ELY- Every piece of land is connected to each other, to waterways, and wild lands. To keep our watersheds in good health it’s important that landowners be aware of the choices they make and how they affect the environment. North St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District conservationists Joe Murphy and Jake Bendel hosted a workshop on Friday night at Ely Folk School to get people thinking about changes they can make to improve our collective water quality, and habitats alongside it.
A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains to the same place. St. Louis County is unique in that it is home to three major watersheds. For those of us in the North Country, our waters eventually flow north to Hudson Bay. That’s the big picture, but watersheds can be thought of in smaller terms as well, from your yard to your street, from your street to your nearest river or lake, later connecting to Hudson Bay. As many pieces of an intricate web, we all have a part to play in keeping our treasured waters clean.
Every piece of land matters, whether you own 80 acres, a small lot in town, or waterfront property. For an added bonus, adapting water-friendly backyard practices can make your property more resilient to natural disasters like floods, add beauty, and support biodiversity.
A water friendly backyard is designed to support native flora and fauna, while also conserving water resources. Homeowners are encouraged to plant rain gardens with native plants, giving water an opportunity to soak into the ground for natural filtration, instead of going straight onto the street. Rain gardens slow runoff and have the added benefit of attracting pollinators and adding beauty. By absorbing water before it runs off, the amount of contaminants entering our waters are reduced. Native plants don’t require fertilizers or pesticides, they prevent erosion, reduce air pollution, and provide food and habitat for local fauna. An SWCD handout states that rain gardens can stop 90-percent of pollutants in runoff.
Landowners can also create a buffer by planting vegetation between their yards and lake or riverfront or collect rainwater by using a rain barrel to use later in gardens. Mulching garden beds or adding clover to lawns can also help. 

Murphy emphasized that water in storm drains is not cleaned before entering back into the environment. That means that street trash, animal waste, car oil, car washing soap, sidewalk salt, herbicides, and pesticides go into the watershed. We can easily reduce the impacts by reducing or eliminating our use of those products and picking up messes.
Homeowners can also offer spaces for wildlife by adding bird or bat boxes, letting dead trees lie, planting shrubs, removing invasive species, and offering bird baths. To purchase seeds of native plants, Murphy recommended MNL. Their website is MNLcorp.com/shop.
Many community programs are working towards these efforts. Ely residents can adopt a storm drain by visiting mn.adopt-a-drain.org, or join the Ely Garden Club. Lake Stewards is a program that highlights properties that exhibit good practices for protecting aquatic habitat. The Vermilion Lake Association has one such program. Check with your local lake association to see if they have a program. 

North St. Louis County SWCD offers many services around conservation, erosion control, water quality, and forestry. The SWCD will do site visits, can answer specific questions and can sometimes connect projects to funding sources. To get connected, call the SWCD office at 218-749-2000 or visit their website at nslswcd.org.