Fisheries Habitat Protection on Strategic North Central Minnesota Lakes - Phase VI (2020)
The Northern Waters Land Trust (NWLT), in partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust (MLT), will protect high priority critical fish habitat within 15 tullibee "refuge" lakes and their minor watersheds by securing conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. Through this Fisheries Habitat Protection program, NWLT and MLT are working to protect 75% of each targeted watershed, a measure that provides a high probability of maintaining clean water and healthy lake ecosystems. We will permanently protect approximately 1,000 acres through this proposal.
Sustaining a strong angling heritage in North Central Minnesota (along with the local economy it drives) revolves largely around protecting fisheries habitat. Resurging shoreland development pressures and looming climate change are direct threats to the ecology of Minnesota's lakes. Fisheries research has shown that healthy watersheds with intact forests are fundamental to sustaining good fish habitat over the long term; achieving a 75% protection goal for a lake's watershed ensures a highly resilient and healthy lake ecosystem.
Our protection efforts are focused on tullibee (aka cisco), a preferred forage fish of walleye, northern pike, muskellunge and lake trout. They require cold, well oxygenated waters, a condition most common in lakes with deep water and healthy watersheds. Minnesota DNR Fisheries researchers studied tullibee lakes and designated 68 lakes in Minnesota as the primary "refuge lakes" for tullibee that need protection. We are targeting fifteen (15) of these lakes and their minor watershed located in Hubbard, Crow Wing, Cass, and Aitkin counties. Many are Minnesota's premier recreational lakes.
The Clean Water Critical Habitat (CWCH) Technical Committee evaluated all tullibee lakes in our project area and prioritized 16 lakes and their minor watersheds for action. In assigning priorities, the CWCH considered: (1) the ecological value of the lake, (2) the percent of the minor watershed currently protected, (3) the number of parcels in the watershed greater than 20 acres in size, (4) partner organizations available for advising on outreach efforts, and (5) investment by other agencies and organizations to protect lands and watersheds.
Due to the high level of interest in the program and its great success to date, we are applying for a Phase VI of this effort. In this phase, we will protect 1,000 strategically important acres of land 341 acres through conservation easement and 659 acres through fee title acquisition. Program partners will include County Soil & Water Districts, MNDNR Fisheries, MNDNR Forestry, Minnesota Land Trust and NWLT. This team will conduct outreach to potential landowners and help evaluate the projects to assure we are prioritizing those projects with the greatest conservation outcomes. In addition, to ensure the best conservation return on the state's investment, landowner willingness to donate a portion of the easement value will be a key component of the parcel's evaluation. MLT will hold the easements.
NWLT proposes securing a fee-title acquisition totaling 659 acres of The Conservation Fund/former Potlatch properties along Kabekona River in the Kabekona Lake watershed. This parcel adjoins Hubbard County land and would be conveyed to the MN DNR Forestry as managed forest land.
$2,814,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for agreements to acquire lands in fee and permanent conservation easements and to restore and enhance wildlife habitat to sustain healthy fish habitat on coldwater lakes in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, and Hubbard Counties. Of this amount, $883,000 is to Northern Waters Land Trust and $1,931,000 is to Minnesota Land Trust. Up to $192,000 to Minnesota Land Trust is to establish a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
Increased availability and improved condition of riparian forests and other habitat corridors - Private shoreline habitat and forested parcels totaling 341 acres will be permanently protected from development and fragmentation through conservation easements. Riparian forest lands under easement will maintain healthy habitat complexes for upland and aquatic species; forest cover will enhance water quality habitat for tullibee lakes. Conservation easement properties will protect fish habitat to insure high quality fishing opportunities. Greater public access for wildlife and outdoors-related recreation will be attained through a 659 acre Fee-Title acquisition project, to be conveyed to MNDNR Forestry as managed forest lands
Landowner Donation of Easement Value, Landowner, Lake Association and Individuals