Metro Big Rivers Phase 10

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$6,473,000
Fund Source
Outdoor Heritage Fund
Recipient
MN VNWT, FMR, GRG, TPL, MLT
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
In Progress
Start Date
July 2020
Activity Type
Land Acquisition
Counties Affected
Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Hennepin
Isanti
Ramsey
Scott
Sherburne
Sherburne
Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Hennepin
Isanti
Ramsey
Scott
Sherburne
Sherburne
Project Overview

Metro Big Rivers Phase 10 will protect 535 acres in fee title and 157 acres in permanent conservation easement, restore 123 acres and enhance 295 acres of priority habitat in the big rivers corridors in the Metropolitan Urbanizing Area (MUA). Metro Big Rivers partners will leverage the OHF funds at least 10% with partner funds, private funds, local government contributions, and landowner donations of easement value. In addition, significant volunteer engagement will be invested in habitat enhancement activities, although not technically counted as leverage.

About the Issue

Metro Big Rivers Phase 10 will protect, restore and enhance prioritized wildlife habitat in the Metro Urbanizing Area, with an emphasis on the Mississippi, Minnesota and St.Croix Rivers and their tributaries. By expanding, connecting and improving public conservation lands, Metro Big Rivers benefits wildlife and species in greatest need of conservation (SGCN) and provides increased public access for wildlife-based recreation. See brief descriptions below and attachments for detail.

Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) will enhance 220 acres at three sites on or near the Mississippi River. Projects include removal of invasive woody and herbaceous plants, spot-mowing, spot-spraying, prescribed burns and seeding.
*Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, Washington County: Enhance 116 acres of oak forest, 5 acres of native bluff prairie and 1 acre of restored prairie.
*Riverside Park, Washington County: Enhance 13 acres of oak forest and 1 acre of savanna.
*Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area, Dakota County: Enhance 50 acres of oak forest, 20 acres of restored prairie and 14 acres of native prairie.

Great River Greening (GRG) will restore 23 acres and enhance 75 acres across five sites. Projects will include removal of invasive woody and herbaceous species, mowing and spot spraying, seeding and planting.
*Minnehaha Greenway - Methodist Easement, Hennepin County: Enhance 15 acres of riparian land along Minnehaha Creek, recently re-meandered by the watershed district.
*Mississippi River Bluff Corridor, Hennepin County: Restore 18 acres of old agricultural field to prairie.
*Strootman Park, Anoka County: Enhance 10 acres of woodland.
*Timber River Park, Anoka County: Restore 5 acres of a ballfield to native prairie and woodland habitat. Enhance another 5 acres of woodland and native prairie.
*Vadnais / Sucker Lake, Ramsey County: Enhance 45 acres of wetlands.

Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) will protect through perpetual conservation easement 157 acres of priority wildlife habitat, including riparian lands, forests, wetlands and grasslands. Projects will be selected through a competitive RFP process that ranks proposals based on ecological significance and cost (criteria attached).

MLT also will restore 100 acres on private lands already protected through permanent conservation easement. Prioritized properties will be of high ecological significance, adjacent or close to public conservation investments and owned by landowners committed to conservation.

Minnesota Valley Trust (MVT) will protect in fee 300 acres of river frontage, floodplain forest, wetland and upland habitat in the Minnesota River Valley to expand the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Of the total, 60 acres will be acquired with other non-state funds. All prospective lands have been prioritized by the USFWS and will be restored/enhanced, then open to the public for wildlife-based recreation, including hunting and fishing.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) will protect in fee 235 acres of priority wildlife habitat, including riparian, forest, wetland, and grassland habitat. The potential properties have been identified and prioritized in state, regional and local natural resource plans. Lands acquired will be managed by TPL's public partners (MN DNR and local units of government) and will be open to the public for wildlife-based recreation, including hunting and fishing.

Legal Citation / Subdivision
ML 2020, Ch. 104, Art. 1, Sec. 2, subd 5(b)
Appropriation Language

$6,473,000 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 natural habitat systems associated with the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix Rivers and their tributaries in the metropolitan area. Of this amount, $801,000 is to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust Inc., $300,000 is to Friends of the Mississippi River, $366,000 is to Great River Greening, $3,406,000 is to The Trust for Public Land, and $1,600,000 is to Minnesota Land Trust. Up to $144,000 to Minnesota Land Trust is to establish a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to subdivision 17. A list of proposed land acquisitions and permanent conservation easements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.

2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$6,473,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$777,400
Direct expenses
$6,347,900
Administration costs
$125,100
Number of full time equivalents funded
1.68
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

A network of natural land and riparian habitats will connect corridors for wildlife and species in greatest conservation need - Partners work together to identify priority lands using existing data and public plans, then coordinate protection, restoration and enhancement activities in those priority areas. Work builds upon prior phases and is intended to continue into the future for maximum impact. Mapping shows progress in connecting corridors. Species collections and counts measure impact of activities over time on wildlife and species of greatest conservation need

Source of Additional Funds

3M Foundation, Flint Hills Resources, Great River Greening, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, Three Rivers Park District, City of Andover, Minnesota Valley Trust or other private, Private, Private Landowners, RIM, Vadnais Lake Area Watershed Management Organization, Washington County Parks and Flint Hills Resources

Project Manager
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Loon
Organization Name
MN Valley Trust (Metro Big Rivers)
Street Address
3815 East American Boulevard
City
Bloomington
State
MN
Zip Code
55425
Phone
(612) 801-1935
Email
DLoon@mnvalleytrust.org
Administered By
Administered by
Location

500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651-296-6157
Email the Agency