The St. Croix conservation collaborative provides a forum for basin-wide conservation activities and needs, through information sharing, cooperative partnership development and joint fundraising efforts. The collaborative emerged from a series of meetings among groups and agencies working on conservation issues in the river basin to address the lack of coordinated conservation efforts, a role the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission held until its dissolution.

The collaborative partners identified the need for a comprehensive map of all conservation activity in the watershed. (Click to see the final map) In addition to ongoing conservation, collaborative members and others involved in resource protection work came together to identify conservation priorities within the watershed. A Conservation Priority Report for the St. Croix was prepared based on the results of those meetings (Click to see the report) (the document is 787 kb). Copies of the St Croix Watershed Conservation Priorities are available for $5.00. Contact John Haack (635-7406 or john.haack@ces.uwex.edu) for more information.

The St. Croix River watershed comprises 7,760 square miles, and encompasses 10 counties in Minnesota and 9 in Wisconsin, with the river itself forming the border between the two states for much of its length. The Upper St. Croix River was designated a National Scenic Riverway by Congress in 1968, and the Lower St. Croix in 1972. Within the watershed are numerous state forests and parks, Scientific & Natural Areas (MN) and State Natural Areas (WI). In addition, many communities, non-profit land trusts and other conservation organizations are working to protect critical resources under private and public ownership.

The conservation resources of the St. Croix watershed are imperiled by an intersecting set of factors. Some resources have already experienced moderate to severe degradation; others are highly susceptible to negative impacts from land uses in the watershed. Rapid population growth rate in the southern part of the watershed is resulting in many hundreds of acres of new construction each year. This development creates a cascade of impacts on aquatic, terrestrial and cultural resources.

Collaborative Partners

For more information about the collaborative, contact:
Bill Clapp, St. Croix Scenic Coalition Secretary, at (651) 222-8137, or gusclapp@qwest.net