Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape ACUB Phase IX
Phase IX of the RIM Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape ACUB Partnership secured 7 permanent RIM conservation easements to protect 539-acres of high quality habitat. We hit the estimated number of acres from the original Accomplishment Plan. BWSR utilized the RIM easement process in partnership with the Morrison SWCD to secure habitat corridor easements on sites within Crow Wing, Cass, and Morrison counties during the appropriation term.
The project protected 539 acres of fish, game, migratory bird, and forest habitat along the Crow Wing, Gull, Nokasippi, and Mississippi River corridors through seven conservation easements. This project utilized the longstanding partnership between Camp Ripley, the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and the Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to implement natural resource management. These river corridors are critical to the general public for fishing, hunting, and recreational opportunities. In addition, the corridors are a high priority for protection locally and to the State of Minnesota, MN National Guard (MN NG) and National Guard Bureau (NGB), MN DNR fish surveys on the Crow Wing River (Staples to confluence of Mississippi) and Mississippi River (Brainerd to Little Falls) indicate high quality fish communities of walleye, muskellunge, and small-mouth bass. Camp Ripley is also home to one of the southern-most wolf populations in Minnesota and 65 species of Greatest Conservation Need including the state's highest population of red-shouldered hawks. The river corridors contain wildlife habitat and provide public recreation opportunities. Camp Ripley, along with the MN DNR, hosts the largest public archery hunt in the United States with over 5,000 participants. Additionally, Camp Ripley hosts other deer hunts, i.e. Disabled American Veterans (DAV), youth hunt, Deployed Soldier Archery, and Deployed Soldier Muzzleloader. A Deployed Soldier and DAV turkey hunt are also hosted along with a Trolling for the Troops fishing event. More than 13,000 hunting/angling person-days occur on Camp Ripley annually. Camp Ripley also makes available to the general public access to over 1,800 acres for walk-in recreational activities to include hunting on Camp lands. The Crow Wing and Mississippi Rivers contain over 15 public access points from Staples to the confluence of Mississippi and from Brainerd to Little Falls respectively. This project will protect the current habitat along existing public access areas. Development along these corridors will have adverse effects to existing high quality wildlife habitat, local economies, and to the MN NG training program. Camp Ripley is located immediately adjacent to the confluence of the Crow Wing and Mississippi Rivers. Camp Ripley contains 18 miles of Mississippi River frontage and 8 miles of Crow Wing River frontage. Development adjacent to military training sites has limited the facilities' ability to maintain their military mission. For example, the east shore of the Mississippi River has experienced high decibel levels due to weapon firing, and is also near the flight path of the Camp Ripley airfield. For that reason, the MN NG asked the partnership to focus on parcels directly adjacent to the Mississippi and Crow Wing Rivers to help reduce potential conflicts with homeowners. Camp Ripley is the largest employer in Morrison County. The project built on the Camp Ripley partnership's success with the Army Compatible Use Buffer program (ACUB). This federal program provides funds to protect adjacent lands from encroaching development and in the process protects the training center.
$1,043,000 the first year is to the Board of Water and Soil Resources, in cooperation with the Morrison County Soil and Water Conservation District, to acquire permanent conservation easements and restore and enhance forest wildlife habitat within the boundaries of the Minnesota National Guard Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape and Army Compatible Use Buffer. Up to $59,000 to the Board of Water and Soil Resources 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 permanent conservation easements must be provided as part of the final report.
The Camp Ripley partnership completed conservation easements along the Mississippi, Crow Wing, and Nokasippi Rivers. Additionally, Crow Wing and Morrison SWCDs worked with landowners to assist with forest management and cost-share forestry programs. The partnership protects high quality riparian habitat before it is developed or converted to agricultural uses targeting landowners who are interested in conservation easements. The river corridors are vulnerable to habitat degradation through development and forest to cropland conversion. The Hwy 371 Little Falls to Brainerd corridor has some of the highest growth rates outside the metropolitan area. The City of Baxter's population increased over 51 percent and Cass County's population increased by over 12 percent from 2000 to 2020.
The majority of the lakes have been developed leaving major rivers vulnerable to new development. The majority of the project area falls within the Anoka Sand Plain and the Hardwood Hills Ecological Subsections. Currently much of the Hardwood Hills subsection is farmed. Important areas of forest and prairie exist, but they are small and fragmented. Urban development and agriculture occur in 1/3 of the Anoka Sand Plain.