Metro Big Rivers Phase 9
Metro Big Rivers successfully completed work with the Phase 9 / ML2019 OHF appropriation, exceeding acreage goals by 55% and completing work on 1,723 acres (goal was 1,115 acres). Partners protected 207 acres through permanent conservation easement, restored 50 acres and enhanced 1,466 acres.
MBR 9 expended 94% of the OHF funds granted and leveraged the grant 51% with over $2.0 million in other funds, landowner donation of easement value, and in-kind work by the USFWS.
Brief summaries of work completed are provided below. More information on all projects is provided in partner attachments.
Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) enhanced 335 acres at 7 sites, exceeding its 319-acre goal. Project sites were Settler's Island, Camel's Hump Park and Open Space, Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, Gores Pool WMA, Vermillion River Linear Park, Hastings River Flats, and Hastings Sand Coulee SNA. Work at all sites went according to plan. Deliverables were ahead of schedule or on time. Repeated drought years slowed some seed germination and establishment and necessitated subsequent watering of tree and shrub plantings. Volunteers, CCMI crews, and project partners were instrumental in helping navigate those challenges.
Great River Greening (GRG) restored and enhanced 211 acres across 7 project sites, exceeding acreage goals. Project sites were Trout Brook - Afton (Phase III), Lebanon Regional Park (Phase III), Lilydale Bluffs, Springbrook Nature Center (Phase III), Minnehaha Creek Big Woods, Minnehaha Creek Floodplain Meadow Buffer, and Valley Park. All proposed work was accomplished. Covid pandemic, inflation and droughts impacted progress but were overcome. Inflation associated with supplies was felt and, in some cases, resulted going with smaller plant stock or rethinking species lists in seed mixes.
Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) protected 4 properties through conservation easement totaling 207 acres (195 acres proposed):
-Keystone Woods (Haas) - a 69-acre property within one of Washington County's "Top Ten" priority conservation corridors. A Site of Moderate Biodiversity Significance, the property comprises oak-red maple woodland, northern mixed cattail marsh, and willow-dogwood shrub swamp native plant communities.
-Saint Croix River (SMM) - 129-acres in Washington County protecting a Site of High Biodiversity Significance along the St. Croix River, with rich hardwood forest, tamarack swamp, rich fen, mixed hardwood swamp, floodplain forest, restored prairie, wetlands, a boiling sand spring, and a cold-water stream that supports brook trout.
-Sand Creek (Norris) - an 84-acre donated easement in Scott County protecting sugar maple-basswood-bitternut hickory forest, southern mesic hardwood forest, and 1,500 feet shoreline along a stream tributary to Sand Creek and the Minnesota River.
-Valley Creek (Berggren) - 18-acres in Washington County protecting forested hills, floodplain, ponds, and shoreline on Valley Creek, a state-designated trout stream.
MLT completed 2 enhancement projects over 70 acres on properties protected by MLT conservation easements:
-Valley Creek (Johnson) - 15 acres of oak woodland were enhanced on property adjacent to the St. Croix River and Valley Creek (a heritage brook trout stream) in Washington County.
-Hunter Lake (Jannusch) - 55 acres of oak savanna were enhanced on property near Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge.
Minnesota Valley Trust (MVT) and US Fish and Wildlife Service teamed up to restore 23 acres and enhance 877 acres over 12 sites on the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland Management District (323 acres proposed). Methods included invasive species removal and treatment, seeding, mowing, prescribed burns, and wetland restoration. All sites already support a wider variety of insects, birds, pollinators, waterfowl and other wildlife species. Some work had to be postponed due to extremely wet conditions in spring 2024, resulting in the grant not being fully expended.
$4,163,000 the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for agreements to acquire lands in fee and permanent conservation easements and to restore and enhance natural habitat systems associated with the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix Rivers and their tributaries in the metropolitan area. Of this amount, $820,000 is to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust Inc., $532,000 is to Friends of the Mississippi River, $1,061,000 is to Great River Greening, and $1,750,000 is to Minnesota Land Trust. Up to $144,000 to Minnesota Land Trust is to establish a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of proposed land acquisitions and permanent conservation easements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
Metro Big Rivers Phase 9 projects improved habitat values for wildlife and SGCN, including birds using the Mississippi River migratory corridor, pollinators, wildlife, and an array of rare and endangered species.
FMR restored prairie and forest habitat at 7 sites located on our near the Mississippi River and its important tributaries. Many of the sites occurred within the Mississippi River flyway, the metro conservation corridors, and the high potential zone for the rusty patched bumblebee. These restoration and enhancement projects provided critical habitat for resident and migrant birds (including many SGCNs surveyed post-restoration), native pollinators, and mammals. Post-restoration surveys also documented increases in pollinator abundance and diversity.
GRG also worked on public conservation lands at 7 sites to improve habitat values for wildlife and SGCN, including birds using the Mississippi River migratory corridor and pollinators. Work restored and enhanced riverine, forest, oak savanna, prairie, and wetland habitat.
MLT protected 4 properties with high-quality habitat, 3 within Washington County "Top 10" priority conservation corridors. These properties fell within Sites of Biodiversity Significance, were located along and provided protection to state-designated trout streams or were selected for other important factors. In addition, MLT restored and enhanced 70 acres of habitat along Valley Creek in Washington County - a Washington County "Top 10" priority conservation corridor and heritage brook trout stream - and near Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. These land protection and R/E activities provided habitat for a large number of SGCN.
MVT restored and enhanced lands on the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland Management District, which had been protected for their ability to provide high biodiversity and connectivity, and to provide habitat for SGCN. The work restored wetlands and enhanced previously-restored agricultural fields and degraded habitats to high-quality prairie, wetlands, oak savanna and oak basswood forest.
City of Cottage Grove, Dakota County, South Washington Watershed District, Cities of Fridley and Mendota Heights, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, GRG Funders, Hastings High School, FMR, City of Hastings, City of Cottage Grove, Tecla Karpen Fund, Landowner donation of easement value, Washington County, MN Valley Trust, Conservation Partners of America, NEEF Grant, SPAAR, South Washington Watershed District and USFWS