Cows for cleaner water

Minnesota ranchers and recreationalists find common ground with help from Extension RSDP

Sarah Kuschel, her husband, Miles, and their three children raise beef cattle on pasture in southern Cass County. “My family uses this ground, and we live, work and sleep here,” she says.

Kuschel is among many ranchers in an area of central Minnesota where water flows into the Pine River, to the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, and then the Mississippi River. The Pine River Watershed is an important drinking water source, supplying communities downstream including St. Cloud and the Twin Cities. The Whitefish Chain of Lakes also holds importance to locals and visitors who enjoy fishing, boating, beaches and hiking.

Area ranchers, recreationalists and environmental protection groups are recognizing their shared interest in protecting the region’s water quality. “It’s our responsibility to maintain the ground we’ve been given so it’s here for generations to come,” Kuschel says.

With help from the University of Minnesota Extension Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (Central RSDP) ranchers and others in Cass and Crow Wing counties are working together to safeguard their water resources. One important way of doing this is through sustainable practices for raising cattle.

“How animals are raised on […]

Full article: Cows for cleaner water

More about Minnesota and its natural resources:

‘Our water is our diamond’

Doctors say Minnesota needs to do more to protect kids from lead exposure in school water

Safe drinking water must be a shared value in Minnesota

The Watershed Game challenges, informs decision-makers