DNR WMA and SNA Acquisition - Phase VII

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,570,000
Fund Source
Outdoor Heritage Fund
Recipient
DNR
Recipient Type
State Government
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2015
End Date
November 2021
Activity Type
Land Acquisition
Counties Affected
Becker
Big Stone
Kandiyohi
Koochiching
Lincoln
Lyon
Meeker
Murray
Norman
Pine
Polk
Stearns
Becker
Big Stone
Kandiyohi
Koochiching
Lincoln
Lyon
Meeker
Murray
Norman
Pine
Polk
Stearns
Project Overview

Acquire 910 acres of high priority habitats for designation as Wildlife Management Areas or Scientific & Natural Areas emphasizing Prairie Conservation Plan implementation and coordinating with partners. All lands will be open for public hunting, fishing and trapping.

Project Details

 Through this appropriation the MN DNR protected lands in the prairie and northern forest ecological sections. The
MN DNR prioritized our acquisitions to focus on parcels with an existing habitat base, acquisition opportunities
that provided connectivity and worked toward building habitat complexes, and opportunities that allowed us to
maximize habitat benefits. All acquisitions were a result of a relationship with a willing seller. We scored them
using a GIS tool that assigns points based on the natural resource attributes along with other ecological and
management criteria. We then ranked them in importance based on their score and input from local DNR land
managers. All acquisitions where then subject to County Board review and approval. Eleven WMA parcels and two
SNA totaling 1,924 acres are now permanently protected as a result of acquisitions funded by this program. This
eclipsed our Accomplishment Plan goal for acquisition by 1,014 acres!

Legal Citation / Subdivision
ML 2015, First Sp. Session, Ch. 2, Art. 1, Sec. 2, Subd. 2(a)
Appropriation Language

$4,570,000 in the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire land in fee for wildlife management purposes under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05, subdivision 8, and to acquire land in fee for scientific and natural area purposes under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.05, subdivision 5. 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 and permanent conservation easement acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,570,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$507,300
Direct expenses
$4,239,200
Administration costs
$14,100
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.29
Measurable Outcome(s)

1,253 Prairie acres Protected in Fee with State PILT Liability.  671 Forest acres Protected in Fee with State PILT Liability.  Total of 1,924 cares protected. 

Source of Additional Funds

Wildlife Surcharge, Reinvest in Minnesota Critical Habitat Match Program, Landowner donations, Reinvest in Minnesota Critical Habitat Match Program

Project Manager
First Name
Patrick
Last Name
Rivers
Organization Name
MN Dept. of Natural Resources
Street Address
500 Lafayette Road
City
St. Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55155
Phone
(651) 259-5209
Email
pat.rivers@state.mn.us
Administered By
Administered by
Location

500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651-296-6157
Email the Agency