BU-07941     2003

To Order

Foreword

Building on the success of the first Atlas of Minnesota released in April 2000, the Center for Rural Policy and Development, the Blandin Foundation and University of Minnesota Extension Service have joined in partnership to create the Second Edition. It was a partnership destined to succeed. The three organizations share many core values: a commitment to rural Minnesota; a concern for the economic vitality of our state; and a belief in people and outreach education.

The real value of our organizational partnership was the unique skills, talents and perspectives that each organization contributed. Blandin Foundation’s history and skills in leadership development ensured that the information analyzed in the Atlas would have value and meaning to Minnesota’s community leaders. Its capacity to bring community leaders into focus groups to discuss the content and organization of the Atlas was invaluable.

The University of Minnesota Extension Service, with its technology, cartography specialists, and production capacity made the entire production process work. Equally important was the input and feedback from Extension Educators throughout Minnesota that ensured that the information would enhance community development and vitality.

And the Center for Rural Policy and Development, the original creators of the Atlas of Minnesota in 2000, built upon their past success and spotted pitfalls to avoid in this new venture. Their capacity to work with more than a dozen state agencies to acquire and sort through volumes of data was critical to the project.

We learned from the release of the first Atlas that a resource document is often used by more people in many more ways than anyone first anticipated. We were able to use the synergy of our collaboration to discuss and target new audiences for the Atlas that individually we never could have. That synergy reminded us that the total is greater than the sum of its parts.

We also are proud that our partnership allowed us to create an atlas that is larger than the first and has enhanced features. This 2nd Edition of the Atlas has expanded from its original 90 maps to more than 150. Commentary from experts across the state was added to provide meaningful interpretation to the analysis of individual maps and whole chapters. And we have included an interactive CD version that contains all the maps and underlying data of the Atlas. So now you are not limited to our analysis—you can make your own maps and explore your own geographies. These data include information for “minor civil divisions” (cities and townships) that are not included in the print version of the Atlas.

Ultimately, the value of any resource document is its ability to provide information to drive or support decisions. People used the Atlas in ways that we never imagined, so we hope that this 2nd Edition, with its expanded capacity, will find even more uses among public officials, community and state leaders, nonprofit agencies and organizations, teachers, students and the general public. If the Atlas highlights anything, it is our diversity—the diversity of our people, economy, natural resources, culture and scenery. And it is that wonderful social, cultural and economic mosaic that makes up the “North Star State.”

As always, we welcome your comments and thoughts on this 2nd Edition of the Atlas of Minnesota.

Jack Geller President Center for Rural Policy and Development	Bernadine Joselyn Director, Public Policy & Engagement Blandin Foundation	Dick Senese, Ph.D., L.P. Associate Dean - Community Vitality University of Minnesota Extension Service

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