The blazing star is a vibrant purple prairie flower native to Minnesota. It is hardy, adaptable, and environmentally friendly. Its flower is a magnet for pollinators, it’s drought-tolerant, and perfect for many Minnesota gardens because it needs little maintenance. Conservation Minnesota celebrates its unique qualities and sees a parallel to local actions that advance conservation, climate resilience, environmental protection, and outdoor recreation opportunities.
The Blazing Star Award celebrates the environmental and conservation actions of local governments across Minnesota. Each year our panel of judges review dozens of submissions to select three winners that show exceptional innovation, impact, partnerships, and community engagement on a conservation project. We welcome projects from cities, counties, and Tribal Nations.
Is your local government doing something worthy of Blazing Star Award recognition? We are accepting applications until March 3rd.
Learn more about the award, criteria, past winners, and apply on our Blazing Star Award web page.