Minnesota to Begin Mississippi Island Restoration Next Month

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ Work on a $6.7 million construction project to restore an
island on the Mississippi River in northeast Minneapolis is set to begin next month.

Minnesota Public Radio reports that Hall's Island will get a natural habitat and a 3,000-foot-long channel for kayaking and boating between the island and the river bank.

A Mississippi Watershed Management Organization official says the project aims
to improve access to the river and restore the island's ecosystem, which was
damaged by industrial activity.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board officials say the project will provide a
place for migrating birds to rest and improve the area's mussel habitat.

Canoeing and kayaking will be available once construction is complete in the spring. The island won't be open to visitors for a year so plants can grow.