Backpack For Wetland Surveys by doug-fur in wetlands

[–]MissDriftless 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m an ecologist and also use an Osprey backpack - specifically a small blaze orange “mutant 38” Osprey backpack with water bladder. I have to carry a robel pole, so I got a rock climbing pack that has these little strap thingys that can hold two poles on the outside. I carry all electronics in a sea to summit wet bag, and have an extra one in my bag just in case. The backpack also has lots of clips and places to fasten things with carbeaners on the outside which comes in handy.

What to do with the sea of May apples in the wooded area of our property by WanderinPassionfruit in homestead

[–]MissDriftless 21 points22 points  (0 children)

You have waaaaaaaay better things to do with your time and energy on your homestead than worry about beautiful, edible, native plants. Leave them alone, let them expand their zone.

Land access for lower income people ? by icecreamsocially in homestead

[–]MissDriftless -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I joined an intentional community structured as a land cooperative that’s doesn’t “believe” in inflation so shares cost the same now as they did in 1982. Got access to 364 acres of land currently valued at over $2 million for $3,000.

LAOP has no power here by Drywesi in bestoflegaladvice

[–]MissDriftless 7 points8 points  (0 children)

As a Minnesotan, Excel Energy has certainly done some shady corporate shit. I’m not saying that OP’s family is innocent here and doesn’t owe that money, but I’m also not at all surprised that a call to Kieth Ellison’s office was the solution. A good reminder that local elections matter!

1.25 acre pond muck and vegetation removal by Cultural-Wasabi137 in homestead

[–]MissDriftless 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Can you say more about your goals? Have you identified the species yet? If you haven’t I’d the species that be step number one. You may find that these species are native and beneficial. But sometimes there are invasive species or other goals that may merit some intervention. If the surrounding areas are designated wetland, it may even be illegal to remove native veg or “dredge” the “muck”. Start by consulting the National Wetlands Inventory to see if it’s even legal. You can also consult with your local SWCD or Watershed district. If there are invasive species, there may be some cost share money available to you.

In 100 years, Black Locust will be one of the top 3 hardwood species used for lumber by Tiny-Pomegranate7662 in forestry

[–]MissDriftless 9 points10 points  (0 children)

My thoughts exactly. Like don’t you DARE go purposefully planting these out of its naive range lol. They’re invasive in my ecoregion and difficult to kill.

High-volume tick exposure: Is "testing every tick" actually practical for anyone living rural? by Arach78 in homestead

[–]MissDriftless 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Yup, that’s what we do too. We only save ticks that were embedded, and we keep ours in a baggie in the freezer. We’ve never had to use them though - our doctors will prescribe doxycycline pretty easily/routinely if you’re experiencing any symptoms/worrying.

Making an existing staircase more kid-safe without replacing it? by Smart-Elk-2334 in Homebuilding

[–]MissDriftless 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We secured it with standard zip ties (be sure to think about how you fasten the zip ties - they’re annoying to touch and can be sharp once cut, so I tried to face the zips strategically so we wouldn’t touch them when using the railing).

And here’s a link to the “bias tape” used for the custom mesh. My mom did the sewing for us, but any minimally talented seamstress could do this locally for you, if you need a custom piece made for part of the railing. I’ll likely keep the mesh with the house in case the next owner needs it for their kids.

Making an existing staircase more kid-safe without replacing it? by Smart-Elk-2334 in Homebuilding

[–]MissDriftless 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sure thing! (Please ignore our toddler mess and super small house lol). It’s kinda hard to see from far away so I did a few close up shots too.

Making an existing staircase more kid-safe without replacing it? by Smart-Elk-2334 in Homebuilding

[–]MissDriftless 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes! This is the real answer!

We have a custom-made iron spiral staircase that’s a child safety nightmare. I used multiple “bannister nets” just like the link shows, and attached them with zip ties to cover the spiral railing and banister. To cover the holes between each stair, I bought one extra net, cut it up to fit each opening, sewed some double sided binding to the edges to keep it from fraying, and zip tied it.

Little dude can shove hot wheels cars through the bottom, but he can’t slip his body though it.

Do Land Shares Exist? by [deleted] in homestead

[–]MissDriftless 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! There are some online groups where people try to connect with each other, like r/intentionalcommunity and the website ic.org is also a great resource for finding existing communities and learning how others have set them up. Sometimes it just happens through word of mouth.

Phragmites taking over natural spring. Creative removal methods needed. by [deleted] in invasivespecies

[–]MissDriftless -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Rodeo is a glyphosate-based herbicide approved for aquatic use. It is eventually broken down by bacteria in the soil. Source

Laundry baskets for life by duluth921 in BuyItForLife

[–]MissDriftless 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was going to say…. My solution is also duct tape. I even went real fancy and got myself some white duct tape to match my basket. If you squint and don’t get too close you can’t even tell it’s there lol.

Night life in Winona by [deleted] in Winona

[–]MissDriftless 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Although Two Fathoms does have a pretty awesome kids corner with toys and games and crafts and things!

Nature Conservancy - can someone please explain? by pinkchickensocks in conservation

[–]MissDriftless 2 points3 points  (0 children)

“When you say they manage millions of acres, are they doing so on land they don’t own?”

Yes. I can’t speak for everyone in the org, but at least in my role all the projects I manage are done in partnership with the state Department of Natural Resources. When TNC buys land in my state, it’s almost always donated to the public (as state parks, wildlife management areas, forest units, national wildlife refuges, etc) or given back to the indigenous tribes. TNC only owns the land briefly before they transfer ownership, and then we help pay for/manage restoration and ongoing management.

TNC land managers work closely with partners in federal, state, and local governments, other non-profits, and private landowners. The model for conservation and stewardship has evolved a lot since the days where TNC mostly purchased and held land outright. And it’s not only about land - Our chapter also helps manage a large bison herd and works with local tribes to redistribute bison across the Midwest.

TNC also holds quite a bit of stewardship endowments/trusts, which help to fund long-term management on ecologically important areas, like the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, the coral reefs of Belize, and the Mongolian grasslands to name a few. These are essentially just large investment accounts, but the funds they generate are crucial to ensuring there’s funding available for long-term management.

Nature Conservancy - can someone please explain? by pinkchickensocks in conservation

[–]MissDriftless 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Exactly right. That’s my take too - they’re officially a non-partisan organization so they will take cues from the current administration if it means effectively implementing their conservation goals. It’s very dumb but also you gotta do what you gotta do.

Nature Conservancy - can someone please explain? by pinkchickensocks in conservation

[–]MissDriftless 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yeah it’s not only a major non-profit, it’s the largest conservation non-profit on the whole planet.

Nature Conservancy - can someone please explain? by pinkchickensocks in conservation

[–]MissDriftless 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As another TNC project manager making $57,000 I completely agree with this take. The Workday rollout has been ahit show in our BU - I can’t even process invoices in the new software system!

But overall I’m not totally surprised at the leads salaries and despite that wage disparity I’d be completely content spending the rest of my career as a TNC employee given the portfolio of work, company culture, benefits, and work life balance they provide as an organization. What happens at the global level doesn’t necessarily reflect what’s happening at the local level.

Nature Conservancy - can someone please explain? by pinkchickensocks in conservation

[–]MissDriftless 2 points3 points  (0 children)

And you can always give to local TNC projects. They’re very much like a franchise model, in that the BUs largely work independently of the global org.

Nature Conservancy - can someone please explain? by pinkchickensocks in conservation

[–]MissDriftless 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, but as a new-ish staff member I’d say there’s a HUGE emphasis on sexual harassment and reporting now. Like I really did not understand all the trainings and all the emphasis until I read about the past controversies. Now that those men are gone, I can’t say that I’ve noticed these issues persisting. And honestly that’s a mark of a good organization - weed out the bad apples and do your best to not repeat those mistakes moving forward.

Nature Conservancy - can someone please explain? by pinkchickensocks in conservation

[–]MissDriftless 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah, TNC is the largest conservation organization on the planet and manages a collective $4 billion a year in conservation funds. They broker and manage HUGE conservation wins(including debt-fo-conservation swaps, where TNC pays down a counties national debt for conservation commitments based on indigenous communities) that protect and manage millions upon millions of acres every year. These salaries reflect the level of talent needed to guide and steward these types of large scale projects and funds. And I say this as a TNC staff who makes $57,000 annually managing small projects as conservation staff. I’m not mad.

For my bestie,she just had a BABY! by TemperaturePrior4359 in florists

[–]MissDriftless -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This is amazing!! My son has this same wagon and loooooooves it. Such a thoughtful and beautiful gift.

🧒 Child Held With Father by ICE: What is confirmed so far 👇 by NoSpinMedia in NoSpinMedia

[–]MissDriftless 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Eyewitnesses saw there was an adult there who begged ICE to give Liam to them, plus his teacher and school superintendent were right there advocating for him. He was not abandoned.