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Trouble by the water: Minnesota's vanishing natural lakeshores

Are Minnesotans loving their lakes to death? Nearly half of wild shorelines that protect lakes from pollution are now gone.

It’s possible to repair the damage, but is the will there to do it?

Join MPR News correspondent Kirsti Marohn as she explores these questions and takes us for a lake tour to see how suburban-style development is changing Minnesota’s lakeshores.

Funding for this series is provided in part by the Four Cedars Environmental Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.

Unchecked development, lax regulation push Minnesota lakeshores to the edge

Unchecked development, lax regulation push Minnesota lakeshores to the edge

Development has destroyed nearly half the natural shorelines that help protect Minnesota lakes from erosion and pollution. Reversing that means convincing people that their vision of beauty is killing the thing they love.
by Kirsti Marohn

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‘Quit mowing’: Turning Minnesota lake homeowners into shoreline stewards, one lawn at a time

‘Quit mowing’: Turning Minnesota lake homeowners into shoreline stewards, one lawn at a time

A program born in the Brainerd Lakes Area to protect natural shorelines and curb pollution also wants to reset Minnesota’s lake culture. It’s led by property owners, including some who helped create the current environmental problems.
by Kirsti Marohn

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In NW Wisconsin, a county finds paying homeowners to keep shorelines natural pays off

In NW Wisconsin, a county finds paying homeowners to keep shorelines natural pays off

Advocates concerned about Minnesota’s vanishing wild shorelines often cite Burnett County’s success with a program that sends a check each year to property owners who follow its lakeshore rules. At Warner Lake, it’s helping keep the water clean.
by Kirsti Marohn

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10 key data points and graphs about loss of shoreline on Minnesota’s lakes

10 key data points and graphs about loss of shoreline on Minnesota’s lakes

Inspired by MPR News’ series, “Trouble by the water: Minnesota’s vanishing natural lakeshores?” This supplement goes deeper into the trends and data, including some county- and even lake-level data about Minnesota’s most beloved resource: our beautiful lakes.
by Elisabeth Gawthrop and Alyson Clary

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On Cross Lake, loons make the case for protecting Minnesota's wild shores

On Cross Lake, loons make the case for protecting Minnesota's wild shores

Environmental advocates are tapping into Minnesotans’ passion for loons to focus attention on how lake health and natural shorelines are vital for the survival of Minnesota’s beloved state bird.
by Kirsti Marohn

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Native plants, lots of patience: How a Stearns County couple restored a damaged lakeshore

Native plants, lots of patience: How a Stearns County couple restored a damaged lakeshore

Richard and Mary Gallea spent 20 years transforming their property on the Sauk River Chain of Lakes to a colorful native landscape. It’s helped to keep their lake clean. Here’s how they did it.
by Kirsti Marohn

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