Dakota County Environmental Resources

We all have items we don't need that just take up space. Choosing to donate those items and choosing used over buying new saves money and it’s better for the environment. That is why Dakota County hosts Fix & Swap events in partnership with our Fix-it Clinics.

Community Swaps provide an opportunity for the community to leave their unwanted items and then take as many available items as they wish – for free. All items left over after the event will be donated to a local reuse retailer. 

​Protecting Dakota County’s valuable surface water and groundwater resources is an important responsibility for everyone who lives and works here. Dakota County helps protect water quality every step of the way.

Since 1997, the Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP) has engaged volunteers to help monitor local wetlands with the aim to improve/safeguard water and habitat quality. WHEP provides useful information to city and county planners, engineers, resource managers, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and other local agencies to keep track of wetland health throughout Dakota County.

WHEP volunteers work in teams to evaluate the biological health and stability of wetlands pre-selected by their community. All training and equipment is provided and volunteer times are flexible and adaptable to a busy summer schedule. Family-friendly and all ages welcome but we recommend this program to those who are 5 years old or older. 

Program Location/Date/Time

Registration will open in April. The city/region chooses what wetlands to sponsor each monitoring season. Volunteers will pick a team designated by city/region. The program schedule is determined after the registration period by the volunteer group and team leader’s availability and will vary by each team. The program runs May through August with various shifts (dates/times) determined by team and city.

Trainings

The provided trainings are recommended but not mandatory to participate in WHEP. We especially recommend the orientation in May so that you can meet your team and team leader!

For additional information about this program, check out this intro video , awesome WCCO news story or visit the MN WHEP website.

Please select the WHEP team you would like to join. If your desired team is full, please join the team nearest to where you live. The registration deadline for signing up is May 18, 2026. For assistance, please contact Garrett Zaffke at garrett.zaffke@co.dakota.mn.us. 

The provided trainings are recommended but not mandatory for all WHEP volunteers. The training consists of three sessions: Introduction & Field Methods, Macro ID, and Veg ID. Sign up for as many of the trainings as you wish. We recommend the training in May (especially if you are new to the program) so that you can meet your team and team leader in-person! You do not have to attend all three trainings during the season to participate in WHEP.