Accelerating the Wildlife Management Area Program - Phase XII
This is the twelfth phase to accelerate the protection and restoration of 540 acres of strategic prairie grasslands, associated wetlands and other wildlife habitats as State Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) open to public hunting. Pheasants Forever (PF) will be permanently protecting strategic parcels within the prairie, prairie/forest transition, and metro planning regions which will be restored and transferred to the MN Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) to be included as a WMA. We continue to have more willing sellers of priority parcels which shows demand for continued phases of this program.
The purpose of this twelfth phase proposal is to accelerate the protection and restoration of prairie and prairie wetlands for associated wildlife. The partners involved in this effort are deploying their resources to build upon past investments in long-term upland and associated wetland conservation. The proposal focuses upon permanent habitat protection of 540 acres of land that will be managed for wildlife and waterfowl. These accomplishments further the goals outlined in the MN Wildlife Action Plan, the MN Prairie Conservation Plan, the Pheasant Action Plan, and the 2017 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV) Implementation Plan (including the Minnesota Tactical Plan within the PPJV Plan).
Lands acquired from willing sellers will be prioritized using criteria used by MN DNR (Minnesota Wildlife Management Areas ? The Next 50 Years) which include location on the landscape, breeding waterfowl density, restoration potential, native community protection (e.g. Minnesota Biological Survey site), proximity to other investments in perpetually protected habitats. Projects were developed and selected in conjunction with local and regional DNR staff. All projects will meet standards and requirements for inclusion into the WMA system and DNR Commissioner approval will be received for any project funded under this proposal. In addition to meeting the minimum WMA standards, additional criteria are used to develop the potential project list including 1) Does the parcel contain habitat restoration potential that will result in an increase in wildlife populations? 2) Does the parcel build upon existing investments in public and private land habitat (landscape-scale significance)? 3) Does the parcel contain significant natural communities, or will it protect or buffer significant natural communities? 4) Does the parcel have the potential and focus for habitat protection and restoration in the future? 5) Does the parcel provide multiple benefits (recreation, access, water control, water quality, wellhead protection, riparian protection, local community support, etc.)?
Providing high-quality habitat and keeping future management concerns in mind, all acquisitions will be restored and/or enhanced to as high quality as practicable, with the belief that quality and comprehensive restorations utilizing native species result in lower management costs. Acquired croplands will be permanently retired and restored to diverse grasslands and wetlands habitat, drained wetlands will be restored, and invasive trees will be removed when appropriate.
$3,322,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Pheasants Forever to acquire in fee and restore and enhance lands for wildlife management under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05, subdivision 8. Subject to evaluation criteria in Minnesota Rules, part 6136.0900, priority must be given to acquiring 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, 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 pollinators, resident and migratory game and non-game species. Lands will be transferred to the state as a WMA to provide accelerated wildlife habitat and public access, monitored by Minnesota DNR. Protected and restored acres will be measured against goals outlined in the "Minnesota's Wildlife Management Area Acquisition - The Next 50 Years" and "the Long Range Plan for the Ring-Necked Pheasant in MN".
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 pollinators, resident and migratory game and non-game species. Lands will be transferred to the state as a WMA to provide accelerated wildlife habitat and public access, monitored by Minnesota DNR. Protected and restored acres will be measured against goals outlined in the "Minnesota's Wildlife Management Area Acquisition - The Next 50 Years" and "the Long Range Plan for the Ring-Necked Pheasant in MN".ds.
Key core parcels are protected for fish, game and other wildlife - 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 pollinators, resident and migratory game and non-game species. Lands will be transferred to the state as a WMA to provide accelerated wildlife habitat and public access, monitored by Minnesota DNR. Protected and restored acres will be measured against goals outlined in the "Minnesota's Wildlife Management Area Acquisition - The Next 50 Years" and "the Long Range Plan for the Ring-Necked Pheasant in MN"
PF and Federal Private