RIM Grassland Reserve
Using the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) program, this project addressed the potential loss of grassland habitats from conversion to cropland and accelerated grassland protection efforts not covered by other programs. Focusing on Minnesota Prairie Plan-identified landscapes and working in coordination with established Prairie Conservation Plan Local Technical Teams (LTTs), this project completed 7 RIM conservation easements permanently protecting 617 acres of grassland habitat, exceeding the accomplishment plan goal by 23%. In particular easement #44-01-19-14 in Mahnomen County was an exceptional project that was a roundout for a large habitat complex with many prairie remnants.
In 2018 alone over 200,000 acres of CRP will expire in Minnesota. Over the next three years 347,000 additional acres will expire in geographical terms, 15 townships or 542.47 square miles. Minnesota was once a land of 18 million acres of prairie. Today less than two percent remains. The few acres of native remnant prairie that remain were once thought of as too rocky or wet for row crops but not anymore. If the current trajectory of grassland and prairie loss continues it will be devastating to grassland wildlife populations, including pollinator species.
This project, working in partnership with Prairie Conservation Plan Local Technical Teams (LTTs), focused on protecting current grasslands and buffering native prairie that are within wildlife habitat complexes not covered by other conservation programs. There are programs for native prairie such as NPB and NTGP NWR and programs for cropland, but there are no programs for "in between" grasslands. As Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) and LTTs reviewed these areas for possible enrollment, they found additional tracts of native prairie. With this project, some native prairie was included to square up parcels. In cases where larger tracts are identified, the SWCDs contacted the DNR's Biological Survey and Native Prairie Bank staff for a more formal botanical survey of the site.
The loss of native prairie and grassland habitat is arguably the greatest conservation challenge facing northwest, western and southern Minnesota. This project protected 617 acres of prairie and grassland habitat by coordinating and accelerating the enrollment of Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) through private land easements. This level of acceleration is needed to address today's rapid loss of grassland habitat and meet the goals set forth in the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan.
$2,276,000 the first year is to the Board of Water and Soil Resources to acquire permanent conservation easements and to restore and enhance grassland habitat under Minnesota Statutes, section 103F.501 to 103F.531. Of this amount, up to $39,000 is for establishing a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of permanent conservation easements must be provided as part of the final report.
Minnesota grasslands provide important habitat for a wide range of species of greatest conservation need. Consistent with guidance in The Minnesota Wildlife Action Plan and Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan, the project sites were strategically selected to minimize landscape stressors and support plant diversity and long-term resiliency. More than 150 Species of Greatest Conservation Need use grasslands for breeding, migration, and/or foraging. Species that were targeted include: Greater prairie chicken, Eastern meadowlark, Western meadowlark, Grasshopper sparrow, Northern pintail, Northern black duck, Burrowing owl, Chestnut collared longspur, Bobolink, Wilson's phalarope, Sedge wren, Plains hog-nosed snake, American badger, Prairie vole, Plains pocket mouse, Eastern spotted skunk, Dakota skipper, Monarch butterfly, Power sheik skipper, Regal fritillary, Rusty patched bumble bee.