Wetland Habitat Protection and Restoration Program - Phase 3
Through its Wetland Habitat Protection and Restoration Program - Phase 3 grant, the Minnesota Land Trust protected 666 acres and restored/ enhanced 954 acres of high priority wetland habitat complexes in Minnesota's Prairie and Forest-Prairie Transition areas by securing permanent conservation easements within scientifically prioritized habitat complexes and working with partners in restoration/enhancement. The Land Trust used its market-based landowner bid model to maximize both conservation benefit and financial leverage in conservation easement project selection; over the duration of the grant, landowners donated over $10,300,000 in easement value to the program (4,619% of that proposed).
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 northwest to Becker County, located along a vast glacial moraine system at the edge of the of 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 Phases 1 and 2 of this program, the Land Trust procured 10 conservation easements protecting nearly 1,800 acres of habitat and 70,000 feet of shoreline.
Phase 3 will build on these accomplishments by broadening the Program's focus to include - along with wetland protection - habitat restoration and enhancement. Through a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, the Land Trust restored/enhanced 954 acres of important prairie and wetland habitat on private lands already protected within the Program area. In addition, the Land Trust protect 666 acres of new priority wetland and associated upland habitat through conservation easements. The Program was closely coordinated with other public agencies, non-profit organizations and other stakeholders to ensure this Program meets multi-agency conservation goals.
The Land Trust implemented a criteria-based ranking system and market approach for purchasing conservation easements. The Program targeted projects that helped complete gaps in existing public ownership, were of the highest ecological value, and provided the greatest leverage to the state. The Land Trust sought donated easements in these areas whenever possible but also purchased easements that help complete key complexes.
To focus our easement protection work, we used the Minnesota Prairie Plan and other data sets/plans to shape our Wetlands Program plan and identify important wetland complexes based on the intersection of high-quality habitat, existing protected areas, and restorable agricultural lands. These complexes included a mosaic of wetland, prairie/grassland, and forest habitats, and at times agricultural land. Outcomes from this project included: 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 investment in wetland and upland habitat protection.
$1,786,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Minnesota Land Trust to acquire permanent conservation easements and to restore and enhance prairie, wetland, and other habitat in high-priority wetland habitat complexes in the prairie and forest/prairie transition regions. Of this amount, up to $240,000 is to establish a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of proposed conservation easement acquisitions and restorations and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
This program addresses LSOHC priorities by protecting and restoring shallow lakes, wetland/grassland complexes, and shoreland that provide critical habitat for Minnesota's wildlife, especially its migratory waterfowl and associated species.
Wetlands are essential to the health and diversity of Minnesota's wildlife. This project directly benefited numerous SGCN and other important game/non-game species by minimizing the potential threats to their habitat caused by detrimental agricultural practices, residential or commercial development, or imprudent land management. Wetland habitat complexes were targeted for protection through a ranking system that prioritized projects based on three primary ecological factors: 1) quality of habitat; 2) proximity to other protected lands; and 3) size of the parcel.
Five properties totaling 666 acres were protected through conservation easement under this grant, including:
Pelican Lake (Pelican River Land Company) - A 165-acre property in Otter Tail County protecting maple-basswood forest, wetlands, and 11,404 feet of shoreline along Fish Lake. The easement was fully donated by the landowner.
Minnesota Woman (Peterson) - A 314-acre project in Otter Tail County protecting grasslands, deciduous forest, wetlands, and 19,151 feet of shoreline along the Pelican River and two unnamed lakes.
Lake Christina (Johnson) - A 40-acre property in Grant County protecting 39 acres of forest, wetlands, and 2,893 of shoreline along Pelican Lake, a sister lake to Lake Christina, the renowned historic canvasback stopover. The property is within the Lake Crhistina Prairie Core Area of the MN Prairie Plan.
Pomme de Terre (Evavold) - A 73-acre property protecting rolling, forested hills, grassland, open water, and 6,699 feet of shoreline along two unnamed lakes. The property is within the Alexandria Moraine-Lake Christina Hills Corridor of the MN Prairie Plan.
Rocky Mountain Lake (Rocky Mountain Sportsmen) - A 75-acre project protecting deciduous forest and 9,796 feet of shoreline along Rocky Mountain and Skanning lakes in Pope and Kandiyohi counties. The property lies within the Glacial Lake Prairie Core Area of the MN Prairie Plan.
Fourteen properties totaling 954 acres of wetlands/prairie were restored or enhanced under this grant, 13 on USFWS easements and 1 on an MLT easement.
Private landowner donation of easement value, USFWS R/E cash match and USFWS Staff In Kind