Big River Big Woods

Roadside plantings have been considered an opportunity to reduce habitat loss. Emilie Snell-Rood, professor of ecology, evolution, and behavior at the UMN, presented her lab’s findings at the annual Center for Transportation Studies Transportation Research Conference in November. As part of work funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (MN-ENRTF), Snell-Rood’s lab has studied the risks of roadside pollutants for the last decade, with a current focus on microplastics. Learn more about this study: https://mnltap.umn.edu/ltapnews/2026/february/pollinators