Northland NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) is an educational program for local land use decision makers addressing the relationship between land use and natural resource quality. NEMO provides information about the effects of increasing development and other land use changes on the environment, and what local officials in communities can do to protect their natural resource amenities while accommodating growth.

Northland NEMO is a collaboration of agency, nonprofit, local/regional government, and academic partners. Northland NEMO consists of two 'sister' projects: In the Western Lake Superior Basin, Northland NEMO is a bi-state partnership with Wisconsin. This project is implemented through Minnesota Sea Grant/Extension and University of Wisconsin/Lake Superior Research Institute.

In the Twin Cities Area and beyond, Northland NEMO is implemented by the Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA), working with a partnership of other organizations including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the University of Minnesota Extension Service, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Metropolitan Council, and several Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Watershed Districts in the twin cities area. Since 2000, funding for this portion of Northland NEMO has been provided by grants from the Metropolitan Council, The McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Please see Northland NEMO for more information. Our website contains loads of information about local NEMO-related initiatives, guidance materials on natural-resource related issues for local decision makers, links to other great sites, and a schedule of upcoming presentations. You can also find out how to schedule a NEMO event for your community!

Slide Show - Overview of NEMO in MN (PDF: 1,529kb/14pages)