DNR Grassland Phase XII

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,432,000
Fund Source
Outdoor Heritage Fund
Recipient
DNR
Recipient Type
State Government
Status
In Progress
Start Date
July 2020
Activity Type
Restoration/Enhancement
Counties Affected
Aitkin
Becker
Beltrami
Benton
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Chippewa
Clay
Cottonwood
Douglas
Faribault
Fillmore
Freeborn
Grant
Houston
Jackson
Kanabec
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
Mahnomen
Marshall
Martin
Meeker
Morrison
Mower
Murray
Norman
Olmsted
Otter Tail
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Redwood
Renville
Rice
Roseau
Scott
Stevens
Swift
Todd
Traverse
Wabasha
Washington
Wilkin
Wilkin
Aitkin
Becker
Beltrami
Benton
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Chippewa
Clay
Cottonwood
Douglas
Faribault
Fillmore
Freeborn
Grant
Houston
Jackson
Kanabec
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
Mahnomen
Marshall
Martin
Meeker
Morrison
Mower
Murray
Norman
Olmsted
Otter Tail
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Redwood
Renville
Rice
Roseau
Scott
Stevens
Swift
Todd
Traverse
Wabasha
Washington
Wilkin
Wilkin
Project Overview

Grasslands continue to be the most threatened habitat in the state. This programmatic request will build on the DNR's history of enhancing and restoring grasslands, embedded wetlands, and savannas to increase wildlife populations. The Prairie Plan, Pheasant Plan, and Wildlife Action Plan will guide our efforts and ensure we are operating in a strategic and targeted manner. This proposal will enhance and restore grasslands on parcels that are permanently protected and most open to public hunting. These include DNR WMAs, SNAs, AMAs, Native Prairie Bank (NPB) easements, State Forests, as well as federal WPAs and NWRs.

About the Issue

In many farmland counties less than five percent of the area is in public wildlife lands, often much less. Since 2007, Minnesota has lost nearly a million acres of CRP. Last fall, another 203,000 acres expired from the program. Under the new Farm Bill, it's unclear how many of those lost habitat acres the state will recover.

Wildlife and pollinator populations are a fraction of what they were even a decade ago. Water quality, especially nitrate contamination, is a human health and wildlife issue. Restoring and enhancing grasslands are one of the most effective ways to improve all of these issues. Because of the losses of grassland and wetland habitat across western Minnesota both historically and in recent years, it is that much more important that the public grasslands in Minnesota are as productive as possible for wildlife and pollinators.

This programmatic request seeks funding to enhance grassland habitat on permanently protected grasslands and prairies, most of which are open to public hunting. Without periodic management to simulate historical disturbance patterns, grassland lose diversity and productivity. Invasive species may increase and woody vegetation will encroach into the grasslands, changing their very character and the species that inhabit the area. The activities listed in this proposal will use BMPs for grassland enhancement and diverse local ecotype seed mixes for restoration.

Contract work for prescribed fire, woody species removal, invasive species control, grassland restoration, and other enhancement efforts. WMA Habitat Enhancement and restoration (9,5000 acres) over five years ? $2,409,400

Continuing funding for DNR Region 3 (Southeast) Rover Crew (35600 acres) over five years - $1,213,700

This request will restore and enhance native prairies on SNAs and Native Prairie Bank (NPB) easements as described above for WMAs. SNA/NPB Enhancement and restoration (800 acres) over five years? $812,300

Legal Citation / Subdivision
ML 2020, Ch. 104, Art. 1, Sec. 2, subd 2(l)
Appropriation Language

$4,432,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources to accelerate restoration and enhancement of prairies, grasslands, and savannas in wildlife management areas, in scientific and natural areas, in aquatic management areas, on lands in the native prairie bank, in bluff prairies on state forest land in southeastern Minnesota, and in waterfowl production areas and refuge lands of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. A list of proposed land restorations and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.

2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,432,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$4,241,300
Administration costs
$190,700
Number of full time equivalents funded
7.22
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Healthy populations of endangered, threatened, and special concern species as well as more common species - Monitoring will take place with the base level monitoring conducted by DNR staff and staff from other agencies/NGOs. This includes surveys such as pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, and woodcock, which are all dependent on open areas.
Protected, restored, and enhanced nesting and migratory habitat for waterfowl, upland birds, and species of greatest conservation need - Migratory game and non-game birds will be some of the primary beneficiaries of this work. We hope to continue to strengthen partnerships with the University of Minnesota to incorporate graduate students into research and monitoring work.
Core areas protected with highly biologically diverse wetlands and plant communities, including native prairie, Big Woods, and oak savanna - Monitoring will take place with the base level monitoring conducted by DNR staff and staff from other agencies/NGOs.
Healthier populations of endangered, threatened, and special concern species as well as more common species - Monitoring will primarily be done through studies conducted by the DNR's Ecological and Water Resources Division of key indicator species such as timber rattlesnakes.
Restored and enhanced upland habitats - The multi-agency/NGO Grassland Monitoring Team (GMT) has developed standardized protocols for sampling grassland vegetation and a number of the sites on this request will be sampled over the 5 year period

Project Manager
First Name
Greg
Last Name
Hoch
Organization Name
DNR
Street Address
500 Lafayette Rd
City
St Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55155
Phone
(651) 259-5230
Email
greg.hoch@state.mn.us
Administered By
Administered by
Location

500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651-296-6157
Email the Agency