Minnesota residents saved river valley in 1976; Refuge now protects 15,000 acres

Conservation challenges remain part of the conversation and the anniversary panel will examine issues facing the Minnesota River Valley, including water quality, flooding and development along the river's bluffs. Half a century ago, a stretch of Minnesota river country faced a very different future. Plans for landfills and development threatened the Minnesota River bottoms, prompting local residents to push back against a transformation they believed would erase one of the region's most valuable natural landscapes. Today, that fight has left behind an urban wilderness stretching for miles, giving wildlife a protected corridor surprisingly close to the Twin Cities, reports The Minnesota Star Tribune.A half-century of protectionAccording to The Minnesota Star Tribune, the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is marking 50 years since the land came under federal protection through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge now spans more than 15,000 acres along roughly 50 miles of trails and river habitat, stretching from Bloomington to Henderson. Its forests, wetlands, grasslands and river bottoms provide space for birds, insects and other wildlife while giving residents acc...