Bright Spot: New initiative aims to empower MN women land stewards

By Jennifer Barr

Published December 9, 2024 at 1:24 PM CST

Seven woman hike up a hill with tall green plants. — Minnesota Women in Conservation aims to bring together female landowners to learn from each other and share resources.

Minnesota Women in Conservation connects women land stewards with each other and conservation resources. It will host a learning circle at Sampaguita in Aitkin on Dec. 10.

AITKIN — Allison Rian is excited to connect with other women who are land stewards with the new collaborative program Minnesota Women in Conservation.

“There’s a lot of wisdom out there and that’s what I want to connect to," she said on the KAXE Morning Show.

Rian is the northeast region coordinator for Minnesota Women in Conservation, a collaboration between Renewing the Countryside and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Building on the success of a similar program in Wisconsin, the initiative aims to empower the increasing number of women who own or manage land.

A woman in a stocking cap smiles with her dog. — Allison Rian is the North East Region Coordinator of Minnesota Women in Conservation

For Rian, stewardship is about more than success.

“You can’t learn without making a few mistakes or having an outcome that you didn’t expect or are disappointed in,” she said.

The first meeting of the Northeast Region of Women in Conservation will be at Sampaguita in Aitkin on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Each session will focus on different topics and provide a place to share stories. This meeting will feature a learning circle focused on soil health and feature locally foraged tea and treats.

Visit MNWIC.org or follow Minnesota Women in Conservation on Facebook to find events near you and sign up for updates.

Is there a Bright Spot in your community? Let us know!

The Bright Spot is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.