On a Mission to Protect Pollinators and Clean Water
Meet Susan Erickson, a passionate environmental advocate who is strongly committed to protecting natural spaces. After traveling around the world and spending time in Denmark, she returned to her hometown of Faribault, Minnesota. Over the last 17 years, Susan has been working as a substitute teacher and volunteering for different environmental groups. Her motivation stems from her desire to create a better world for the children she interacts with daily.
Susan has spent a significant amount of time kayaking on the Straight River with her friends, finding it a therapeutic experience. Her time on the river allowed her to see the watershed as a living system significantly impacted by human activities like infrastructure and landscaping. These connections, both with nature and friends, eventually led to her involvement with our organization and some volunteer work in the watershed.
During her time with CRP, Susan came across another group that shares our dedication to environmental sustainability, Partners for Pollinators (PFP). PFP is a committee within GROWS (Gardeners Reaching Out With Services) that works with the City of Faribault to protect and restore native pollinator populations. This experience was a turning point for Susan, who found a cause close to her heart in advocating for pollinators and clean water.
Through her involvement with both organizations, Susan better understood the changes she could make at home and in the community to benefit the environment. She began by planting small shrubs and trees while learning about native flowers. Her ultimate goal was to create a pollinator-friendly backyard while minimizing the use of plastic and chemicals. To achieve this, she worked with cardboard to prevent weed growth and leaves to insulate from winter weather. As her knowledge and skills grew, so did her pollinator garden.
Susan recommended that new gardeners start with a small garden and use online resources and local nurseries to get started. The City of Faribault and the Rice County Soil and Water Conservation District websites are great places to start. She also suggests signing up for Minnesota's Lawns to Legumes program, which provides workshops, coaching, planting guides, and cost-share funding to install pollinator-friendly native plants in residential lawns. Susan remains active in our organization and helped us write an article for the local newspaper on why you should switch to native plants.
And while this is a worthy cause, it’s not the only way people can help pollinators. Susan wants us to know that using fewer fossil fuels, composting, choosing organic products, and supporting local businesses are other ways we can make a positive impact on our communities and help create a healthier environment for pollinators AND people. “Right now, in general, we are taking more than we are giving back,” says Susan. “I am grateful for groups like Clean River Partners and Partners for Pollinators that are giving back and teaching others how to help.”
