Monitoring and Citizen Science
Photo taken by Aubree Derksen
Clean Air and Clean Water Matters.
Air Gradient Air Quality Sensors
Photo taken by Aubree Derksen
Thanks to generous aid from the Kairos Fellowship residents were able to acquire a few Air Gradient outdoor air monitors. Air quality readings are in real time, measuring AQI, PM 2.5, CO2, TVOC, NOx along with temperature and humidity. Explore the map.
Air pollution effects our physical health, mental health, water quality and our environment as a whole. Both the city and Google refused to purchase air quality sensors so residents took it into their own hands to get some baselines and ongoing monitoring in place.
Air Quality Alliance
Photo taken by Aubree Derksen
The Air Quality Alliance began in Rochester and now covers Olmsted County. Sensors include VAISALA and Purple Air. Explore their dashboard and interactive map.
Rochester is an environmental justice area, so is Red Wing. If you are in Olmsted County you can request to host a community sensor. Not in Olmsted County? Engage in conversations about expanding the AQA or advocate to form your own community AQA. Both Purple Air and Air Gradient offer lower cost sensors that can be purchased by anyone.
Birdweather
Photo taken by Aubree Derksen
Songbird populations are declining. Most migratory bird species in MN are protected by federal and state laws. Knowing what species you are coexisting with is important. Species impacts is part of the environmental review process. If you don't know what's around you it's harder to engage in steps to protect what matters.
Finding enough humans or conservation groups in the Pine Island area with bird species knowledge has been hard-we need to fix that! However imperfect, this is a tool in the meantime to help get the humans paying better attention so we can do better, be better. Check out Birdweather’s interactive map to see what species are being picked up in our area.
Citizen Science is everyone's job. It can be as easy as taking a photo of a bug and uploading it to iNaturalist. Get out, get your baselines, get to know what’s around you.
Photo by Aubree Derksen
iNaturalist makes it easy to learn what’s around you! Take a photo of an insect, animal or plant that you see and upload it to the app. Scientists and other experts identify the species. Easy!
The photos and species information uploaded to iNaturalist can be subsequently used by conservationists, state and federal agencies in the environmental review process. The DNR cannot be everywhere seeing everything, they need YOU to help document the species around you.
Photo by Aubree Derksen
Whether you are a farmer, avid gardener or just curious about getting baselines, soil testing is an easy way to know what you’re working with.
Free well testing is available to private well owners in SE MN. Find out the levels of nitrates, arsenic, lead, manganese and bacteria in your drinking water.
Order a nitrate kit through the Izaak Walton League’s Nitrate Watch program.
Photo by Rodney Lanners
Photo by Aubree Derksen