Restoring and Enhancing Minnesota's Important Bird Areas in the St. Croix River Valley

Audubon Minnesota will advance conservation in eastern Minnesota by Restoring and Enhancing Minnesota's Important Bird Areas (IBA) in the Saint Croix River watershed. This Program will continue to expand the Outdoor Heritage Funds' legacy of restoration and enhancement of Minnesota's natural heritage. Our Program places an emphasis on Minnesota's Important Bird Areas (IBAs) as they are essential to maintaining healthy and diverse bird populations in the state. The Saint Croix River watershed supports over 329 bird species (as many as 172 breeding species) including state-endangered Henslow's Sparrow and species of special concern Red-shouldered Hawk and Louisiana Waterthrush and Audubon stewardship species (ie. species with more than 5% of the global population breeding in Minnesota) like the Golden-winged Warbler, American Woodcock, Veery, and Bobolink among numerous waterfowl, raptors, and game birds. Gray wolves, fisher, and the American badger are among other wildlife found in the region which contains more than 150 species of greatest conservation (SGCN) need which should also benefit from this project.

While enhancing and restoring habitats within IBAs is a primary goal, we recognize that some of the greatest opportunities exist where we can conserve critical habitats in areas where a high percentage of the habitat has been degraded. Much of southern Minnesota has been converted to agricultural production and the urban and suburban character of the Twin Cities Metro region has further transformed the mixed hardwood forests in east-central Minnesota into other habitat types. Research in other regions reveals that migrant landbirds stopover in high concentrations in hardwood forests, particularly those near heavily urbanized areas, highlighting the importance of the habitat around the Twin Cities Metropolitan region. This invites focused conservation of the remaining natural habitats found near converted habitats. This project will seek to restore and enhance some of the best remaining habitats in a region where most of the historic habitats for breeding and migratory bird have been degraded.

We will expand the available habitat for priority bird species through native seed plantings, management of brush and tree species in grasslands, planting trees and enhancing natural regeneration in forests and savannas, and invasive species control. Projects will be targeted and selected based on a prioritization model that focuses on core habitat, acres of remnant habitat, and habitat conditions. Restoration and enhancement projects will include a site assessment, including an analysis of habitat suitability for priority species and habitat conditions as well as documentation of prescribed habitat management actions (photo points) and recommended follow-up actions for future management.

We will work closely with local staff from the Belwin Conservancy, Minnesota State Forests, and State Parks to identify habitat needs on public and private lands in these key geographies. Audubon will write Habitat Management Action Plans, obtain necessary permits, and complete enhancement and restoration work to create better habitats for species of concern.

These partnership efforts will deliver effective means of enhancing and restoring ecologically significant land for the benefit of birds, wildlife, and people in east-central Minnesota.