DNR, partners working on 4-year plan to boost pheasant numbers

Citizen input from the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Summit soon will be converted into a four-year action plan to increase and enhance grassland habitat on public and private lands.

Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr said agency staff and partner organizations are analyzing dozens of recommendations from the Dec. 13 summit in Marshall.
This first summit brought together Gov. Mark Dayton and 300-plus hunters, farmers and conservation experts, including those from Pheasants Forever. Together, they focused on pheasant habitat, pheasant biology and they spent much of the day identifying potential solutions to the plight of a bird whose numbers are declining at a significant rate.
“Citizens talked. We listened. The next step is to convert words into actions,” Landwehr said.
Landwehr said citizen input will be used to develop a summary of the Pheasant Summit recomendations that will be shared with the public in mid-January.
“The focus will be about increasing bird numbers not government regulations,” Landwehr said. “Realistically, that means zeroing in on the interests and needs of private landowners as they own 95 percent of the property in the pheasant range.”
Landwehr said the action plan to be completed in 2015 will include recommendations for increasing the quality and quantity of public grasslands but “the inescapable truth is what happens on private farmland is what drives pheasant numbers because of the vastly higher proportion of acres in private ownership.”
The summit was emceed by Minnesota conservationist Ron Schara, who termed the pheasant the proverbial canary in a coal mine.
“As pheasant numbers go, so go our bobolinks, butterflies, pollinators and more,” he said.
Both Schara and Dayton urged the group to focus on strategies that will increase pheasant numbers, improve habitat, and make sure future generations have the opportunity to enjoy one of the state’s most popular game birds.
“I was pleased we could have a candid conversation about habitat loss and its impact on our pheasant population,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “The summit produced a good variety of strategies to consider as we work to improve the future for pheasants in Minnesota.”
Minnesota’s current pheasant population estimate is down 71 percent from the long-term average. Minnesota hunters harvested more than one million pheasants annually from 1931 to 1964; the 2014 harvest is projected to be about one-fourth of that.

Said Landwehr: “That’s what happens when only two percent of the state’s original 18 million acres of prairie remain and 490,000 acres of grassland have disappeared since 2007 through expiring contracts in the Conservation Reserve Program.”
Landwehr said it will take a couple of weeks to “accurately sort out the input of such a large group” and that he is buoyed by the depth and breadth of innovative ideas.
“Finding strategies that work for both land and people is key,” said John Jaschke, executive director of the Board of Water and Soil Resources. “Projects and practices to achieve clean water or soil improvement can help the pheasant population. Site selection and design can be adjusted to build habitat into watershed protection projects. Grassland buffers are one such example of a multi-benefit practice that was highlighted at the summit.”
   
Convened by Dayton, the Pheasant Summit was attended by citizens, conservation groups and many state, local and federal entities that deliver habitat conservation programs, including the DNR, Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Transportation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resource and Conservation Service and more.

Still time to register for Minnesota’s first pheasant summit

There’s still time to register for the first Minnesota Pheasant Summit and contribute to strategies that aim to enhance habitat for this important species.

Gov. Mark Dayton is inviting Minnesotans to register for the summit, which takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Southwest Minnesota State University, 1501 State St., in Marshall. Click the “Join us for the event” button at www.mndnr.gov/pheasantsummit to register.
The summit is free and open to all Minnesotans interested in preserving the state’s pheasant population. It will focus on why the pheasant population has declined in the state, and possible collaborative efforts to improve pheasant habitat statewide.

The meeting will bring together hunters, farmers, conservationists, policymakers, key members of the governor's cabinet, and others. Participants will discuss strategies to increase the state’s pheasant population, improve pheasant habitat, and ensure that future generations of Minnesotans have opportunities to enjoy one of the state’s most popular and iconic game birds.

Can’t make it? A survey is available so anyone can share thoughts about what can be done to improve pheasant numbers and habitat, and what should be discussed at the summit. The survey is available by clicking the “Can’t make the event” button at www.mndnr.gov/pheasantsummit/survey.html.

The state’s pheasant population index is up 6 percent over 2013, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Despite this slight increase, the state’s pheasant population is still 58 percent below the 10-year average, and 71 percent below the long-term average.
More about pheasants, pheasant habitat in Minnesota, and the summit can be found at www.mndnr.gov/pheasantsummit. 

BBB to Sponsor Cyber Security Summit 2013

Burnsville, MN – October 10, 2013 – The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is sponsoring Cyber Security Summit 2013 on October 22-23 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The focus of the Summit is to educate attendees on cyber threats and provide actionable solutions. More than 500 leaders from academia, business and government are expected to attend.

“Cyber Security Summit 2013 has something for every business and organization,” said Lisa Jemtrud, Director of the BBB Institute for Marketplace Ethics. “Keeping your data and the data of your customers and vendors secure is becoming more of a challenge and an issue that businesses, non-profits, government agencies and schools need to address.”

This year’s two-day Summit will showcase prominent keynote speakers and engaging panel discussions, a VIP reception, networking opportunities, and an exhibit area featuring leading industry organizations. Topics addressed at the Summit will include risk management, security intelligence, the privacy debate, the executive response, data breach, and the consequences of inaction. Summit participants will take part in a lively discussion with fellow leaders and learn about the security strategies which are working today, the strategies that aren't, as well as the latest trends in cyber security.

Online registration for this year's Summit is now open and available at cybersecuritysummit.org

BBB, University of St. Thomas Announce Second Ethics Summit

Burnsville, Minnesota – February 5, 2013 – The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB), in partnership with the University of St. Thomas’ Opus College of Business (UST), will host the second annual Business Ethics Summit on Wednesday, February 20 from 8 to 10:30 a.m. The event will take place on the University of St. Thomas’ campus in downtown Minneapolis, where business leaders, ethics officers, college students and professors will gather to take part in a free-flowing dialogue about the critical role business ethics plays in today's workplace.

“Last year’s Business Ethics Summit was such a success that it was obvious it had to become an annual event,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “We feel by bringing current ethical leaders together while incorporating the viewpoint of today’s students, the ensuing discussion will really resonate and pay dividends in the future.”

The 2012 Business Ethics Summit witnessed ethics officers and executives from General Mills, CenterPoint Energy, Best Buy and many other leading firms discussing real-life ethical scenarios their companies have faced or face on a regular basis. A recurring theme from last year’s Business Ethics Summit was the correlation between strong ethics and long-term success. Among many notable quotes from last year’s event, Dean Christopher Puto of the Opus College of Business stated, “The reward for being a good business is profit.”

KSTP’s Tom Hauser returns as event moderator, and Karen Himle, who is on the Board of HMN Financial and previously served as Vice President of University Relations at the University of Minnesota and Executive Vice President and President of The Children’s Hospital Foundation, will be the keynote speaker. Panelists at this year’s event include: Mary Benhardus, Handi Medical Supply; Dr. Stuart Dalton, White Bear Animal Hospital; Heather Hille, The Toro Company; Keturah Pestel, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans; David Rodbourne, Center for Ethical Business Cultures, UST; and Terry Stamman, Twin Cities Siding Professionals.

“As a leader in the field of business ethics education and research,” said Dean Puto, “the Opus College of Business is proud to facilitate ongoing discussions about ways to turn theory into workplace practice.”

In an effort to broaden the conversation about ethics today and encourage participation during the event, the BBB has launched a Twitter hashtag, #BBBSummit. BBB staffers will moderate a “Tweet Wall” during the event, providing updates on the event and subsequent discussions.

The Business Ethics Summit will also once again offer the Better Business Bureau Ethics Showcase (bbbethicsshowcase.org/), an online gallery of business ethics materials used by top companies and institutions. Continuing education ethics credits are also available and can be earned for several professions. Contact Mackenzie Kelley at 651-695-2482 or mkelley@thefirstbbb.org with questions or for more information.

Registration is required and open to the public at BBBSummit.org.

Location: Terrence Murphy Hall, Opus College of Business, University of St. Thomas, 1000 LaSalle Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Cost (breakfast is included): $29 / Person, $25 / BBB Accredited Businesses, Free / College Students