Apr
20
Sat
2024
Lakeville Earth Day Celebration/Watershed Cleanup Day @ Lakeville Central Maintenance Facility
Apr 20 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Lakeville Earth Day Celebration and Watershed Cleanup

Bring your family, your neighbors and friends! Fun for all ages!

Visit the various education stations and learn about what you can do to help make a difference in our city and for the Earth as a whole. The education stations include information on the following:

  • Aquatic invasive species
  • Prairies
  • Pollinators
  • Recycling
  • Water quality
  • Watersheds (that’s us)
  • And more!

As you visit the stations, you will earn the chance to get Earth-friendly prizes and are sure to have lots of fun along the way.

Other activities include:

  • Zoomobile
  • Puppet shows
  • Garden tool swap: If you’re in need of new to you gardening tools OR looking to get rid of excess (but still useful) gardening tools, there will be a garden tool swap at the entrance of the event where you can leave and take what you would like.

Watershed Cleanup info:

You and/or your group can start the pickup on April 20 at 1 p.m., or you can schedule a more convenient time, as long as it is before dark on April 30. Sign up here and be sure to mark on the map where you plan to clean up.

Apr
25
Thu
2024
Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting @ Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center Conference Rm. A
Apr 25 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting

Virtual meeting access:

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 243 754 382 84

Passcode: VsLBZW

Dial-in by phone

+1 651-273-3070,,713718317# United States, St. Paul

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 713 718 317#

Apr
29
Mon
2024
Landscaping for Clean Water Intro Class – Lakeville @ Ritter Farm Park
Apr 29 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Landscaping for Clean Water Intro Class - Lakeville @ Ritter Farm Park

In-person Landscaping for Clean Water Introduction Class

Join us for a one hour IN-PERSON class at Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville! Learn how native plants, raingardens, and shoreline plantings can bring pollinator and water quality benefits to your yard. The class is FREE and is a pre-requisite to taking part in the hands-on design course and grant program! Learn more.

May
23
Thu
2024
Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting @ Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center Conference Rm. A
May 23 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting

Meeting Materials

Virtual meeting access:

Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 242 364 011 892

Passcode: 2dsXnz

Dial-in by phone

+1 651-273-3070,,748339046# United States, St. Paul

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 748 339 046#

Jun
5
Wed
2024
Lawns Reimagined Workshop @ Apple Valley Municipal Center
Jun 5 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Lawns Reimagined Pilot Program

Have you ever looked out at your lawn and thought, “sure would be nice to water less often, reduce the need to fertilize, and spend less time mowing”? Well, we’ve got the program for you! Our new program – Lawns Reimagined – assists landowners in installing a more resilient lawn to reduce water and fertilizer use, and cut down on mowing frequency during the growing season.

Lawns Reimagined is a new program provided through a partnership between the Dakota SWCD, Dakota County, and the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization. The goal of the program is to create healthy looking lawns using deeper rooted grasses that are more resilient to weather conditions and climate change while maintaining traditional turfgrass lawn uses.

These lawns will be composed of fescue grass blends that require little to no watering or fertilizer post-establishment; reducing the impact lawns have on the groundwater supply and decreasing nutrient loss to waterbodies through runoff and lawn clippings. It is recommended to reduce mowing frequency which results in reduced carbon emissions from lawn mowers and healthier air at a local level.

The Dakota SWCD will be hosting two workshops for Dakota County residents:
* June 5 in Apple Valley (Municipal Center) at 6 p.m.
* June 12 in Rosemount (Steeple Center) at 6 p.m.

At the workshops, participants will learn about the benefits of an alternative lawn type, along with technical guidance on site preparation, seeding, and long-term maintenance. From there, landowners can apply to receive further assistance. Once applicants have been approved, SWCD staff complete a site visit to further guide site preparation, seeding, and answer any additional questions. Landowners then complete the site preparation and Dakota SWCD will provide landowners with the seed to complete a fall seeding. If the participants are willing to do a little work, the cost to them will be minimal to none!

For more details and to sign up for the workshop, check out the Lawns Reimagined webpage!

Jun
12
Wed
2024
Lawns Reimagined Workshop @ Rosemount Steeple Center
Jun 12 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Lawns Reimagined Pilot Program

Have you ever looked out at your lawn and thought, “sure would be nice to water less often, reduce the need to fertilize, and spend less time mowing”? Well, we’ve got the program for you! Our new program – Lawns Reimagined – assists landowners in installing a more resilient lawn to reduce water and fertilizer use, and cut down on mowing frequency during the growing season.

Lawns Reimagined is a new program provided through a partnership between the Dakota SWCD, Dakota County, and the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization. The goal of the program is to create healthy looking lawns using deeper rooted grasses that are more resilient to weather conditions and climate change while maintaining traditional turfgrass lawn uses.

These lawns will be composed of fescue grass blends that require little to no watering or fertilizer post-establishment; reducing the impact lawns have on the groundwater supply and decreasing nutrient loss to waterbodies through runoff and lawn clippings. It is recommended to reduce mowing frequency which results in reduced carbon emissions from lawn mowers and healthier air at a local level.

The Dakota SWCD will be hosting two workshops for Dakota County residents:
* June 5 in Apple Valley (Municipal Center) at 6 p.m.
* June 12 in Rosemount (Steeple Center) at 6 p.m.

At the workshops, participants will learn about the benefits of an alternative lawn type, along with technical guidance on site preparation, seeding, and long-term maintenance. From there, landowners can apply to receive further assistance. Once applicants have been approved, SWCD staff complete a site visit to further guide site preparation, seeding, and answer any additional questions. Landowners then complete the site preparation and Dakota SWCD will provide landowners with the seed to complete a fall seeding. If the participants are willing to do a little work, the cost to them will be minimal to none!

For more details and to sign up for the workshop, check out the Lawns Reimagined webpage!

Jun
27
Thu
2024
Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting @ Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center Conference Rm. A
Jun 27 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting

Meeting materials available here.

Virtual meeting access:

Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 216 321 817 765

Passcode: 7mRmXo

Dial in by phone

+1 651-273-3070,,122558343# United States, St. Paul

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 122 558 343#

Jul
25
Thu
2024
Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting @ Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center Conference Rm. A
Jul 25 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board Meeting

Virtual meeting access will be posted here when available.