River Valley Reverie
Trails and Trials of the Minnesota River Valley Refuge
The Minnesota River Valley is more than just a scenic corridor—it’s a testament to conservation, a fragile sanctuary between the forces of progress and preservation. The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge has protected nearly 14,000 acres of lush wetlands, floodplain forests, and vibrant ecosystems from unchecked development for fifty years. But now, in 2025, these lands face their greatest threat yet: the aggressive rollback of environmental protections in favour of rapid resource exploitation, a perilous consequence of the Trump administration’s new executive orders.
A Legacy of Protection
Minnesota’s geography is shaped by water. The state is bisected east-west by the Mississippi River and north-south by the Minnesota River, converging just southeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul. This confluence forms a rich corridor for wildlife and a natural refuge amidst urban sprawl.
This environmental significance spurred action in the 1970s when Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport planned an expansion, threatening local habitats. In response, Congress passed HR13374, designating the first 9,500 acres as a federally protected wildlife refuge under the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) stewardship. A trust was established to acquire additional land, weaving together 14 designated units now managed jointly by the FWS and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The refuge is a lifeline for migratory birds and native species and a haven for nature lovers. A multi-use trail connecting the units invites hikers, cyclists, and skiers to explore the valley’s diverse landscapes. The area’s beauty and ecological richness are a quiet reminder of what’s at stake.
2025: An Era of Environmental Rollbacks
In his first 90 days in office, Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders (EOs) that dismantled environmental safeguards, many of which were outlined in “Project 2025,” a policy blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation. Under the guise of national security and economic revitalisation, these directives prioritised unchecked development over ecological responsibility.
Minnesota is explicitly named in these policies as ripe for exploitation—copper mining, logging, and land privatisation for residential expansion. Trump’s EOs eliminate requirements to assess environmental and social impacts, greenlighting projects that threaten the river valley’s delicate ecosystems. These sweeping changes align with corporate interests seeking short-term profit at the expense of sustainability.
The Fight to Preserve the Refuge
State lawmakers and local officials are mounting fierce opposition to these exploitative policies. The battle to save Minnesota’s protected lands grows more challenging as federal agencies tasked with conservation face devastating cutbacks.
The FWS, already strained by funding limitations, recently suffered mass layoffs as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency deemed its mission misaligned with Trump’s agenda. The National Park Service endured similar cuts, prompting public outrage and a partial reversal of staffing reductions. Still, the damage continues, putting decades of conservation at risk.
Documenting Beauty, Inspiring Action
This photo story, River Valley Reverie, aims to capture the Minnesota River Valley’s breathtaking landscapes—the winding trails, the wetlands bursting with life, and the serene forests that have stood for generations. The project seeks to remind people of the valley’s immense environmental value by showcasing these views.
Only through awareness and advocacy can Minnesotans stand against the forces of greed and exploitation threatening their natural heritage. If this sanctuary is lost, it will not be reclaimed. Protecting the refuge is not just about preserving scenery—it’s about defending our land’s integrity, future generations’ rights, and the belief that conservation outweighs corporate plunder.
Will Minnesota’s people rise to the challenge? Time will tell. But one thing is sure: this reverie may fade into memory without action.
The Minnesota River starts in the west of the State and flows eastward until it joins the mighty Mississippi just east of the Twin Cities. By the time it reaches the Minnesota River Valley Refuge, it is a broad and powerful flow. This photo essay describes walking the State Trail, starting at the east end and heading westward along the River Valley.
The Refuge comprises fourteen units purchased by a trust to protect these lands and their inhabitants from future development. The refuge was created in 1976 by a federal act of Congress, which was used to establish necessary protections as the local airport was being expanded, and this expansion threatened to encroach upon this pristine wilderness.
Several bridges span the river valley. This example is an old railroad bridge that now allows pedestrians to access both shores of the Minnesota River. The State Trail swaps sides of the river numerous times along its length. At this point, the river valley is a wide flood plain spanning nearly two miles. The shores are lined with marshy areas as the waters spread wide.
The Refuge is maintained predominantly by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. They have installed several bridges along the State trail, which allows light vehicles to maintain sections of the trail. It’s generally been well-maintained and is visited by roughly a quarter of a million visitors annually. Given the scale of its fourteen thousand acres, these visitors rarely cross paths, especially outside of peak summer season.
Many small creeks feed into the Minnesota River. The whole valley is an important watershed, providing access for commercial vessels to travel along its length and a home and spawning ground for many species of fish and birds.
Sections of the trail follow ancient roads, and some even follow Indigenous hunting paths. The trail names tell a lot about the area’s history. The Mazomani Trail, for example, was named after the leader of the Sioux people who inhabited these lands before their colonisation and forced resettlement into a small reservation in Shakopee.
Considerable diversity of wildlife inhabits this region. It’s not unusual to be startled by the loud slap of a beaver’s tail or the raucous call of a trumpeter swan. These animals rely on the ever-present supply of clean water from the river valley to support their food, drink and homes.
It’s often said that Minnesota has two seasons: snow and ice, and mosquitoes. I journeyed along the State Trail during the short transition from Winter to Summer, witnessing the Ice leaving the rivers and swamps and a late-season snowstorm covering the landscape with a soft blanket.
The environment is ruggedly beautiful. Foliage and animals must all survive the varied and unpredictable climate. The Minnesota River is supplied by the winter snows in the west, which melt and run into the watershed. In years with quick thaws, huge rises in the water level occur as the runoff swiftly moves downstream.
Many years of Spring floods have changed the landscape. The floods weaken trees’ roots, making them more susceptible to storm damage. This lone tree represents a survivor of a rich forest, once a home to many Blue Herons.
In places where the trail crosses marshes, the US FWS has created wide boardwalks to protect the environment and provide safe, easy access. Crossing these areas, you realise how many creatures live here, with the crescendo of frogs and bugs masking the noise of any passing traffic.
Parallel to the trail is a commercial railroad. It is used to move grain between the silos and the ports. Considerable grain is still moved via barges, which travel for several weeks down the Mississippi to feed the rest of the country.
Visitors to Minnesota are often surprised to learn that many of its ten thousand lakes were formed by glacial erosion. Erratics are large boulders like this one. The slow-moving ice has moved them hundreds of miles. They are easy to spot as their rock type is not native to the area.
The trail passes not only natural wonders but also many historic structures. This is a commercial brewery dating back to the 1850s. This building was used to house ice, which was cut from the thick river ice and stored here all year to help chill the beer.
This farm has been preserved to illustrate how the River Valley used to be a thriving agricultural area. However, frequent flooding has made this area no longer viable for farming.
The State Trail connects many other trails. Using this river as a guide, you can cross the State on foot or by water. It’s a beautiful and peaceful way to see the State and learn to appreciate the rugged beauty of these important natural habitats.
As I walked the trails, I marvelled at nature’s resilience, how it recovers from the harshness of winter’s ice. I wondered if it is resilient enough to survive mankind’s onslaught.
The pristine waters supply and support over three hundred species of birds, several dozen species of fish, plus untold numbers of small mammals. Can you imagine what would happen if the water quality were not preserved?
These photographs were made during the Spring thaw of 2025 using Ilford Delta 100 Professional film and a 4×5” view camera with a vintage Nikon 135mm f/5.6 lens. Black-and-white film was used because it lends itself to deeper reflection and facilitates deeper contemplation. The negatives were scanned using a Nikon Z7ii and a Nikkor Z MC 50mm f/2.8 lens. The scans were converted using Negative Lab Pro v3 and edited in Nik 7 Silver Efex.
These photographs were submitted as a project for my Master of Arts in Photography at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.