Each year, Conservation Minnesota presents local governments with the Blazing Star Award. Named after the perennial flower native to Minnesota prairies and known for its hardy and adaptable characteristics, the Blazing Star Award seeks to celebrate Minnesota communities that exhibit these same traits.
Conservation Minnesota’s panel of judges annually reviews dozens of applications from around the state looking for projects that feature innovation, create a sense of belonging, leverage unique partnerships, and have deep beneficial environmental impacts.
Since 2022, nine local governments have won an award. Past winners include Minnesota’s first net-zero energy library (Howard Lake), reintroducing bison to a county park (Dakota County), and mapping heat vulnerability to prepare for a changing climate (Hopkins).
2025 Blazing Star Award Winners
We are excited to share with you the winners of the 2025 Blazing Star Award!
Bloomington: Energy Disclosure Reports
More than 1,500 homes are sold in Bloomington each year. When a house is sold, it’s required to have a Time of Sale Evaluation, which gives potential homebuyers important information about the home.
Now included in each evaluation is information about the energy efficiency of the house, which helps buyers learn more about the energy performance while also connecting people to resources that can make their future home more sustainable and save them money in the long run.
Not only does this provide more transparency for future homeowners, but it also helps the city work toward its greenhouse gas reduction goals by collecting energy efficiency data and providing targeted outreach to residents with less efficient homes. Learn more about the energy disclosures project on YouTube.
Woodbury: Environmental Stewardship Plan
Woodbury is being recognized for its robust 10-year Environmental Stewardship Plan that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in these areas:
- transportation and land use
- buildings and energy
- waste management
- water, food and agriculture
- green space and ecosystems
- health and safety
- the economy
This all-encompassing plan, with bold goals and targets, was developed after many years of community collaboration and input. Some of the goals include reducing per capita water usage and solid waste, increasing the use of public transit and renewable electricity, and strengthening the resilience of local businesses—all within the next 10 years. Learn more about the environmental stewardship plan on Woodbury's website.
White Earth Band of Ojibwe: Youth Outreach Program
The White Earth Nation’s Natural Resources Division has been providing opportunities for area youth to foster lifelong connections to the outdoors through its youth outreach program that teaches kids the skills to safely enjoy all kinds of outdoor recreation activities. The programs include Traditional Ecological Knowledge and culturally significant experiences that help to promote food sovereignty through activities such as wild rice harvesting, fishing, and maple syrup production.
White Earth Nation also provides a youth internship program that encourages careers in natural resources, helping to foster the next generation of environmental stewards. This program is open to residents of White Earth and the surrounding communities to promote broad access to environmental education and cultural revitalization.
This year’s winners highlight how local governments can lead positive change. Whether that’s setting ambitious carbon reduction goals or making sure youth have the skills to enjoy the outdoors, we hope that these stories inspire others to implement innovative projects in their communities.