HCP VI Supplemental - Shallow Lakes - 2f
OVERALL PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS
The goal of this project was to improve habitat for waterfowl and other species that utilize wetlands on the Leech Lake Reservation in addition to analyzing a long term wild rice data set to determine if waterfowl numbers are influenced by rice abundance. A number of techniques were utilized to accomplish this work.
Waterfowl habitat enhancements, over the period of this grant, were conducted on seven impoundments that are located throughout the reservation and covered approximately 300 acres. On these impoundments water levels were managed and dike and control structures were repaired and maintained. Beaver plugging is also an issue on many of these impoundment so dam material was removed as needed, Clemson Levelers were installed, and in some cases beaver removal was utilized to control the problem. Water draw downs were also accomplished on two impoundments to restore aquatic vegetation.
A second aspect of this project was to enhance waterfowl food supply by planting wild rice. Wild rice has been degraded in some locations due to inappropriate water levels, damage from wind storms, and human activities. Two hundred acres of water was reseeded with rice during the course of this grant period.
The third aspect of this project was to scan, and rectify the first seventeen years of aerial wild rice bed images that have been taken of major rice beds on the Reservation. A subset of this data was then analyzed and compared to waterfowl abundance data provided by the MN DNR to see if a positive correlation between rice abundance and waterfowl numbers could be identified. The work thus far completed has not been able to detect a significant relationship between rice abundance and waterfowl numbers, but we will continue this work on a larger data set looking at more parameters to see if one exists. The largest benefit from this work has been the development of the methodology to analyze rice distribution and abundance from aerial photographs that will be helpful for us and other resource personnel to manage wild rice into the future.
PROJECT RESULTS USE AND DISSEMINATION
The methodology and techniques used to quantify wild rice beds from aerial photographs will be available to other resource managers if they would like to use them to evaluate their rice beds.
$1,344,000 is added to Laws 2009, chapter 143, section 2, subdivision 4, paragraph (e), from the trust fund for the acceleration of agency programs and cooperative agreements. Of this appropriation, $308,000 is to the commissioner of natural resources for agency programs and $1,036,000 is for agreements as follows: $425,000 with Ducks Unlimited, Inc.; $50,000 with National Wild Turkey Federation; $164,000 with the Nature Conservancy; $102,000 with Minnesota Land Trust; $200,000 with the Trust for Public Land; $45,000 with Friends of Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District; and $50,000 to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe to plan, restore, and acquire fragmented landscape corridors that connect areas of quality habitat to sustain fish, wildlife, and plants. The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service is an authorized cooperating partner in the appropriation. Expenditures are limited to the project corridor areas as defined in the work program. Land acquired with this appropriation must be sufficiently improved to meet at least minimum habitat and facility management standards as determined by the commissioner of natural resources. This appropriation may not be used for the purchase of residential structures, unless expressly approved in the work program. All conservation easements must be perpetual and have a natural resource management plan. Any land acquired in fee title by the commissioner of natural resources with money from this appropriation must be designated as an outdoor recreation unit under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.07. The commissioner may similarly designate any lands acquired in less than fee title. A list of proposed restorations and fee title and easement acquisitions must be provided as part of the required work program. All funding for conservation easements must include a long-term stewardship plan and funding for monitoring and enforcing the agreement.
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".
Click on "Final Report" under "Project Details".