Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor Project, Phase 6
In Phase 6, The Mississippi Headwaters Board in partnership with The Trust for Public Land and BWSR assisted by 8 County SWCDs will permanently protect an additional 1,235 acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat along the first 400 miles of the Mississippi River, its major tributaries, and 9 headwaters lakes. Previous phases have already protected 3,441 acres and 31 miles of shoreland using fee title acquisitions and conservation easements on priority lands to create/expand protected contiguous aquatic and wildlife habitat corridors and reduce forest fragmentation to benefit fish, game and non-game wildlife, and migratory waterfowl.
This Phase will continue to address current and anticipated habitat protection opportunities along the first 400 miles of the Mississippi River Headwaters, its major tributaries and 9 headwaters lakes. To date, 3,441 acres and 31 miles of river shoreland have been permanently protected to benefit aquatic habitat, provide food and shelter for migratory waterfowl along the Mississippi Flyway, and create and enhance protected habitat corridors for game and non-game wildlife. Additionally, forest fragmentation that is detrimental to habitat protection has been reduced; public recreational opportunities for fishing, hunting, and passive recreation have been enhanced; and clean drinking water ensured for millions of Minnesotans. There is urgency to fund this Phase since previous phases through ML 18 are spent or committed to fee title acquisitions and easement projects that will protect an additional 1,000 acres and 6 miles of shoreland. There is a waiting list of 20+ landowners interested in easement participation when ML 20 funding is available on July 1, 2020.
The Mississippi River is home to a variety of game fish and its adjacent lands are home to 350+ species of animals and birds, including many species of greatest concern. Because quality privately owned lakeshores are already developed, pressure is building for development along the river corridor as people seek to live and recreate near water. This leads to fragmentation of forests that threatens habitat and water quality. Public lands adjacent to private property are in danger of losing habitat connectivity as private lands are increasingly developed resulting in destruction of wild rice beds, disruption of aquatic and upland habitat and fragmentation of forestlands, grasslands, and wetlands that dominate the headwaters.
The Mississippi Headwaters Board administers and coordinates the project. The Trust for Public Land acquires fee-title to priority lands and conveys permanent ownership to a public entity (state or local government). BWSR in partnership with 8 Soil and Water Conservation Districts completes RIM conservation easements on parcels that have been identified and prioritized through a science-based selection process. A Technical Team of project partners, DNR and BWSR representatives, and The Nature Conservancy review and approve all projects using a ranked evaluation of habitat qualities, urgency for protection, and adjacency to public or already protected lands, a factor that is important to increasing protected habitat corridors. Strong local government involvement is unique to this project. For fee-title acquisitions, county boards are notified early to seek approval and before closing on an acquisition the Board is again asked for final approval. Education sessions on easements have been conducted informally with county commissioners. This process has enhanced local government support and trust which has contributed to the project's success.
For additional project support, BWSR has provided $1 million of Clean Water Funds for RIM easement acquisition recognizing multiple benefits for habitat and water quality are the outcome of permanent land protection. This funding will be used according to the same prioritization and ranking criteria as OHF-funded easements to increase protection in the Mississippi Headwaters.
$2,901,000 the first year is to acquire land in fee and permanent conservation easements and restore wildlife habitat in the Mississippi River headwaters. Of this amount, $1,421,000 is to the Board of Water and Soil Resources, of which up to $150,000 is for establishing a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17, and $1,480,000 is to the commissioner of natural resources for agreements as follows: $60,000 to the Mississippi Headwaters Board and $1,420,000 to The Trust for Public Land. A list of proposed fee-title acquisitions must be included as part of the required accomplishment plan. A list of permanent conservation easements must be provided as part of the final report.
Forestlands are protected from development and fragmentation - Forestlands protected are measured in the number of acres of forestland protected by either fee-title or easement and miles of protected forested shorelands. For fee-title acquisitions, the evaluation in in the ongoing maintenance of the forest according to the final owner's (state or local government) management plans and continued monitoring. For conservation easements, a management plan is part of the easement. Once recorded, BWSR with assistance from the County SWCD does annual monitoring to insure the management plan is not being violated.
Rivers and streams provide corridors of habitat including intact areas of forest cover in the east and large wetland/upland complexes in the west - Forestlands protected are measured in the number of acres of forestland protected by either fee-title or easement and miles of protected shoreland. For fee-title acquisitions, the evaluation in in the ongoing maintenance of the forest and shoreland according to the final owner's (state or local government) management plans and continued monitoring. For conservation easements, a management plan is part of the easement. Once recorded, BWSR with assistance from the County SWCD does annual monitoring to insure the management plan is not being violated
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