John Helland is a history graduate of the University of Minnesota. He served as the nonpartisan legislative research analyst for the Minnesota House of Representatives after graduation. He worked extensively on environment and natural resources legislation and issues, and was the primary nonpartisan research staffer for the House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance committees from 1971 to 2008.
Now retired, John stays active in the environmental community by being on the board of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, the advisory boards of Conservation Minnesota, Northwoods Audubon Center and the St. Croix River Association, and by blogging regularly for Conservation Minnesota. He formerly served as the chair of the nonprofit Rivers Council of Minnesota, now Minnesota Waters.
John also is working on finishing a public television documentary on former Representative Willard Munger, Minnesota’s “Mr. Environment”, about one person’s great commitment to a cause and purpose. He greatly enjoys being outside, especially the joys of being on and in clean rivers.
