Metro Big Rivers Phase 14
Metro Big Rivers Phase 14 will protect 350 acres in fee title and 191 acres in permanent conservation easement, restore 807 acres and enhance 493 acres of priority habitat in the big rivers corridors in the Metropolitan Urbanizing Area (1,841 acres total). Partners will leverage OHF grants at least 10% with partner funds, private donations, local government contributions, and landowner donations of easement value. Significant volunteer engagement will be invested in habitat enhancement activities. MBR projects benefit wildlife and species in greatest need of conservation (SGCN) and provide increased public access and nature connections for metro residents.
Metro Big Rivers Phase 14 will protect, restore and enhance prioritized wildlife habitat in the MUA, with an emphasis on the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix Rivers and tributaries. Metro Big Rivers' work benefits wildlife and species in greatest need of conservation (SGCN), improves water quality and in-stream food availability, increases wildlife-based recreational opportunities, and connects metro residents with nature.
Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) will enhance 216 acres to increase native plant diversity, improve pollinator and wildlife habitat, bolster water quality, and improve public access to natural spaces. Projects include invasive plant removal, seeding and planting native prairie species, mowing, spot-spraying, and prescribed burning. 147 acres of enhancement occur on native prairie.
-Hastings Sand Coulee SNA: Enhance 160 acres prairie
-Camp Cozy Park: Enhance 16 acres prairie
-River Oaks Park: Enhance 1 acre prairie and 1 acre forest
-Bailey Point Nature Preserve: Enhance 17 acres prairie
-Vermillion River Linear Park: Enhance 21 acres prairie
Great River Greening (GRG) will restore and enhance 114 acres of forest habitat. Projects include invasive tree removal, tree stand thinning, onsite biochar processing, planting and seeding native grass and wildflowers, planting climate-resilient large stock and bareroot tree and shrubs, understory management, herbicide application and spot-spraying, and prescribed burning. GRG will be implementing use of a mobile biochar system to process biomass, reduce offsite disposal, minimize environmental impacts of pile burning, and incorporate biochar onsite to promote healthier soil.
-Lake Ann Park phase 2: Enhance 60 acres forest
-Medina Lake Nature Preserve: Restore 14 acres forest
-Wood Lake Nature Center: Enhance 21 acres forest
-Floral Park: Restore 13 acres oak woodland
-Wayzata Nature Center: Enhance 6 acres wetland forest
Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) will protect 191 acres through perpetual conservation easement and restore 110 acres of priority habitat on permanently-protected lands, including riparian lands, forests, wetlands and grasslands. Protection projects will be selected through a process that ranks proposals based on ecological significance and cost (criteria attached).
Minnesota Valley Trust (MVT) will protect through fee acquisition 250 acres of river frontage, floodplain forest, wetland and upland habitat to expand the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Prospective lands are prioritized by the USFWS and will be restored/enhanced, then open for wildlife-based recreation.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) will protect through fee acquisition 100 acres of priority wildlife habitat and restore/enhance 860 acres of prairie and forest habitat on a recently-acquired WMA complex. Prospective acquisition sites are prioritized in state, regional, and local natural resource plans. Lands will be managed by public partners and open for wildlife-based recreation.
$8,123,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for agreements to acquire land 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 within the metropolitan area as follows: $1,250,000 to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust, Inc.; $420,000 to Friends of the Mississippi River; $803,000 to Great River Greening; $2,750,000 to Trust for Public Land; and $2,900,000 to Minnesota Land Trust. Up to $224,000 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 network of natural land and riparian habitats will connect corridors for wildlife and species in greatest conservation need - Partners work together to identify priority lands using existing data and public plans, then coordinate protection, restoration and enhancement activities in those priority areas. Work builds upon prior phases and is intended to continue into the future for maximum impact. Mapping shows progress in connecting corridors. Species collections and counts measure impact of activities over time on wildlife and Species in Greatest Conservation Need
Cities, foundations, FMR, Foundations, MVT, Private and Private landowners