Anoka Sand Plain Habitat Conservation - Phase IV

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,208,000
Fund Source
Outdoor Heritage Fund
Recipient
Anoka County Conservation District; Isanti County Parks Department; Great River Greening; National Wild Turkey Federation
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2016
End Date
November 2022
Activity Type
Restoration/Enhancement
Counties Affected
Anoka
Isanti
Morrison
Sherburne
Todd
Anoka
Isanti
Morrison
Sherburne
Todd
Project Overview

Great River Greening (GRG), Anoka Conservation District (ACD), Isanti County Parks (ICP) and National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) completed restoration and enhancement (R/E) activities on 1,896, equal to 147% of the planned 1,286 acres, and on 1.2 miles of shoreland, over 17 parcels. Through the process, we improved habitat for listed species, improved priority habitats for Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) as identified in the Minnesota Wildlife Action Plan (WAP), through R/E on both large habitat complexes and habitat corridors, including multiple sites of significant biodiversity and rare species records.

About the Issue

The Anoka Sand Plain (ASP) Partnership includes government units and non-profit organizations working to protect, enhance, and restore lands and waters centered around the DNR's ASP ecoregion boundary. Our work was guided by the processes and goals outlined in the Minnesota Wildlife Action Plan (WAP). During this appropriation, the ASP Partnership developed the Anoka Sand Plain 10-Year Strategic Plan to guide our activities going forward.

Problems Addressed

Wildlife and rare plant habitat in the ASP is impacted by numerous threats, resulting in an urgent need for action:
1. Native habitats have become rare and continue to be lost. Oak savanna and prairie - the characteristic habitat of the ASP ecoregion - now persist over <1% of their historic range. Due to its proximity to the Twin Cities, the ASP is realizing immense development pressure on what native habitat remains.
2. Degradation of habitats on public lands and waters threatens associated wildlife populations. Reduction in habitat quality has had profound impacts on wildlife in the ASP. The Minnesota WAP identifies maintenance, enhancement and protection of oak savanna as its first priority in addressing the 97 Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) occurring in this ecological subsection.
3. Government agencies often lack sufficient resources and capacity to manage important lands. Inadequate funding/capacity for restoration and enhancement activities on public lands has resulted in declines in the condition of Minnesota?s most important wildlife habitats.
4. Private land is a crucial component to reaching the partnership's habitat goals for wildlife and rare species. Permanent conservation easement protection was pursued for ecologically important areas. Like public institutions, private landowners also benefit from our resources in managing their land. Minnesota Land Trust uses a published set of scientific criteria to choose the highest available cost:benefit for easement projects.

We reviewed scientific data sets during the course of our project development including areas of significant biodiversity as mapped by DNR's Minnesota Biological Survey (MBS), and Element Occurrence Records (EORs) as mapped by DNR's Minnesota Natural Heritage Information System (NHIS), as well as review and consult with landowners, land managers, and other practitioners.

Legal Citation / Subdivision
ML 2016, Ch. 172, Art. 1, Sec. 2, Subd. 2(k)
Appropriation Language

$1,208,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for agreements to restore and enhance wildlife habitat on public lands in Anoka, Isanti, Morrison, Sherburne, and Todd Counties as follows: $93,000 to Anoka Conservation District; $25,000 to Isanti County Parks and Recreation Department; $813,000 to Great River Greening; and $277,000 to the National Wild Turkey Federation. A list of proposed land restorations and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.

2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,208,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$265,200
Direct expenses
$1,182,800
Administration costs
$21,800
Number of full time equivalents funded
6.55
Measurable Outcome(s)

Many of our completed sites are ranked highly for having examples of high quality natural communities and concentrations of rare species, as mapped by DNR's Minnesota Biological Survey (MBS) and Element Occurrence Records (EORs) as mapped by DNR's Natural Heritage Information Service (NHIS). The ASP ecoregion is known to provide home to some 115 state-listed plants and animals, the most diverse ecological subsection (in terms of rare species) in the state. We are compelled to ensure the long-term viability of listed species and wildlife deemed Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) is ensured. This work provided a major step in that direction.

We completed ecological resotration and/or enhancement (R/E) on 13 parcels that were mapped as sites of significant biodiversity by MBS.

GRG - Crane Meadows NWR
GRG - Belle Prairie County Park
GRG - Carlos Avery WMA Phase 4
GRG - Wild Rice Phase 2
GRG - Sherburne NWR Phase 3
GRG - Sand Dunes State Forest Phase 2
GRG - Talahi Woods
GRG - Bridgeview Park Reserve
ACD - Boot Lake SNA
ACD - Rum River Revetments
ICP - Becklin Homestead WMA
NWTF - Buckhorn Lake WMA
NWTF - Ruff-Nik WMA

We completed R/E on SGCN priority habitats identified for the ASP ecoregion in the Minnesota Wildlife Action Plan (WAP), on 10 parcels:
GRG - Bridgeview Park Reserve
GRG - Blaine Wetland Sanctuary South Phase 2
GRG - Crane Meadows NWR
GRG - Sherburne NWR Phase 3
GRG -Sand Dunes State Forest Phase 2
ACD - Kern Conservation Easement
ICP - Becklin Homestead WMA and County Park
NWTF - Buckhorn Lake WMA
NWTF - Sponsa WMA
NWTF - Ruff-Nik WMA

A total of 10 sites had at least one mapped NHIS EOR record. Three sites had EORs for more than 10 different species, and one site had mapped EORs for more than 20 different species. A total of 43 different species were mapped as EORs over our full suite of 17 sites.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
A total of 1,896 acres were affected: 7 Restored, 0 in Fee Title, 0 in Easements, 1,889 in Enhance.
Source of Additional Funds

ACD, Kern Conservation Easement Fund, Private Landowners, City of Blaine, Federal, Great River Greening, Kern Conservation Easement Fund, Out Back Nursery, Outdoor Recreation Grant, Isanti County, Capable Partners, Isanti County Sportsman's Club, Isanti County MDHA, USFWS, Sherburne County, Morrison County and Volunteers

Project Manager
First Name
Wiley
Last Name
Buck
Organization Name
Great River Greening
Street Address
215 Starkey Street Suite 2200
City
St. Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55107
Phone
(651) 665-9500
Email
wbuck@greatrivergreening.org
Administered By
Administered by
Location

500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651-296-6157
Email the Agency