The City of Northfield nearly doubled in land area from 1966 to 2007 growing from 2443 to 4908 acres. Single family residential is now the largest land use type in the city using 28.2% of the total land area. College uses comprise 16.7% of the total land area. Land consumption per capita has increased dramatically over this time frame. The community now faces the challenge of maintaining a healthy balance between developed and natural lands. Protection of natural land and careful planning of future development are the goals of the groups listed below.
Engeseth-Rinde Restoration Fund Grants
Applications for grants to support habitat restoration, scientific research and educational projects in the Nerstrand-Dennison Minnesota area are now being sought by the Engeseth-Rinde Fund Advisory Committee and Northfield Shares. Grants typically focus on native habitat restoration of units of the Prairie Creek Wildlife Management Area working in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Scientific research and educational projects may also be funded where the projects have applicability in the Nerstrand-Dennison area. Applications for Engeseth-Rinde Grants can be made by government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions and other similar organizations and usually are in the range of $500 to $15,000. Grant application proposals are open in the fall of each year, around the beginning of September. More information about the application process can be found on the website for Friends of Prairie Creek WMA at https://prairiecreekwma.wixsite.com/fopc/grants.
Carleton College Cowling Arboretum
The Carleton College “Arb”consists of approximately 880 acres (360 hectares) of land adjacent to the College and was created under the leadership of President Donald J. Cowling and Professor Harvey E. Stork in the 1920s. Its mission is threefold: education, conservation and recreation.
Contact: Nancy Braker, nbraker@carleton.edu
City of Northfield
Decisions by the City regarding land use and development within the City limits are guided by 12 Land Use Principles which are included in the 2008 Northfield Comprehensive Plan. Northfield’s Land Use Principles were awarded statewide recognition for exemplifying a smart growth approach to land use. The comprehensive plan outlines long-range plans for managing the growth of the community and is implemented by official controls like zoning law. Northfield’s Comprehensive Plan conveys a strong message of sustainable development. Development is also regulated by the Northfield Land Development Codeand Zoning Map. In addition, the City also has a number of topic-specific comprehensive plans that guide policy and ordinance development, but do not have the force of law.
Incentive Programs:
Hauberg Woods Park Restoration
Volunteers needed! Hauberg Woods is a city park located at the northern edge of Northfield. Ongoing efforts are being made to control buckthorn and honeysuckle and to regenerate native species. Work days are scheduled several time per year for volunteers to help with this restoration. Contact Dan Hudson at buckthornguy@gmail.com to get involved.
St. Olaf College Natural Lands
Since the late 1980’s, the college, principally through the Biology and the Environmental Studies Departments, conducted extensive habitat rehabilitation projects (forest, tall-grass prairie and wetlands) on lands surrounding its hilltop campus. Additionally, collaborative agricultural research is executed in partnership with local farmers who rent college lands for commodity crop production.
Contact: Kathy Shea, sheak@stolaf.edu (Curator of Natural Lands)
Other Local/State Resources
- Small town, big picture, smart policy is a Northfield based blog by former Planning Commission and City Council member Betsey Buckheit on Northfield issues connected to the larger policy landscape
- Streets.MN Blog by multiple authors on Minnesota based land-transportation issues. Links to many other individual bloggers around the region. Twin Cities focus.
-
Strong Towns MN-based Strong Towns has gone from local to national in 2 years on the strength of their message of financial sustainability which can reverse the environmentally unsustainable practices, too.