U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Governor Mark Dayton were hosted by the National Park Service, the Mississippi River Fund, and Wilderness Inquiry on a tour of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The Secretary and Governor learned about the advancement of invasive species such as Asian Carp, and environmental and economic issues related to the river.
They also witnessed students preparing to paddle the river with our Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures (UWCA) program. The Saint Paul Public Schools students, who were participating in beginning of school orientation with Project SUCCESS learned about natural and cultural history as they formed important bonds with teachers and fellow classmates. The UWCA, which is a featured initiative in President Obama and Secretary Salazar’s America’s Great Outdoors program, was recognized as a national leader in connecting urban audiences to the outdoors.
“People who want to take away the money from conservation frankly are missing the boat, they don’t understand that conservation and economics and quality of life and job creation are the same thing,” said Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar.
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