Wetland Coffee Break: A decade since the Ramsar designation of the Upper Mississippi River

The wetlands of the Upper Mississippi River manage floodwaters, filter water, and provide habitat for wildlife. They are also vitally important to the environment and economy of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. In recognition of the critical role these wetlands plays, in January 2010 the area was named a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and 20 federal and state wildlife areas make up the Wetland of International Importance. Take a photographic journey of this incredibly diverse and magnificent landscape, including the prehistoric snails who call it home and the arctic visitors it entices.

Mary Stefanski, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

Recorded November 6, 2020.

Mary Stefanski has been the Winona District Manager of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge since 2005, working as part of the team managing a 45-mile stretch of the Mississippi River from Wabasha, MN to Trempealeau, WI. She has also worked at several other National Wildlife Refuges in the upper Midwest. She enjoys the challenges and non-traditional opportunities that come from managing in partnership on a multi-use, large river project. She also enjoys running rabbits with Abby the beagle and chasing birds with Olive the shorthair.

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