Prairie Chicken Habitat Partnership of the Southern Red River Valley Phase II
The Prairie Chicken Habitat Partnership will permanently protect, restore, and enhance 650 acres of prairie chicken habitat in the Southern Red River Valley of Northwest Minnesota. Land protected will become either WMA or WPA and open to public recreation.
Working in close collaboration with partners, Pheasants Forever acquired 702.85 acres of strategic habitat that directly meets the goals of the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan. All land acquired has been enrolled into the state Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Program or the Waterfowl Production Area Program (WPA) and will be protected and managed in perpetuity by the Minnesota DNR or USFWS. These properties not only provide access and recreational opportunities for all Minnesotans, but also helps address a strong need to provide more secure nesting and brood rearing habitat for prairie chickens near existing leks.
The offer to the landowner was based on fair market value as indicated in an independent appraisal. The acquired parcel helps address a backlog of willing sellers which is now helping slow the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of habitat in Minnesota. Parcels were identified jointly with the MN DNR and USFWS, ranked, and prioritized on habitat goals and feasibility. Pheasants Forever and agency staff collaborated to generate a list of parcels with landowners who had the desire to sell. These parcels ecological impact was evaluated using landscape level planning tools such as the USFWS Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET), The MN Prairie Conservation Plan and The Pheasant Action Plan among other. By utilizing these tools, we were able to focus efforts in areas where acquisitions and restorations will make the greatest impact on the landscape and thus these additional acres of WMA are very beneficial to wildlife and public recreation.
Once acquired, wetlands on each parcel were restored by installing surface ditch “plugs” and or breaking subsurface tile. Some wetlands may also have had sediment removed to create proper substrates for wetland function and vegetative growth. Grasslands were restored by planting high-diversity native seed mix of grasses and forbs that are regionally appropriate to the area. As with all restoration work there are challenges that come from weather and working with private contractors, but we did not face any major issues.
$2,269,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Pheasants Forever, in cooperation with the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, to acquire land in fee and restore and enhance lands in the southern Red River Valley for wildlife management purposes under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05, subdivision 8, or for designation and management as waterfowl production areas in Minnesota, in cooperation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Subject to evaluation criteria in Minnesota Rules, part 6136.0900, priority must be given to acquisition of lands that are eligible for the native prairie bank under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.96, or lands adjacent to protected native prairie. A list of proposed land acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
Protected 177acres of wetland and 526 acres of prairie for a total of 703 acres.
Federal, Private, PF, MPCS