Accelerating the Waterfowl Production Area Program - Phase XI

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,631,000
Fund Source
Outdoor Heritage Fund
Recipient
Pheasants Forever
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
In Progress
Start Date
July 2019
Activity Type
Land Acquisition
Counties Affected
Becker
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Carver
Clay
Cottonwood
Douglas
Faribault
Faribault
Freeborn
Grant
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
McLeod
Meeker
Murray
Pope
Renville
Rice
Stevens
Swift
Wilkin
Wright
Becker
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Carver
Clay
Cottonwood
Douglas
Faribault
Faribault
Freeborn
Grant
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
McLeod
Meeker
Murray
Pope
Renville
Rice
Stevens
Swift
Wilkin
Wright
Project Overview

This proposal accelerates the strategic permanent protection of 1,003 acres (241 wetlands and 762 grasslands) of Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) open to public hunting in Minnesota. Pheasants Forever (PF) will strategically acquire parcels that are adjacent to existing public land or create corridors between complexes. All acquisitions will occur in the prairie, prairie/forest transition, or metro regions.

About the Issue

The loss of grassland and wetland habitats in Minnesota is well documented. In the agricultural region of Minnesota over 90% of our wetlands and 99% our prairie grasslands have been converted for other uses. This proposal aims to slow or reverse this downward trend by strategically acquiring and restoring previously converted wetland and grassland habitats to be permanently protected as WPAs. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and their partners have been employing this strategy for over 50-years through the Small Wetlands Acquisition Program (SWAP). This eleventh phase of the WPA acceleration program builds upon past work of the USFWS SWAP as well as the previous ten phases of this effort by strategically acquiring 1,003 acres (241 acres of wetlands and 762 acres of grassland habitat) for the benefit of upland species and recreational opportunities of the public. Strategic properties will be identified by using landscape level planning tools [e.g. Thunderstorm Maps produced by the USFWS’s Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET)]. Based on HAPET evaluation strategies, modeling predictions can be made on the numbers of nesting waterfowl, grassland nesting birds, and other wildlife the acres impacted by this grant application can produce. In addition to wildlife benefits, the lands acquired and restored through this grant will provide improved water quality, groundwater recharge, and flood abatement benefits. These strategies are well tested and are supported by the greater conservation community in Minnesota. Hunting and fishing stakeholders are very interested in increasing opportunities for hunting and fishing public access and have used WPA’s extensively in the past. To address concerns related to the erosion of county tax revenues due to public land, the USFWS and PF will notify counties prior to the acquisition of lands. Once acquired, the USFWS will make a one-time payment (called a Trust Fund payment) to the county where the property is located. In addition, the USFWS will make annual refuge revenue sharing payments for all fee lands within the respective counties.Additional funding for restoration and development of the properties will be solicited from partners. If this funding is available, budgeted Outdoor Heritage restoration funds under this proposal would be able to accomplish additional fee title w/o PILT acquisition funds. All wetlands, on the properties acquired, will be restored by either surface ditch “plugs", breaking sub-surface tile lines, or other best practices for wetland restoration. Grasslands will be restored by planting site-appropriate native grasses and forbs following known best practices for the establishment. Grassland restoration on individual tracts may take three to five years, involving one to two years of post-acquisition farming to prepare the site for seeding (e.g. weed management issues, chemical carryover, other site-specific issues). Other restoration activities could include invasive tree removal, building site-cleanup, prescribed fire, etc. as necessary to provide high-quality habitat and public access to the citizens of Minnesota.

Legal Citation / Subdivision
ML 2019, 1st Sp. Session, Ch. 2, Art. 1, Sec. 2, subd, 4(a)
Appropriation Language

$5,631,000 the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Pheasants Forever, in cooperation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to acquire lands in fee and to restore and enhance wetlands and grasslands to be designated and managed as waterfowl production areas in Minnesota. A list of proposed land acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.

2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,631,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,650,400
Direct expenses
$5,619,000
Administration costs
$12,000
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.15
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Protected, restored, and enhanced nesting and migratory habitat for waterfowl, upland birds, and species of greatest conservation need - Strategic parcels that increase the functionality of existing habitat will be acquired and restored to functioning wetlands with diverse upland prairie to serve as habitat for resident and migratory waterfowl. Lands will be transferred to the USFWS as a WPA to provide accelerated wildlife habitat and public access, monitored by the USFWS. Protected and restored acres will be measured against goals outlined in each WMD Comprehensive Plan which rolls up to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan..Protected habitats will hold wetlands and shallow lakes open to public recreation and hunting - Strategic parcels that increase the functionality of existing habitat will be acquired and restored to functioning wetlands with diverse upland prairie to serve as habitat for resident and migratory waterfowl. Lands will be transferred to the USFWS as a WPA to provide accelerated wildlife habitat and public access, monitored by the USFWS. Protected and restored acres will be measured against goals outlined in each WMD Comprehensive Plan which rolls up to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan..Protected, restored, and enhanced habitat for migratory and unique Minnesota species - Strategic parcels that increase the functionality of existing habitat will be acquired and restored to functioning wetlands with diverse upland prairie to serve as habitat for resident and migratory waterfowl. Lands will be transferred to the USFWS as a WPA to provide accelerated wildlife habitat and public access, monitored by the USFWS. Protected and restored acres will be measured against goals outlined in each WMD Comprehensive Plan which rolls up to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan..

Source of Additional Funds

Private, PF, Federal, Private

Project Manager
First Name
Eran
Last Name
Sandquist
Organization Name
Pheasants Forever, Inc.
Street Address
410 Lincoln Ave S Box 91
City
South Haven
State
MN
Zip Code
55382
Phone
(320) 236-7755
Email
esandquist@pheasantsforever.org
Administered By
Administered by
Location

500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651-296-6157
Email the Agency