Faces:

A vote for outdoors

Conservation is a legislator's passion

When Dennis Frederickson was a grade-school student in Morgan, Minn., he kept a garter snake in his desk, feeding it insects—much to his teacher’s chagrin. He also brought home various stray pets to the family farm. So it makes sense that after Frederickson’s years in the Navy, he returned to farming—and when he was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 1980, the Republican made the environment and conservation a priority.

In the Minnesota Senate , Dennis Frederickson leads the efforts to restore wetlands.

A member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, New Ulm, Minn., Frederickson has earned several honors during his 28 years in state government. In 2001 he won the Friends of the Minnesota Valley Conservation Award. In 2005 he received a Wildlife Heritage Award. Two years ago he was the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Legislator of the Year.

“When I was first in office I wanted to be part of the agriculture committee, and, at the time, the agriculture committee was put together with the natural resources committee,” he said.

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