Fisheries Habitat Protection on Strategic North Central Minnesota Lakes - Phase VIII
The Northern Waters Land Trust (NWLT) and Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) will protect critical fish habitat within 48 tullibee "refuge" lakes and their minor watersheds by securing conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. These efforts are prioritized toward the 23 highest priority tullibee refuge lakes. 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 750 acres and 6,900 feet of shoreline through this grant.
Sustaining a strong angling heritage in North Central Minnesota (along with the local economy it drives) revolves around protecting fisheries habitat. Resurging shoreland development pressures and climate change are direct threats to the ecology of Minnesota's lakes. Fisheries research shows that healthy watersheds with intact forests are fundamental to sustaining good fish habitat over the long term; achieving a 75% lake watershed protection goal ensures a 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 "refuge lakes" for tullibee that need protection. Our four county area (Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard) includes 48 of these tullibee refuges. We are prioritizing twenty-three of these lakes and their minor watersheds. Many are Minnesota's premier recreational lakes.
The Clean Water Critical Habitat Technical Committee evaluated all tullibee lakes in our project area and prioritized 23 lakes and their minor watersheds for action. In assigning priorities, the committee considered: (1) ecological value of the lake, (2) percent of the minor watershed currently protected, (3) 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. The Clean Water Critical Habitat Technical Committee has also developed a scoring framework to evaluate specific parcels within these priority watersheds (Attachment A). This framework takes four factors into consideration: Program Requirements (at least 20 acres in size, within our service area, and on a refuge lake), Ecological Factors (size, quality/condition of the resource, and landscape context), Threat/Urgency (development or disturbance in the minor watershed and the risk classification from water plans), and Cost (cost of project and donative value). These factors are scored on a scale of 0-210, with the highest score indicating the greatest need for conservation action. These scored parcels are made available in a user friendly format on the online Clean Water Critical Habitat map. This map has directly resulted in the protection of numerous high priority parcels
Due to the high level of interest in the program and its great success to date, we are applying for a Phase VIII of this effort. In this phase, we will protect 750 strategically important acres of land through conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. Program partners will include County Soil & Water Districts, MNDNR Fisheries, MLT 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.
$4,536,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for agreements to acquire land 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 as follows: $1,853,000 to Northern Waters Land Trust; and $2,683,000 to Minnesota Land Trust, of which up to $216,000 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.
Forestlands are protected from development and fragmentation - Private shoreline habitat and forested parcels totaling 750 acres and 6,900 feet of shoreline 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 ensure high quality fishing opportunities. Greater public access for wildlife and outdoors-related recreation will be attained through fee-title acquisition of properties to be conveyed to either a County or DNR Forestry and managed consistent with the public entity's land management practices
Landowner, Lake Associations, Local Stakeholders and Landowners