About NEMO

When thinking of Minnesota, one's thoughts naturally drift towards sparkling blue lakes, verdant forests, and gleaming fields of snow and what is described as “The Good Life”. But more and more, we are seeing our abundant natural resources being consumed by the onslaught of development. In the Twin Cities Metropolitan area it is estimated that there will be an additional 950,000 residents and 450,000 homes by 2030- and that is only in the seven county metro area! But the Twin Cities are not alone; we are seeing small communities throughout the State faced with the same challenges. Development pressures are immense and the effects on our natural resources and receiving waters are tremendous.

Project NEMO (Nonpoint source pollution Education for Municipal Officials) is a nationally recognized educational program for land use decision makers that addresses the relationship between land use and natural resource protection. NEMO was started in Connecticut in the early 1990's and has grown nationally to programs in 26 States, with another 15 under development. Northland NEMO is a collaborative of organizations in Minnesota and Wisconsin working together to provide resources and education to enable local communities to make informed decisions regarding land use and natural resources.

The basic NEMO educational presentation — Linking Land Use to Water Quality — explains the links between land use, water quality, and community character. Beyond the basics, Northland NEMO works with the community through additional presentations, materials, and guidance to help move forward on the two major aspects of natural resource-based planning: planning for areas to be preserved, and planning for developed or developing areas. Northland NEMO has had overwhelming interest in this program from the target audiences and the results have been impressive. Already the program is starting to see changes to local plans and ordinances and requests for more follow up information. The momentum for NEMO is building, and with the help of their partner organizations Northland NEMO will help Minnesota protect its natural resources while facing the pressures of development.

The presentation is best done in a workshop setting that would include elected officials and commission members that are responsible for land use decisions and environmental concerns. With questions and discussion, this session usually takes two hours. In advance of this presentation, a separate meeting with staff to review the presentation and discuss community specific issues is held.