D Environmental Excel Award
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2004 Environmental Excellence Awards
The Environmental Excellence Awards are presented by the City of Chanhassen to
recognize environmental improvements and stewardship throughout the community.
These awards are designed not only to recognize achievement, but also to
communicate new ideas and encourage the members of the Chanhassen community to
make a difference in their world.
Pastor Jim Bledsaw and Dave Boorsma
Project: Chanhassen Farmer's Market
A little over one year ago, a small meeting between Linda Walton of the Chamber of
Commerce, city staff, Dave Boorsma and Pastor Bledsaw took place. The subject was
how to start a farmer's market in Chanhassen. Luckily, the right people were invited
and thanks to the hard work and committed efforts of Dave and Pastor Bledsaw the
dream of a Farmer's Market became a reality in Chanhassen this past summer. The
Market opened on May 15 with three vendors and grew over the summer. It ran every
Saturday until October 2 offering Chanhassen residents and visitors the opportunity to
buy locally grown items and products.
Chaska High School Environmental Club
Receiving: Heidi Berbee and student members of the Environmental Club
Project: "Art for the Earth"
The student-led environmental club, in partnership with the art club, hosted a
community-wide art fair called "Art for the Earth". In addition to allowing students to sell
their artwork, of which a portion of the proceeds were donated to an organization called
Project Alice, the fair was also designed to raise awareness of the benefits of organic
farming, the harmful effects of pesticide and chemical use and ways in which
community members can participate in developing sustainable farming and living.
Kathy Dahl, Sue Morgan, and Shelley Strohmaier
Project: Project H20 Neighborhood Coordinators
Project H20 is an on-going, city-sponsored educational program that employs motivated
citizen volunteers, called Neighborhood Coordinators, to educate their neighbors about
storm water. In addition to speaking to their neighborhoods about local lake quality,
these three women have endorsed simple household practices that help keep
Chanhassen's waters clean. They have also helped their neighbors apply these
practices to their own homes and yards as demonstrations for others.
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General Mills
Receiving: Brent Kreofsky
Project: Bluff Creek Reforestation and Arbor Day tree planting
The Chanhassen General Mills plant has been dedicated to reforesting the Bluff Creek
corridor for a number of years. Volunteers from the Chanhassen and sometimes Eden
Prairie plants have gathered each spring for the past five years to plant native trees
along Bluff Creek. This year they coordinated the event with the city's Arbor Day
celebration and planted 80 trees along the creek. In time, a canopy of native trees will
shade the creek, prevent erosion, reduce storm water runoff and provide scenic beauty
for decades, even centuries, to come.
Chanhassen Rotary
Receiving: Tim Erhart
Project: Arbor Day tree planting project
On May 1 of this year, the Chanhassen Rotary partnered with the city to organize a tree
planting project. Two planting locations were selected - Bandimere Park and the future
site of a trailhead parking lot in the Chanhassen Nature Preserve on Coulter Boulevard.
The Rotary members were joined by Cub Scout Pack 295 and together they planted 80
native trees that will enhance and beautify both park sites for generations to come.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Receiving: Monique LaCroix and Peter Moe
Project: Tea Room composting program
As a seasonal manager of the Tea Room, Monique saw that there was a large amount
of food waste generated that could be diverted from the garbage and composted
instead. Monique pursued and was granted funding from Carver County and approval
from the Arboretum administration to construct a composting system for the Tea Room.
She started with a simple system of composting bins outside of the Tea Room and
buckets for carrying the food waste to the bins. She then educated the Tea Room staff
on the proper procedures for separating the food waste from the garbage and, finally,
managed the turning and inspection of the compost. Much to the pride of the
Arboretum, the composting system has been very successful. In light of that success,
plans have been made to continue the program when the Tea Room opens in the new
Visitor Center.
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Carver-Scott Master Gardeners
Receiving: Representatives are unable to attend (see attached letter).
Project: Chanhassen Community Gardens and Arbor Day participation
Ask any gardener at the city's community gardens who has the best plot and all fingers
will point to the Master Gardener demonstration plot. They succeed where others fail.
They also fail from time to time, but this gives them fodder for new projects and
ultimately, they still succeed. Luckily for the rest of us, they love to share their
knowledge and expertise. They provide the needed inspiration and resources for all
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gardeners to create beauty and abundance in their gardens. Not only are they a
presence at the community gardens each summer, but they also annually volunteer at
the city's Arbor Day celebration providing an informal and invaluable question and
answer booth for participants.
Carver County
609 W. First Street
Waconia, MN 55387-1204
PHONE
(952) 442-4496
FAX
(952) 442-4497
WEB
http://www.extension.umn.edulcounty/
carver
E-MAIL
carver@extension.unm.edu
UNIVBRSITY OF MINNBSOTA
Extension
SERVICE
December 6, 2004
Jill Sinclair
Environmental Resources Specialist
City of Chanhassen
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Dear Jill,
RECEIVED
DEC 0 7 2004
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
On behalf of the Carver/Scott Master Gardeners, I would like to thank
you and the City of Chanhassen for bestowing on us the 2004
Environmental Excellence Award.
As a group, we are proud of our involvement in projects that carry our
mission to teach horticulture using University of Minnesota-based
research. Both the Chanhassen Arbor Day celebration and the
Chanhassen Community Garden are vehicles for that mission and we are
happy to help in any way that we can.
Unfortunately, December 13 is the date of our own annual Awards
Dinner. Consequently, we are unable to attend the City Council Meeting.
We truly feel honored to have our efforts recognized by the City of
Chanhassen and would accept the award in person if it was at all possible.
Thank you so much for this recognition.
Sincerely,
~ð/Jvd
¿e Smith
Program Coordinator
Carver/Scott Master Gardeners
University of Minnesota, U.S. Department of Agriculture. and Minnesota Counties Cooperating