Wetland Habitat Protection and Restoration Program - Phase 9

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.

Minnesota Land Trust's Wetland Habitat Protection and Restoration 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. To date, the Land Trust has procured 39 conservation easements protecting 5,785 acres of habitat and 57.5 miles of shoreline, and has 4,350 acres of restoration/enhancement complete or underway.

Phase 9 will add to these accomplishments by restoring or enhancing 983 acres of important prairie and wetland habitats on permanently protected private lands in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. The Land Trust and USFWS will also work with landowners to develop additional shovel ready R/E projects. The Land Trust will continue to implement our criteria-based ranking system and market-based approach for purchasing conservation easements. However, unlike all previous phases, the Land Trust is not requesting easement acquisition funding in this Phase in order to continue to fulfill Accomplishment Plan Outputs for previous phases recommended by LSOHC.

The Prairie Plan and other data sets/plans were used to focus and 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, and 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 conservation.