Northeast RSDP

Our Northeast region spans a large, geographically diverse area that spans the North Shore, Iron Range and beyond. The Northeast RSDP service region includes all of Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties and parts of Aitkin, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching and Pine counties. It also includes these sovereign Native nations: Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Bands of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Grand Portage Bands of Lake Superior Chippewa.

We support projects in the areas of agriculture and food systems, resilient communities, clean energy and natural resources across the region. All projects we support are connected to University of Minnesota resources.

North East Agrocycle Tours (NEAT)

Biking from Farmers Market to Farms. Purchase some local food, share meals, learn about farmers and farming, stay overnight in a tent. Work until you sweat! Feel the earth and community around you. Using the well-used Mesabi Trail, this project created a tour of farmers markets and farms along the route with descriptions and contacts for individuals and groups to explore by bike, to take part of the local food scene, and engage in a place-based cultural experience.

• Mesabi Trail website
• List of all farms and markets

Community partners

Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association, Local Farmers, Farmers Markets, Mesabi Trail^TM

Focus area

Resilient Communities, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems

Ojibwe prophecy foretells a crossroads

At this point, humans can choose to turn away from a path of environmental degradation and toward one of stewardship of the earth and each other. If we choose the path of stewardship, the earth heals and all groups of people prosper together. With support from the Northeast RSDP, a group of Northeast Minnesotans hopes a Great Lakes Cultural Interpretive Center would help us choose the latter.

More stories

Learn more about projects supported by Northeast RSDP in our storymap.

Check out this new Idea Brief Video asking for you sustainable insights, ideas and potential projects

You might be interested in these new and upcoming reports and happenings from the Northeast RSDP:

• Research by graduate student Ki Bum Noh on Food Hub Business Models in Northeast Minnesota
• What is going on in the Finland Minnesota Deep Winter Greenhouse and with the new designs coming out of the College of Design’s Center for Sustainable Building Research?

Project ideas are submitted to one or more of RSDP’s regional boards based on the location of the project. These project ideas are reviewed based on the following shared criteria:

• Community members identify project goals in one or more of the four RSDP sustainable development focus areas.
• The project involves meaningful roles for both local community members and University of Minnesota faculty, staff and/or students.
• The project engages diverse populations and advances new community collaborations.
• The project supports environmental, social and economic sustainability for public purpose or benefit. Project learning or actions will be shared.
• Community partners provide leadership and support throughout the life of the project.
• Priority may be given to projects that leverage funds or other contributions.

Northeast RSDP board members

• Ryan Bergstrom, rbergstr@d.umn.edu - Duluth
• Dan Erkkila, erkkila@umn.edu - Grand Rapids
• Doug Franchot, dougfranchot@gmail.com - International Falls
• Deade Johnson, deadebox@hotmail.com - Two Harbors
• Njoki Kamau, mkamau@d.umn.edu - Duluth
• Jonna Korpi, jkorpi@d.umn.edu - Duluth
• Rumbidzai (Rumbi) Faith Masawi, faith.sawi@gmail.com - Duluth
• Nathan Nelson, nathan.nelson0823@gmail.com - Hinckley
• Yusef Orest, yorest@arrowhead.coop - Lutsen
• Allison Rian, allisonjrian@gmail.com - Aitkin