If you're close to water, you might find some of these stories interesting

If you’re ever cleaned-up a dump site, this blog will bring a smile to your face. It explains how some conservation officers in Missouri tracked-down some dumpers with a little basic detective work.

Closer to home, the amazing prospect of water shortages in the land of lakes. This story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune explains how suburbs could over-tap ground water supplies in the not-so-distant future, and force more cities to drink from the Mississippi.

A question of cost-efficiency and compliance in Minnesota’s DNR set-aside program. In another story from the Star Tribune, questions are raised with regard to the amount spent on conservation easements and whether greater monitoring is in order.

A generous contribution to a big-name river group. A catalog company called “Orvis” plans to donate up to $120,000 to American Rivers, which intends to focus on two specific rivers as benefactors of the gift.

Family compensated for devoting land to conservation. A Florida program provides aid toward private conservation efforts, but might not be enough to protect the land from development, due to property tax rates.

Some of these stories illustrate just how much money changes hands in the name of conservation, stewardship, or environmental protection. I’m not sure why it’s so expensive to say, “clean-up after yourself,” and “don’t wreck the place, other people will need it when you’re long gone.”

© 2010 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.