TSA8 Conservation Targeted to Parcel = Move the Protection Needle
This project will build off the success of the additional geographic information system (GIS) and water planning expertise the TSA8 added in 2016 to provide consistent mapping, water planning assistance and training to partners. This project will help soil and water conservation districts prepare for the 1W1P process before the planning starts. A unified protection methodology is essential for the 1W1P process to be successful. This project will include: unified GIS mapping and protection model for all nine counties respectively. The scores, maps, and parcel lists will accelerate on-the ground projects and practices.
The Technical Service Area VIII (TSA8) proposes to partner with nine county soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) and One Watershed One Plan (1W1P) processes to provide consistent mapping, water planning assistance, and training. This project is building off the success of federal and state partnerships that has leveraged over $150,000 federal grants to complete landscape planning for the Pine River, Red Eye, Rum, Mississippi River Headwaters, and Leech Lake Watersheds.
This area contains over 3000 lakes, 50 cisco tier 1 and 2 refuge lakes, 356 miles of the Mississippi River, over one million downstream drinking supply users, and a $650 million tourism industry that all rely on fisheries, lakes, and forest land. This project will employ 100 priority minor watersheds for subwatershed mapping and analysis. This will include: mapping and ranking of parcels, scoring, spreadsheets with landowner mailing addresses, parcel information, acreage, forest stewardship plans (FSP), Sustainable Forest Incentive Act (SFIA), 2C Programs, and other local priorities, and percent of land protected. All this information will be provided to the SWCD's in a format that they can utilize. This will jump start Districts to targeted conservation programs outreach.
A unified protection methodology is essential for the 1W1P process to be successful. The Lake of the Woods and Pine River 1W1Ps were successful because we had TS8A complete data analysis and mapping of the watershed. Comparatively, these 1W1P processes were more efficient, effective, and received a better product. At the end of this grant, the SWCDs will have tools and training they need to be effective at landowner engagement to implement targeted conservation practices.
Annie Felix-Gerth
(c) $3,325,000 the first year and $4,275,000 the second year are for accelerated implementation, including local resource protection and enhancement grants and statewide program enhancements of supplements for technical assistance, citizen and community outreach, compliance, and training and certification.
-Complete 100 priority subwatersheds analysis.
-Provide mapping for SWCDs and 1W1Ps in TSA8.
-Develop a Protection Methodology white paper free for all to use.
-Host three to five trainings or workshops on the protection model.
Through the TSA contract with a GIS specialist, we completed the following items:
-We assisted and completed the Pine River, Miss. River Brainerd, Long Prairie, Red-Eye, Clearwater, mapping for the One Watershed One Plans (1W1P) (included over 100 subwatershed analyses). We also partnered to complete the Landscape Stewardship plan mapping for Miss. Brainerd, Long Praire, Red-Eye, Leech, and Rum. We are in the process of working on other watersheds as they move forward with the 1W1P.
-We provided general mapping services for the nine SWCDs, which included parcel data coordination with the counties.
-Developed a protection methodology white paper, and BWSR posted the information on their website.
-Consultant attended TSA8 annual board meetings and Area Meetings and hosted training at the BWSR Academy on the methodology and use of the GIS.
This grant has been very successful. The 1W1Ps implementation will utilize this data collection mythology. We have the data collection system to prove our success and track our success in implementing 1W1Ps.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS