Is Minneapolis low-energy?

[wamer27]

I can see how someone from Vermont or New England wouldn’t find here pretty in comparison.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by wamer27

I can see how someone from Vermont or New England wouldn’t find here pretty in comparison.

The areas of rural northern New England has more similarities to the Northwoods of WI, MI and MN in terms of tree types. Most of the Twin Cities has a prairie influence with a good amount of street trees and landscaping. Lake Minnetonka towns have more of a woodsy feel, but don't really feel similar enough to the eastern US.

[jennifat]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

The areas of rural northern New England has more similarities to the Northwoods of WI, MI and MN in terms of tree types. Most of the Twin Cities has a prairie influence with a good amount of street trees and landscaping. Lake Minnetonka towns have more of a woodsy feel, but don't really feel similar enough to the eastern US.

I disagree with that. Rural New England (including Vermont) is largely deciduous forest intermixed with pines, while the Northwoods is much more boreal in character. The Twin Cities area is in the Big Woods biome (deciduous forest). The prairie regions of Minnesota are south and west of the Twin Cities metro.

[jennifat]

Originally Posted by Riley.

Friends just returned from there and said the roads were not well maintained at all for the winter conditions.

Maybe you're confused as to where your friends actually went? Maybe they went to one of the other 'M' states (Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Missouri)? A lot of Americans don't know the difference.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by jennifat

I disagree with that. Rural New England (including Vermont) is largely deciduous forest intermixed with pines, while the Northwoods is much more boreal in character. The Twin Cities area is in the Big Woods biome (deciduous forest). The prairie regions of Minnesota are south and west of the Twin Cities metro.

Northern Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have a mixed northern forest similar to certain areas of the Great Lakes region. However, I would agree that the Adirondacks, geologically part of the Canadian Shield, have the most commonalities in terms of tree types. Lake Minnetonka area is the most densely tree covered part of the Twin Cities.

[Kaszilla]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Northern Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have a mixed northern forest similar to certain areas of the Great Lakes region. However, I would agree that the Adirondacks, geologically part of the Canadian Shield, have the most commonalities in terms of tree types. Lake Minnetonka area is the most densely tree covered part of the Twin Cities.

You have to drive pretty far out before it gets more prairie. This is the southern edge of the metro. It's a transitional. Minneapolis and St. Paul are deciduous forest. The northern metro is mostly forested.

[jennifat]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Lake Minnetonka area is the most densely tree covered part of the Twin Cities.

The area surrounding Lake Minnetonka has a lot of hilly glacial moraines interspersed with wetlands, which made it it nearly impossible to farm or develop. That's why it's still so heavily wooded. Before European settlement began, the entire Twin Cities region looked like that. Almost all of the original Big Woods ecosystem was logged off and destroyed for agriculture.

[paiste13]

To prove the point MN is low energy, the debate revoloves around tree species. lol

[windchill]

Minneapolis and the greater Twin Cities area is blessed with world class orchestras, museums, the 4 Major pro sports (plus the WNBA and the PHF) D1, DIi and DIII university sports, music venues, more theatre seats per capita outside of NYC, Super Bowls, NCAA basketball finals. It has Winter outdoor activities that no other city - of any size - can match.

I could go on, but the point is that the area has plenty of energy.

That it goes unseen or untapped by anyone says more about the limitations of those individuals than it does about the area.