A Legacy that Flows On: The Enduring Impact of Don Nelson’s Gift
In the heart of southern Minnesota, where fields meet forests and rivers carve through rolling farmland, the legacy of Don Nelson continues to shape the landscape — and the people — who call this place home.
Don Nelson was a man whose roots ran deep in Minnesota soil. Born and raised here, he built a career as an orthodontist before retiring in the 1980s. Yet, it was in his retirement that Don discovered his true calling: caring for the land that had always cared for him. He devoted his time to managing three farms in the Rochester and Northfield areas, nurturing them with the same patience and precision that had guided his professional life.
As the years passed, Don’s vision grew even larger. In collaboration with the Trust for Public Land, the Minnesota Land Trust, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, he transformed all 860 acres of his farmland into permanent wildlife management areas — a gift to generations yet to come. But his generosity didn’t stop there. Don went on to donate the proceeds from the sale of these farms to colleges, nonprofit organizations, and Northfield Shares, creating endowments to support land-based stewardship, research, and education.
A Legacy that Flows On
Don Nelson pictured speaking at the dedication of the Engeseth-Rinde Unite of Prairie Creek Wildlife Management Area.
Among the beneficiaries of Don’s remarkable philanthropy was Clean River Partners. In the spring of 2020, our organization received a $100,000 gift from Don Nelson — a transformative act that became the cornerstone of our long-term investment funds. We received an additional $100,000 again in 2023. For a small, grassroots organization dedicated to protecting and improving the Cannon River watershed, Don’s gifts were nothing short of foundational.
His support gave us stability and strength, empowering us to look beyond day-to-day challenges and toward a future of long-term impact. With these long-term investment funds, Clean River Partners can sustain programs that engage farmers, landowners, students, and community members in caring for the lands and waters Don loved so deeply.
Every clean stream, every restored wetland, every young person learning to test water quality or plant native prairie — all of these carry a ripple of Don Nelson’s enduring generosity. His belief in conservation, collaboration, and community continues to inspire our work every day.
As we move forward, we honor Don not only for his extraordinary gifts, but for his vision: a Minnesota where people and nature thrive together, and where giving back to the land is both a privilege and a promise.
Don Nelson’s legacy reminds us that one person’s generosity can change the course of a river — and the life of a community — forever.
