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Kirk Schnitker

Kirk Schnitker: Catching up with Minnesota’s Bob Lessard, a master of conservation politics

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Fishing, National Hunting, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion /

Where does one start and stop on Bob Lessard’s decades in Minnesota conservation politics? As a state senator for 25 years, from 1977 to 2002, Lessard always was immersed as a leader in conservation causes, legislation, and constitutional amendments.
I will start by saying this man who has a clearly maverick sort about him was incredibly successful at making good things happen if it involved fish wildlife, water and general hunting and fishing interests.

Kirk Schnitker: Catching up with Minnesota’s Bob Lessard, a master of conservation politics Read More »

Kirk Schnitker: Is the Minnesota DNR breaking rules by using neonics?

Featured, Home Page News, Minnesota, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion /

Neonicotinoids, often called neonics, are a type of pesticide known for their negative effects on non-target insects. They’re used to kill farm crop pests such as aphids, but they also kill bees, butterflies, and many other desirable, non-target insects.
Neonics are bad for the environment, but they’re used extensively in Minnesota where they’re largely unregulated. The Minnesota Legislature in 2023 did take some steps in regulating their use. It passed a law that legislated that, among other things, the DNR cannot use or permit neonics use on any DNR-managed public lands.

Kirk Schnitker: Is the Minnesota DNR breaking rules by using neonics? Read More »

Kirk Schnitker: Minnesota government failing to properly address neonicotinoids harmful to the natural world

Minnesota, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion /

Last summer, I read an article from the Xerces Society – an advocacy organization whose stated goal is invertebrate conservation – that indicated many states were taking great steps to better regulate and reduce pesticide use and that “Minnesota leads the way in pesticide regulation.”
Maybe baby steps, but Minnesota politicians and regulators are still failing miserably in addressing neonicotinoids and pesticides that are bad for the natural world.

Kirk Schnitker: Minnesota government failing to properly address neonicotinoids harmful to the natural world Read More »

Kirk Schnitker: Minnesota agencies – MDH, MPCA, MDA – are failing citizens

Featured, Fishing, Hunting, Minnesota, Opinion /

During the past year, the Minnesota DNR has gotten clobbered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to follow federal law in managing certain forest properties for wildlife and for not properly documenting their management.
Some $20 million were held back from the state for its failures, though they now have been released.

Kirk Schnitker: Minnesota agencies – MDH, MPCA, MDA – are failing citizens Read More »

Hitting their mark with air rifles: meet the Minnesota Centershots Junior Rifle Club

Featured, Features, Minnesota, National, News /

I recently received a call from Anoka pal Jeff Weaver, who told me he was at a meeting at the Anoka American Legion. While he was there, he found a group of young people shooting air rifles in the basement. Jeff said he had to stop and check it out and was excited to see more youth enjoying a shooting sport.

Hitting their mark with air rifles: meet the Minnesota Centershots Junior Rifle Club Read More »

Ethanol program has been a failure by many measures

Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Opinion, Opinion, Opinion /

Let’s talk about the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, where the government mandates that gas and diesel producers use a percentage of corn-based ethanol in the fuel they produce. The problem is, this program has been an abject failure, but its advocates do not want to concede they were, and continue to be, wrong. I will explain.

Ethanol program has been a failure by many measures Read More »

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