Protection/Enhancement of Public Land Forest Habitats Through Strategic Acquisition of Private Land Inholdings
This proposal serves to protect 580 acres and enhance 140 acres of forest habitats within Minnesota's public forests through fee title acquisition of strategic private forest land inholdings in State, County and National Forests. Successful efforts will 1) greatly increase management efficiencies and effectiveness of surrounding public forest lands, 2) address primary forest habitat management concerns of forest habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, and 3) serve to address critical forest and recreational user access needs. Grant funding will also be used to ensure acquired land is turned over to a public entity with suitable infrastructure and forest habitat.
At its most basic level, forest wildlife habitats can be assessed and managed through a thought process that looks at composition (cover types), pattern (stand, patch size and distribution) and structure (age class) of a forest assessed and managed at a site and landscape scale. However, all too often efficiency and effectiveness of this basic process is complicated or unattainable due to private land inholdings that complicate or, hinders forest habitat management efficiencies (boundary, access issues) and reduces forest habitat effectives (fragmentation).
To address these overall forest management and related habitat impediments, this proposal would protect strategic forest habitats through the acquisition of private forest land inholdings. Acquisition process would involve input from public forest land agencies as to priority locations, parcels for protection along with a process to vet a potential acquisition as to intent of the proposal and funding source (Outdoor Heritage Fund). While the primary intent of this project is to protect forest habitats through fee title acquisition, a portion of this proposal's budget is also noted for initial development and forest habitat enhancement needs of the parcels acquired. Initial development may include such needs as a property boundary survey, access development or repair, etc. Forest habitat enhancement efforts, coordinated with public land managing agency, may include a forest cover type inventory, tree planting, invasive species control, etc. to prepare for and complement existing sustainable forest management plans.
Process of notifying affected county boards as to tax revenue concerns due to acquisition of private land inholdings will depend on the notification requirements of the public land administrator a parcel is being acquiring for (i.e. State, Federal or County). In all cases the RGS/AWS will notify a county of any acquisition intent or effort instigated by this proposal and will work to address, facilitate any information needs or requests they may have.
$1,046,000 the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Ruffed Grouse Society to protect and enhance forest habitats by strategically acquiring private forest land inholdings to provide better public forest management, reduce fragmentation, and provide public access. A list of proposed acquisitions and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
Forestlands are protected from development and fragmentation - Strategic parcels that increase forest management efficiencies, recreational access and enhance forest habitat functionality will be acquired and restored so as to provide sustainable and resilient forest ecosystems for forest wildlife species. Parcels acquired will be transferred to appropriate public forest land administrator/agency, managed as part of their respective processes and plans. Proper ecological vetting of parcels acquired will ensure that intent and outcomes noted in this proposal are addressed with each parcel acquired
Ruffed Grouse Society, Ruffed Grouse Society Waived Indirect and public forest land administrators