South St. Louis Soil & Water Conservation District

We've sold out of many species in our Native Tree & Shrub Sale, but still have a variety of species left. As of April 13, we have the following inventory remaining (quantities in bundles of 25):

Red pine - 11
White pine - 6
Jack pine - 2
White spruce - 6
Bur oak - 2
White oak - 2
Red oak - 3
Hackberry - 2
Silver maple - 3

Ordering site: https://www.southstlouisswcd.org/2026-tree-and-shrub-sale/

You must be able to pick up your trees at the Proctor Fairgrounds during the following times:
-Thursday, May 14th from 3 pm to 6 pm
-Friday, May 15th from 9 am - 6 pm
-Saturday, May 16 from 9 am to 11 am.

2/24/26 Tree & Shrub Sale Update

In the first two weeks of the sale, around 20,000 trees and shrubs have been purchased! While some varieties are now out of stock, we still have many options available. Our tree sale page can be found here: https://www.southstlouisswcd.org/annual-tree-and-shrub-sale/ This will give information on this year's sale as well as access to our online store.

Our January 2026 eNews just went out to subscribers full of information about the upcoming Native Tree & Shrub Sale. It can also be found here: https://mailchi.mp/47baf806008d/january-2026-enews and updated information is available on our website as well.

Join us to learn about the Kingsbury Creek Restoration Project, which will restore 3,000 feet of stream and reconnect 5 acres of floodplain in Proctor to improve water quality, reduce erosion, and enhance trout habitat. The meeting will provide an overview of the project design, timeline, and expected community and environmental benefits, with time for public questions and feedback.

Yesterday, SSLSWCD employees and our partner, TSA #3, got out on a beautiful afternoon to clean up our Adopt-A-Highway section of Morris Thomas Road. Over 8 bags of trash were removed from our 2-mile section of road!

Congratulations to the winner of St. Louis River Watershed Adopt-a-Drain Chalk Art Contest, Paige Huhta. Every drain adopted helps keep trash and pollution out of our rivers, streams, and Lake Superior. Visit https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/ to see adoptable storm drains in your area.

South St. Louis SWCD will be at Harvest Fest this Saturday, September 6th, from 10-4 at Bayfront Park. Our table will be in the Exhibitor Tent in front of the stage.

Community Opportunity: St. Louis River Watershed Adopt-a-Drain Chalk Art Contest open to all community members across the St. Louis River Watershed

Help keep our waters clean while showing off your creativity!
1. Adopt a storm drain in your community
2. Create chalk art near your drain that highlights clean water or protecting our lakes and rivers
3. Snap a photo and submit it for a chance to win prizes!

Every drain adopted helps keep trash and pollution out of our rivers, streams, and Lake Superior.

Visit https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/ to see storm drains in your area. When you are finished with your masterpiece, please scan the QR code on the graphic or visit https://forms.office.com/r/9zXcZZ9KEd to submit!

Let’s see what our communities can create together!

Training Opportunity: Help grow tomorrow’s forests by becoming a skilled seed collector! Join UMN Extension’s seed collection training and gain practical knowledge, a personalized collection plan, and opportunities to network with experts. Reduced tuition available; register by August 20 at https://extension.umn.edu/creating-climate-ready-woodlands/acorns-seed-collection-course

ACORNS seed collection course Learn how to collect seeds from six species: yellow birch, black walnut, silver maple, bur oak, swamp white oak, and northern red oak.

Event Opportunity:
Understanding Feedlot Rules for Small-Scale Livestock Producers July 24, 2025 at 7pm.

Open to everyone with livestock—any species, any size. Free and open to the public. Whether you're just getting started or have been raising livestock for years, this is a great opportunity to learn, ask questions, and walk away with tools to help your farm thrive.

Where: Fireside Inn (415 Meadow Dr, McGregor, MN 55760)

Please call ahead to reserve your spot: 218-384-8680

Join us for this upcoming event!

You are invited to a free on-farm Pasture Walk on Monday, July 28 from 3–5 PM at Farm Sol, a farm in Saginaw, MN that grows vegetables and manages a flock of sheep and pasture poultry. The event is hosted by the Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association in partnership with the South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District.

The pasture walk will focus on the adoption strategies for Adaptive Planned Grazing and Silvopasture Establishment. Participants will tour Farm Sol’s adaptive grazing system, see Silvopasture projects in progress, and discuss the motivations behind the practices.
The event is free and open to the public. Advance registration is encouraged, but walk-ups are welcome. Registration will be available at https://sfa-mn.org/events/pasture-walk/.