MN Prairie Recovery Project Phase 4

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,310,000
Fund Source
Outdoor Heritage Fund
Recipient
The Nature Conservancy
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2013
End Date
June 2017
Activity Type
Land Acquisition
Restoration/Enhancement
Counties Affected
Big Stone
Chippewa
Clay
Cottonwood
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
Marshall
Murray
Nobles
Norman
Pennington
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Rock
Roseau
Stearns
Swift
Wilkin
Yellow Medicine
Big Stone
Chippewa
Clay
Cottonwood
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
Marshall
Murray
Nobles
Norman
Pennington
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Rock
Roseau
Stearns
Swift
Wilkin
Yellow Medicine
Project Overview

Phase Four of the MN Prairie Recovery Program resulted in a total of 1,707 acres protected, 37,567 acres enhanced, and 440 acres restored. When combined with Phases 1-3 of the Prairie Recovery Program we have cumulatively protected 5,777 acres, enhanced 95,701 acres and restored 754 acres using Outdoor Heritage Fund dollars. We will continue to implement subsequent Phases toward meeting the conservation goals described in the MN Prairie Conservation Plan.

Project Details

1. Scope of work: With the requested funding, and with other funds leveraged by this money and brought by other partners, the following actions and outcomes were acheived.
Phase 4 built upon the success of the MN Prairie Recovery Project Phases 1-3 by continuing and expanding enhancement work in 4 focal areas and protection in 5 areas. Project partners, primarily through our participation in Prairie Plan Local Technical teams, helped us to prioritize and refine guidelines for protection, enhancement and restoration activities within priority landscapes. The Prairie Recovery Program utilizes a collaborative model for conservation and we regularly consult and work with a variety of entities including state and federal agencies, other conservation nonprofits, agricultural producer groups and local governments.
1,707 acres of existing and restorable grassland, prairie pothole wetland complex, and savanna were permanently protected within prairie core and corridor areas as defined in the MN Prairie Conservation Plan. Lands are held by The Nature Conservancy, subject to a recorded notice of funding restrictions pursuant to LSOHC requirements. All lands acquired in fee are FULLY open to hunting and fishing per state of Minnesota regulations. Basic developments have been, and will continue to be, implemented (boundary signage, habitat improvement, wetland restoration). Protection efforts were coordinated with other partner protection programs (e.g., DNR Wildlife Management Area and Prairie Bank programs), via interactions through Local Technical Teams.
An internal fund has been established by The Nature Conservancy to cover ongoing land-management costs and property tax obligations. Income generated by agricultural leases (grazing, haying, and/or cropping) are held in this account and help offset property taxes.
440 acres of cropland and former foodplots were restored to diverse, local-ecotype grassland or grassland/wetland complex. Contracting preference was given to local producers and contractors for provision of seed and establishment of prairies to promote creation of local conservation-oriented businesses.
37,567 acres of grassland complex were enhanced on public lands and those purchased with OHF funds and held by the Conservancy (“protected conservation lands”) to increase native species diversity and improve critical wildlife habitat. Management techniques included prescribed fire (75 projects totalling 27,997 acres), removal of woody vegetation (95 projects for 3,725 acres), control of exotic species (84 projects - 5,821 acres), and inter-seeding of degraded grasslands (4 projects - 24 acres). Much of this work was accomplished by private vendors through contracts. We also extensively used Conservation Corps of Minnesota (CCM) crews and seasonal staff employed directly by TNC.
On-the-ground Conservancy staff provided by this grant were co-located in DNR or US Fish and Wildlife Service offices and helped form and lead local coordination and implementation teams; identified protection, restoration and enhancement needs and opportunities within the focus areas; worked with DNR and USFWS staff to delineate conservation projects on public lands; coordinated deployment of contract and staff resources to protected conservation lands; contacted and worked with private landowners to coordinate agricultural activities/leases on appropriate protected conservation lands (e.g., haying, grazing, cropping in advance of restoration); educated lessees on appropriate conservation grazing/haying practices; supervised management of lands acquired above; planned and conducted prescribed burns; and other activities related to prairie conservation in the focus areas. 
Contracts were let to provide a high level of enhancement activities to new and existing protected conservation lands, greatly expanding current capacity. These activities greatly improved the habitat value of public lands that were not receiving adequate management treatment, while simultaneously providing local jobs through CCM and businesses. Activities included removal of undesirable woody vegetation, identification and treatment of invasive species infestations, removal of abandoned fences and/or other structures, and related restoration/enhancement activities.
To ensure goals and outcomes are consistently achieved across all 4 project areas, the project coordinator oversaw implementation of the above activities and provided administrative support for budget monitoring and reporting. Significant marketing and media outreach was conducted by the Conservancy to highlight the goals and accomplishments of the project to local and statewide constituents, as well as elected officials. http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/minnesota/policy/minnesota-prairie-recovery-project.xml
Temporary seasonal crews were employed by the Conservancy to provide additional capacity for public land management during critical periods like spring burn season. These crews helped create flexibility for enhancement projects and maximized the ability of specialized skilled personnel like burn bosses to increase the number of acres annually enhanced.

2. How priorities were set: Prioritization and prioritization criteria vary with the conservation tactic being employed (i.e., protection, restoration, enhancement). Focus areas were selected where there was overlap with MN County Biological Survey prairie “focus areas” and TNC portfolio areas. Each of the 4 project geographies directly correlate to core areas identified in the MN Prairie Conservation Plan. Because this project is a collaborative effort involving multiple partners, tactical priorities and criteria were established at both the state and local level by respective coordinating groups. criteria for each of these tactics include:

a. Protection: location/proximity to other habitats, location/proximity to other protected lands, presence of rare/endangered species, imminence of conversion, ability to support grazing, size, cost, and likelihood for leveraged funding. A more robust listing of selection criteria can be provided upon request.
b. Restoration: feasibility/likelihood of success, location, cost, availability of seed, and availability of restoration technical assistance, proximity to other habitats, and their ability to buffer or increase the conservation value of other protected lands.
c. Enhancement: urgency/time since last enhancement, feasibility of success, accessibility, availability of enhancement technical assistance, cost, proximity to other habitats and partnership benefits.

3. Urgency and opportunity of this proposal: Only about 1% of Minnesota’s original native prairie still remains (about 235,000 acres of an original 1.8 million), and the remnants are still being destroyed and degraded. Less than half of those 235,000 acres are currently protected from conversion, and management capacity is unable to address needs on protected lands. Additionally, more than 90% of the original prairie pothole wetlands in the western part of the state have also been lost. These losses threaten the viability of Minnesota’s prairie/wetland wildlife and recreational opportunities that depend upon them. Further, huge strides that have been made in supplementing habitat with the Conservation Reserve Program are in imminent danger of being lost as contracts expire. Conservationists have a narrow window of opportunity to protect remaining native grasslands, wetlands and other habitats, restore and protect supplemental grasslands and wetlands, and accelerate enhancement efforts to ensure these habitats are providing optimal value to animals and people. 

4. Stakeholder involvement: This Phase continues an initiative begun with OHF funding in 2010. We have worked very closely with conservation interests in developing and maintaining this initiative and will continue close collaboration among partners. Via past and ongoing projects, we are also coordinating with other stakeholders (e.g., cattlemen’s associations, Land Stewardship Project, county boards), and will continue to seek opportunities to expand that coordination. 

Planning

This project implements strategies identified in at least 6 plans, as identified below.
1. The 2010 MN Prairie Conservation Plan (Plan) identifies three distinct strategies and opportunities for targeting protection, restoration, and enhancement of Minnesota’s prairie and grassland systems. The plan recommends work in “Core Areas” defined as large landscapes that retain some features of functioning prairie systems. Using MN County Biological Survey data and USFWS Habitat Assessment, Populations and Evaluation Team (HAPET)

2. MN Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan. The strategic framework of this plan has 5 elements in its “Habitat” section: integrated planning, critical land protection, land and water restoration and protection, (identification of) sustainable practices, and (provision of) economic incentives for sustainable practices. Further, while the plan does not go into great detail with respect to prairie conservation, it clearly states that “protection of priority land habitats” is a vital practice, and prairies clearly fall here.  The Plan identifies 36 distinct prairie core areas across the western third of the state. Collectively these core landscapes contain 71% of the state’s remaining native prairie. All 4 of the project focus areas directly correlate with one or more of these core areas.

3. Tomorrow’s Habitat for the Wild and Rare. The primary objective identified in the MN DNR’s plan is to “stabilize and increase populations of “species in greatest conservation need (SGCN)”. In the prairie regions of Minnesota, strategies to achieve this goal include:
a. Support incentives that avoid conversion of grasslands into row crops where SGCN occur.
b. Use mowing, cutting woody vegetation, prescribed fire, or careful use of herbicides to prevent the invasion of grasslands by trees and shrubs.
c. Lengthen the cutting rotations for hay; avoid early-season mowing.
d. Use light to moderate, rotational grazing programs to benefit SGCN
e. Prevent fragmentation of grassland habitat.
f. Avoid soil compaction in areas occupied by mammal SGCN.
g. Increase native plant species components.
h. Control spread of invasive species to adjacent native-dominated sites.
This project proposes to address all but item “f” above.
4. The Nature Conservancy’s Northern Tallgrass Prairie Ecoregional Plan (1998). This plan identifies key conservation targets, geographic emphasis areas, threats to native plant and animal communities, and key strategies to mitigate these threats. The proposal is a solid step in the implementation of this plan. Also, as a step-down from the NTP Ecoregion Plan, the Chapter has completed local level planning (Conservation Action Planning) for smaller geographic units that correspond with the focus areas. Goals within these focus areas are very explicit in identifying conservation targets and actions and are consistent with the activities contained in this proposal.

5. DNR’s Pheasant Plan. This proposal is in full support of the Pheasant Plan goal to add 1.5 million acres of undisturbed grassland to the state by 2025.

6. DNR’s Waterfowl Plan. This proposal is in full support of the state Long-range Duck Recovery Plan to add 2 million acres of habitat to the state by 2025. It also utilizes establishment of complexes, as per the plan, to achieve multiple conservation synergies and benefits.

This plan helps fulfill multiple priorities specified by the LSOHC “Prairie Section Vision”, including permanent protection of existing prairies and wetlands, restoration of prairie and wetland habitats, building grassland/wetland complexes in blocks sufficient to increase migratory breeding bird success, enhancement of public lands for game species and other species of conservation need, and protection of watersheds of shallow lakes. Specifically, this proposal addresses “Prairie Section Strategies” 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 directly.

Legal Citation / Subdivision
ML 2013, Ch. 137, Art. 1, Sec. 2, Subd. 2(d)
Appropriation Language

$5,310,000 in the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with The Nature Conservancy to acquire native prairie, wetland, and savanna and restore and enhance grasslands, wetlands, and savanna. A list of proposed land acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan. Annual income statements and balance sheets for income and expenses from land acquired with this appropriation must be submitted to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council no later than 180 days following the close of The Nature Conservancys fiscal year.

2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,310,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,119,900
Direct expenses
$5,310,000
Administration costs
$574,200
Number of full time equivalents funded
8.95
Measurable Outcome(s)

Improved aquatic habitat indicators.
Wetland and upland complexes will consist of native prairies, restored prairies, quality grasslands, and restored shallow lakes and wetlands.
Protected, restored, and enhanced aspen parklands and riparian areas.
Water is kept on the land.
Protected, restored, and enhanced nesting and migratory habitat for waterfowl, upland birds, and species of greatest conservation need.
Increased availability and improved condition of riparian forests and other habitat corridors.
Core areas protected with highly biologically diverse wetlands and plant communities, including native prairie, Big Woods, and oak savanna.
Expiring CRP lands are permanently protected.
Remnant native prairies and wetlands are permanently protected and are part of large complexes of restored prairie, grasslands, and large and small wetlands.
Improved condition of habitat on public lands.
Water is kept on the land.
Increased participation of private landowners in habitat projects.
Protected, restored, and enhanced habitat for waterfowl, upland birds, and species of greatest conservation need.

Source of Additional Funds

TNC

Project Manager
First Name
Neal
Last Name
Feeken
Organization Name
The Nature Conservancy
Street Address
1101 W River Parkway Suite 200
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Zip Code
55415
Phone
(612) 331-0738
Email
nfeeken@tnc.org
Administered By
Administered by
Location

500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651-296-6157
Email the Agency