2025–2026 Partnerships

Project Goal: To identify key evidence-based criteria related to natural features, recreational opportunities, accessibility and connectivity to regional amenities, socio-cultural considerations, and other factors; and incorporate these criteria into a site assessment tool (such as a heat map or matrix) to guide the City and working group in identifying suitable greenway corridor and trail locations. (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Afton

Project Lead: Sven Risom, Natural Resources & Groundwater Committee, City of Afton

Course Matches:

• ESPM 5245: Sustainable Land Use Planning and Policy (Instructor: Dr. Mae Davenport, Fall 2025) | Final Report forthcoming

Project Goal: To identify strategies and tactics the City of Afton can use to plan for and implement future greenway corridors and trails, and may include identifying best practices for greenway and trail development, researching case studies of successful planning and implementation efforts in other communities in Minnesota and elsewhere in the United States, and identifying specific implementation approaches the City might consider, including but not limited to conservation easements, transfer of development rights, and density bonuses (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Afton

Project Lead: Elissa Thompson, Restoration Specialist Washington Conservation District, City of Afton

Course Matches:

• Forthcoming

Project Goal: To identify engagement strategies and develop outreach tools for the City of Afton to involve residents and other stakeholders in the planning and implementation of a future greenway corridor and trails in the city. (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Afton

Project Lead: Ron Moorse, City Administrator, City of Afton

Course Matches:

• ESPM 5245: Sustainable Land Use Planning and Policy (Instructor: Dr. Mae Davenport, Fall 2025) | Final Report forthcoming
• PA 8081: Urban and Regional Planning Capstone (Instructor: Peter Brown, Spring 2026)  | Final Report forthcoming

Project Goal: To develop a hypothetical model for a resilience zone that highlights urban planning considerations, necessary services and infrastructure requirements, and policy recommendations that could be replicated by other local government entities interested in establishing resilience zones. (Project Brief)

Partner: Ramsey County

Project Lead: Nicholai Jost-Epp, Climate and Health Data Analyst, Ramsey County Public Health

Course Matches:

• PA 8081: Science, Technology, Energy, and Policy (STEP) Capstone (Instructor: Steve Kelley, Spring 2026)  | Final Report forthcoming

Project Goal: To analyze strategies and best practices for collecting food scraps from businesses, institutional settings (schools, hospitals), public entities, and other non-residential sources, as well as for transporting those food scraps to the preferred recycling facility, providing recommendations for how R&E should prioritize such efforts for maximum impact moving forward. (Project Brief)

Partner: Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

Project Lead: Leigh Behrens, Manager Ramsey/Washington R&E

Course Matches:

• BA 3062: Impact Lab in Action (Instructor: Meghan Stiling, Fall 2025) | Final Report forthcoming

Project Goal: To research existing models and tools that help translate/calculate waste reduction and recycling numbers into climate or community impacts beyond weight measures or create recommendations on how to develop a resource. (Project Brief)

Partner: Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

Project Lead: Leigh Behrens, Manager Ramsey/Washington R&E 

Course Matches:

• PA 5771: Change Leadership for Environmental, Social, and Governance Action (Instructor: Steve Kelley, Fall 2025) | Final Report forthcoming

Project Goal: To evaluate the effectiveness of deconstruction grant programs and incentives to offer for participation; develop resources to encourage building materials to be reused or recycled rather than sent to a landfill (Project Brief)

Partner: Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

Project Lead: Michelle Palm, Program Coordinator, Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

Course Matches:

• BA 3062: Impact Lab in Action (Instructor: Meghan Stiling, Fall 2025) | Final Report forthcoming

Project Goal: To research and make recommendations about how R&E can support food donation and food waste reduction in grocery stores and restaurants in Ramsey and Washington counties by offering funding, technical assistance, and other incentives or resources (Project Brief)

Partner: Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

Project Lead: Sam Hanson, Programs Director Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy

Course Matches:

• Course match forthcoming

Project Goal: To conduct research that explores how the Metropolitan Council can best communicate with local municipalities through the comprehensive planning process to support healthy and safe communities through the built environment. (Project Brief)

Partner: Metropolitan Council

Project Lead: Darcie Vandegrift, Qualitative Research Manager, Community Development

Course Matches:

• Course match forthcoming

Project Goal: To review existing living history of parks website content for relevance, source or develop additional content, and create a revised content strategy (Project Brief)

Partner: Metropolitan Council

Project Lead: Thony Thao, Parks Ambassador Program Manager – Community Development

Course Matches:

• Course match forthcoming

Project Goal: To review existing resources and tools that measure return on investment (ROI) of climate actions and develop and/or recommend a methodology for local municipalities. (Project Brief)

Partner: Metropolitan Council

Project Lead: Gillian Greenberg, Senior Climate Planner, Community Development, Metropolitan Council

Course Matches:

• Course match forthcoming