Upstream Minnesota

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Upstream Minnesota

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Upstream brings people together to celebrate and amplify the many ways Minnesotans of all backgrounds love and value our place.

As Minnesotans, our love of this place has the power to bring us together across division and difference. Upstream is a radically diverse collaboration of people and organizations cultivating shared values of caring for our lands, our lakes, and our communities. Upstream recognizes, celebrates, and amplifies the actions of Minnesotans of every background who are taking steps to ensure a healthy, natural place in which to live, work, learn, and play. Our work is optimistic, approachable, and makes room at the table for everyone. Our collective efforts will inspire even more people to act in ways, both large and small, to be better stewards of our state, elevate a culture of caring, and ensure that future generations of Minnesotans can thrive. Our Values:
We will make change with a spirit of optimism…
because real solutions require a belief that better is possible. We will seek out and be inclusive of all people and perspectives…
because we all care about our home state, and our place is shared by all Minnesotans. We will be stronger stewards of it together. We will amplify our shared connection to place and common experiences...
because we strive to create a unified culture of caring for our land, water, and air as well as for each other. We will celebrate successes and won’t get stuck on setbacks…
because in embracing new ideas, progress is more valuable than perfection

We will share stories that inspire more positive action…
because it is our combined narratives that shape our Minnesotan culture and identity.

10/16/2026

🎉 We’re thrilled to introduce Nancy Stewart, Upstream’s new Marketing and Communications Manager. 🌿

Nancy grew up in Otter Tail County, studied communication at UMD, and has spent 15 years in the nonprofit world, most of it in the arts. In her own words, she sees her role as being “a steward of your stories.”

👀 Read her full introduction on our blog: https://mnupstream.org/meet-nancy-stewart-upstreams-new-marketing-and-communications-manager/

10/15/2026

Happy National Mushroom Day! 🍄

Those mushrooms popping up on your walk? In case you're unaware, they’re just the fruiting bodies, like apples on a tree. The real organism is a hidden web of mycelium that can stretch for miles underground.

Fungi are neither plants nor animals! They have their own kingdom of life, and scientists estimate there are millions of species, most still unnamed. Many partner with tree roots, trading nutrients and water for sugars, and others break down fallen logs and leaves to rebuild healthy soil. That unseen work is part of what keeps our woods and waters thriving.

So take a slow walk today and look down at the logs, stumps, and leaf litter. What’s the coolest fungi you’ve spotted lately? Tell us in the comments! 👇

[Image credit: Nancy Stewart of orange mycena (Mycena leaiana), also known as Lea's mycena]

10/09/2026

Today’s the last day to RSVP for the Unsung Caretaker Award Celebration! 🌾

Join the Upstream community on October 21 for a free evening of celebration, connection, and inspiration. We’ll hear inspiring stories of stewardship from fellow Minnesotans, everyday acts of care that make a lasting difference in the places we love.

📅 Oct. 21, 2026 | 5:00-8:30 PM
📍 Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, 602 State Hwy 210 E, Fergus Falls
🍽️ Meal provided by Upstream

RSVP is required, so save your spot today: https://mnupstream.org/caretaker-award-celebration-westcentral/

10/08/2026

What a night! 🌿 On a beautiful October evening, we gathered to celebrate the 2026 Twin Cities Unsung Caretakers: Martha Bird, Caitlin Featherstone (CLIMB Theatre), Kelly Kazeck, and Will Stensrud. The panel of Caretakers filled the room full of stories about caring for Minnesota's beaches, forests, classrooms and native plants. We also presented a special Upstream award to our co-founder John Larsen, and Upstream Residency Artist Natalia Katlaina Roman shared an original poem to ground us for the evening. Thank you to our board members and to everyone who joined us. 💚

10/07/2026

🍂Volunteer Service Opportunity for our friends in Greenway/Nokomis/Phillips!

Neighborhood Cleanups - Saturday Oct 10th from 1pm - 3pm - meet at Greenway near Humboldt Ave S.

Join your neighbors for some food and a neighborhood cleanup. volunteers are encouraged to bring bikes so you can ride further away and work your way back.

Folks will meet along the Midtown Greenway near Humboldt Avenue and then split up to clean westward toward the dog park and eastward to near 10th Avenue (many pockets of litter).

Cleanup supplies—including gloves, litter pickers, and buckets—will be provided on-site, along with complimentary food for participants.

Let them know you're coming! 👇🏾https://handsontwincities.galaxydigital.com/need/detail/?need_id=1301835&fbclid=IwY2xjawUfzmtwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVNsM21YT0M0ZmdrY1gyRnhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeMFkhKsYYQBbC--35z3ys0kgmLZwWtgtS3DOBazMXPqtassMKn8IwueRNDHo_aem_T2vr2lrvQTlWwnT2zfguQQ

10/02/2026

On September 16, our West Central Community Engagement & Partnership Coordinator, Naomi RaMona Schliesman, received an Individual 2026 Fergus Falls Human Rights Commission Award from the Human Rights Commission of the City of Fergus Falls. 🎉

The award was presented at a community potluck hosted with the Fergus Falls Rotary Clubs. People came together over food, stories, and traditions from the many cultures that call Fergus Falls home.

Community gets stronger when we show up for each other and make room at the table. That's what this night was.

Thank you to the Fergus Falls Human Rights Commission, the Fergus Falls Rotary Clubs, and everyone who came and made the evening what it was.

Congratulations, Naomi. You've earned this, and we're proud to work alongside you as you keep building relationships across West Central Minnesota.

09/30/2026

Meet the 2026 Unsung Caretaker Honorees: eleven individuals, organizations, and community groups whose everyday stewardship tends the natural places we all share.

Their work ranges from turning a cracked tennis court into a bicycle playground to teaching fourth and fifth graders to band ducks and harvest prairie seed. It's the quiet, steady work that keeps Minnesota thriving for everyone downstream.

Meet them: https://mnupstream.org/meet-the-2026-unsung-caretaker-honorees/

09/25/2026

🚨 TODAY is the last day to RSVP!

Join the Upstream community on October 7 at Silverwood Great Hall in Silverwood Park for an evening of connection and inspiration. We'll hear stories from fellow Minnesotans about environmental stewardship: the everyday acts of care that make a lasting difference in the places we love.

Dinner is on us. Drinks are available for purchase onsite. Come for good conversation with people who share your commitment to caring for Minnesota.

Free to attend, RSVP required. 👉 https://mnupstream.org/caretaker-award-celebration-twin-cities/

09/24/2026

100 miles. 36 hours. Heat, thunderstorms, and more rocks and roots than anyone could count! 🌲

Our director Rolf finished the Superior 100 this month, and what he brought back was something he calls "deep time": those moments in wild places when time slows down, or you forget about it entirely.

He finds it on the Superior Hiking Trail, and he finds it in his garden and on walks with his dogs, too.

Where do you find deep time? What natural places in Minnesota do you care for? Tell us in the comments. We'd love to hear! 👇

Read Rolf's full reflection: 🔗 https://mnupstream.org/deep-time-on-the-superior-hiking-trail/

09/18/2026

👋 Have you invited a friend to attend our Unsung Caretaker Celebration in St. Paul on Oct 7, 2026?! Now's the time to grab a friend, RSVP, and mark your calendar. It'll be a night of delicious food, celebration and sharing and it won't be the same without you!

👉 https://mnupstream.org/caretaker-celebration/

Address

855 Village Center Drive #108
North Oaks, MN
55127

Website

http://www.mnupstream.org/

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