently visited several streams in north central Minnesota to assess potential for habitat improvement projects, including Sucker Brook (near Itasca State Park), Stoney Brook (Brainard), and Little Rock Creek (near St. Cloud).  

Caption: Headwaters member John Sorensen with MN DNR staff assessing Sucker Brook near Itasca State Park. 

Twin Cities Metro 

Our contractors continue to monitor and do maintenance at Hay Creek and Trout Brook – projects constructed in recent years. Surveys are underway at Trout Brook to continue monitoring for a rare plant that was discovered prior to construction in 2023. So far, the plant is thriving within the area of construction. To that end, our project on Eagle Creek in Savage has been delayed due to the discovery of a state-threatened plant. MNTU immediately worked with MN DNR staff to acquire the permit that would enable us to continue the project while taking steps to mitigate any impact to the rare species. Although MNTU recently received the permit, it is likely that construction of the Eagle Creek project will be delayed until 2026. 

We also want to shout out TCTU for all of the hard work on invasives throughout the metro this spring and early summer – wild parsnip is no match for this crew. 

Northeast Minnesota 

This spring, MNTU worked on a gap planting project along the Lester, French, and Sucker Rivers near Duluth.  Crews planted 240, ~2,000 sq ft gaps that had been previously cleared of dead and dying balsam fir and white spruce as a consequence of spruce bud worm infestation. The new trees planted include white cedar, white pine, red pine, Tamarac, sugar maple, red oak, and yellow birch.  

The Gitche Gumee chapter and MNTU staff also planted trees along MNTU’s habitat improvement project at Keene Creek Parkin Hermantown. Volunteers planted 48 long-lived white cedar and white pine.  

This month, MNTU staff will also be on the ground with our partners (MN DNR and SSL SWCD) to continue design work for upcoming projects at Amity Creek and Keene Creek in Duluth. Construction for these projects is expected in summer 2026.  

All of these projects are supported by Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Fund