Natural and Scenic Area Acquisition Grants

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Natural and Scenic Area Grant Program is a competitive, matching grant program that partners the state with local communities to help them acquire and permanently protect natural and scenic resources that do not qualify for state designation but have important local or regional significance. Natural and scenic areas provide for public use, protection of species and natural communities, appreciation of scenic vistas, and scientific and educational opportunities. This appropriation will allow the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to provide up to six matching grants to cities, counties, townships, or school districts for acquisition of approximately 150 acres of new or expanded natural and scenic areas.

OVERALL PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS
The overall aim of this project is to ensure protection of natural and scenic resources by helping and encouraging local governments to acquire and protect land for appropriate public use, protection of natural communities, appreciation of scenic vistas, and scientific and environmental education purposes. This is achieved through competitive, matching grants through the Natural and Scenic Area Grant Program that provides financial incentive and ensures the land and natural resources are retained for public use in perpetuity. The primary results of the project were:

• Six grants totaling $975,000 resulted in the acquisition of 166.9 acres of natural and scenic areas. All grants were matched by local dollars of at least $975,000.
• Grants included Blue Earth County, acquisition of 41 acres adjacent to the Red Jacket Trail that includes wooded hillsides, meadows and a meandering creek that flows into the LeSueur River; the City of Brainerd, acquisition of 37 acres along the Mississippi River with 1,300 feet of shoreline to provide opportunities for low impact nature based outdoor recreation; the City of Elk River, acquisition of 22.6 acres of historic and scenic property with over 3,300 feet of natural, largely untouched shoreline at the confluence of the Mississippi and Elk Rivers; two grants to the City of Maplewood, acquisition of 48 acres of land that contains rolling hills, bluff top and steep slopes and views from the bluff tops look out over the Mississippi River Valley and Fish Creek; and the City of Prior Lake, acquisition of 18 acres with approximately 1,545 feet of lakeshore and 100 feet of shoreline on Prior Creek.
• Project administration for the program was completed for $25,000. Two application cycles were completed, applications reviewed and site visits were completed. Active projects were monitored, financial review completed, projects closed out, and initial land acquisition reports filed. A total of 419 hours were spent administering the project over three years.

PROJECT RESULTS USE AND DISSEMINATION<
Information about these natural and scenic areas has been added to the DNR website, under the Natural and Scenic Area Program, click on recent grants.