HCP VI Supplemental - Wetlands Reserve Program - 3d
OVERALL PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS
In partnership with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Ducks Unlimited (DU) contracted with seven Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) wetland technicians from November 2010 through November 2011 as part 3d of the Habitat Conservation Partnership (HCP) Phase 6.5 "Supplemental" grant. Grant funds were used in combination with private DU funds and federal USDA funds provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to contract for the professional services of these seven technicians, whose function was to provide technical assistance to private landowners and USDA - NRCS complete applications and enroll new lands into the WRP, and to help USDA-NRCS and private landowners plan, design, and implement restoration measures on lands previously enrolled in the WRP. The delivery goal for these technicians was to provide Technical Assistance (TA) to help NRCS protect 1,000 acres through new WRP easements and help restore wetlands and associated upland habitat on WRP easements in HCP project areas at an estimated Other Funds cost of $1,520,000 to NRCS. During the life of this grant, the contract specialists made 900 landowner contacts, prepared and submitted 122 applications, submitted 156 easement restoration plans or plan modifications, completed 7 wetland restoration designs, and provided field level management and oversight of 64 restoration projects. Meanwhile, during this grant period, NRCS spent $6,222,501 of federal other funds to close 50 WRP easements protecting 5,252 acres. DU and NRCS also spent an additional $463,127 to pay specialists and administer this grant, for a total non-state Other Funds investment of $6,685,628 during this grant period, significantly more than our estimated proposal goal of $1,520,000.
PROJECT RESULTS USE AND DISSEMINATION
Information on the WRP signups has been publicized through news releases from the USDA's NRCS and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and through hundreds of individual landowner contacts made by DU wetland restoration specialists. Additional announcements and landowner contacts continue to be made and publicized by DU and USDA's NRCS.
$1,344,000 is added to Laws 2009, chapter 143, section 2, subdivision 4, paragraph (e), from the trust fund for the acceleration of agency programs and cooperative agreements. Of this appropriation, $308,000 is to the commissioner of natural resources for agency programs and $1,036,000 is for agreements as follows: $425,000 with Ducks Unlimited, Inc.; $50,000 with National Wild Turkey Federation; $164,000 with the Nature Conservancy; $102,000 with Minnesota Land Trust; $200,000 with the Trust for Public Land; $45,000 with Friends of Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District; and $50,000 to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe to plan, restore, and acquire fragmented landscape corridors that connect areas of quality habitat to sustain fish, wildlife, and plants. The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service is an authorized cooperating partner in the appropriation. Expenditures are limited to the project corridor areas as defined in the work program. Land acquired with this appropriation must be sufficiently improved to meet at least minimum habitat and facility management standards as determined by the commissioner of natural resources. This appropriation may not be used for the purchase of residential structures, unless expressly approved in the work program. All conservation easements must be perpetual and have a natural resource management plan. Any land acquired in fee title by the commissioner of natural resources with money from this appropriation must be designated as an outdoor recreation unit under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.07. The commissioner may similarly designate any lands acquired in less than fee title. A list of proposed restorations and fee title and easement acquisitions must be provided as part of the required work program. All funding for conservation easements must include a long-term stewardship plan and funding for monitoring and enforcing the agreement.
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".