Wetland Habitat and Protection Program - Phase 5

Wetlands and shallow lakes provide the essential backbone for the survival of waterfowl and other important wildlife species. In fact, more than 50% of Minnesota's Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) use wetlands during their life cycle. Most of the plans developed to protect Minnesota's wildlife?including Minnesota's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, the Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan, and the Long Range Duck Recovery Plan?cite the protection and restoration of the state's remaining wetlands as one of the top priorities to achieve the State's conservation goals. Moreover, these plans cite the use of conservation easements on private lands as one of the primary strategies to protect important wetland and shallow lake habitat.

Minnesota Land Trust's Wetlands Habitat Protection Program area extends from Meeker County northwest to Becker County, located along a vast glacial moraine system in western Minnesota. This prairie pothole country is the core of Minnesota's ?duck factory? and is central to one of North America's most important flyways for migratory waterfowl. Through Phase 3 of this program, the Land Trust has procured 20 conservation easements protecting nearly 2,796 acres of habitat and 133,387 feet of shoreline (>25 miles).

Phase 5 will build on these accomplishments by broadening the Program's focus to include ? along with wetland protection ? habitat restoration and enhancement. In a partnership between the Land Trust and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, this proposal will restore/enhance 942 acres of important prairie and wetland habitat on private lands already protected within the Program area. In addition, the Land Trust will protect 823 acres of new priority wetland and associated upland habitat through conservation easements. The Program will be closely coordinated with other public agencies, non-profit organizations and other stakeholders to ensure this Program meets multi-agency conservation goals.

The Land Trust will continue to implement a criteria-based ranking system and market approach for purchasing conservation easements. The Program will continue to target projects that help complete gaps in existing public ownership, are of the highest ecological value, and provide the greatest leverage to the state. The Land Trust will seek donated easements in these areas whenever possible but also may purchase the full or partial value of an easement to complete key complexes as necessary.

To focus our easement protection work, we used the Prairie Plan and other data sets and plans to shape our Wetlands Program plan and identify important wetland complexes in this landscape based on the nexus of high-quality habitat, existing protected areas and restorable agricultural lands. These complexes include a mosaic of wetland, prairie/grassland, and forest habitats, as well as agricultural land. Outcomes from this project include: 1) healthy wetland habitat complexes and associated populations of waterfowl, upland birds, and SGCN; 2) improved water quality; 3) increased participation of private landowners in habitat conservation projects; and 4) enhancement of prior public investments in wetland and upland habitat projects.