2012 Annual Report Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine ...

RepoRt to ContRibutoRs
Thanks to the generous support of 33,630 contributors, Minnesota Conservation
Volunteer completed its 72nd year of bringing award-winning stories and photographs
to readers across the country. MCV tells stories that connect people to the great
outdoors. Each issue reflects the diversity of the state’s lands, waters, and native plant
and animal communities.
Conservation education remains the mission of this bimonthly publication of
the Department of Natural Resources—encouraging citizens to appreciate, protect,
use, and enjoy natural resources. The first issue, October 1940, circulated to 2,000
Minnesotans. Today, MCV has more than 127,000 subscribers and an estimated
half-million readers. It goes to more than 7,000 people beyond Minnesota, including
subscribers in every other state and 32 subscribers in other nations. MCV also
circulates to every public school and library in the state.
In 1980 the DNR asked readers to contribute to help cover the cost of publishing the
magazine. Since July 2003, contributions from readers have funded MCV’s operating
budget—everything from printing and postage to staff salaries and benefits.
2012 HigHligHts
MCV launched a new online index. From the magazine’s inaugural edition through
this past year, every MCV issue is now available for download as a PDF. New issues
will be added as they become available, giving MCV stories a worldwide reach.
Creation of the index was made possible by a grant from the Arts and Cultural
Heritage Fund, administered by the Minnesota Historical Society through the
Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.
MCV created iPad applications for the story “Our Collective Legacy” (May–June
2012) and the Sense of Place issue of November–December 2010. With audio
of bird songs and commentaries by authors and photographers, these apps offer
enhanced experiences of the printed stories. Both apps are available free on iTunes.
Along with its loyal readership, MCV continues to attract new readers (more
than 5,000 annually), friends on Facebook, and visitors to its Web pages.
tHanks foR sustaining MCV
We at MCV and the DNR deeply appreciate the support of the 33,630 contributors who
have made possible the publication of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer from July 1,
2011, through June 30, 2012. Contributors’ names appear in this report.
Your commitment to the mission of conservation makes this magazine possible.
Thank you!
—Kathleen Weflen, editor in chief
2 Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Annual Report, July 1, 2011–June 30, 2012