The Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership supports shared staffing for agronomy outreach and watershed education.
Barbara Heitkamp
Barbara Heitkamp is a shared water resources educator for the Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership and the East Metro Water Resource Education Program. Based out of the Washington Conservation District office near Oakdale, MN, Barbara’s role is to help inspire people to care about clean water, healthy ecosystems, and more sustainable management of our natural resources.
Ellen Badger Hanson
Ellen Badger Hanson is the Ag Outreach Specialist for the Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership, based out of the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District in North Branch. She works with farmers, crop advisors, and others to adopt practices that improve water quality, enhance groundwater, expand habitat, and conserve soil resources. She is passionate about helping people connect and collaborate to care for the natural world and each other. A proud Minnesotan, Ellen is very happy to be returning to her home state after more than a decade away.
Ben harker
Ben Harker is a Engineering Technician for the Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership, based out of the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District in North Branch. Ben has a broad background in construction and engineering, with experience in shoreline stabilization projects, surveying, construction inspections, wetland delineation, and is a licensed drone pilot. He loves anything involving water and is excited to help develop water quality improvement projects in the Chisago County area.
Born and raised in Minnesota, Ben enjoys fishing, camping, sailing, or bowhunting. In his free time, Ben loves to spend time with his wife and 2 young kids. The St. Croix River is one of his favorite places, and you can often find his family on the river.