This appropriation allowed the permanent protection of 887 acres in western Minnesota. These properties included 664 acres of remnant native prairie, 76 acres of associated wetlands complexes, and 8,500' of streamfront. For this phase we originally planned to protect 740 acres with a minimum of 375 native prairie. Both targets were exceeded - 120% of total acres and 177% of native prairie acres.
The Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program (CPL) is managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to provide competitive matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national non-profit organizations and governments. Grant activities include the enhancement, restoration, or protection of forests, wetlands, prairies, and habitat for fish, game, or wildlife in Minnesota. A match of at least 10% from nonstate sources was required for grants of $100,000 or less, and a match of at least 15% from nonstate sources was required for grants over $100,000.
This program will acquire 1,100 acres of state wildlife management areas (WMA) or federal waterfowl production areas (WPA) to enhance grassland and prairie habitat and provide public recreation opportunities for the citizens of Minnesota. In addition, PF restore an additional 1,500 acres of grassland habitat on permanently protected lands (WPA's or WMA's).
This program will bring focused conservation to one of Minnesota's priority aquatic resources, Lakes of Outstanding Biological Significance. These threatened lakes possess outstanding fisheries and provide habitat for a variety of SGCN; yet, at present, no habitat protection program specifically targets these priority resources. Through this proposal, the Minnesota Land Trust will protect through perpetual conservation easements 1/2 mile of shoreland and 216 acres of habitat associated with the top 10% of these lakes in northeast and northcentral Minnesota.
The Pinelands Sands Aquifer Phase 1 project protected 567 acres of priority forest habitat in the Pinelands Sands Aquifer including high quality dry pine woodlands to prevent habitat loss, protect water quality in the aquifer, and provide access. Lands protected include 352 acres of forests which will be added to the Badoura State Forest and 215 acres which will be part of the newly established Jack Pine Woodlands Scientific and Natural Area.
Protect and restore 590 acres of significant wildlife habitat through conservation easements and restoration projects on private lands within Important Bird Areas with an emphasis on those located in within priority areas identified in the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan.
Protect up to to 1,500 acres of at risk, priority forest habitat adjacent and near the Crow Wing River that will consolidate and link public forestland parcels, provide management and recreational access and protect surface and ground water quality.
Many lakes in Minnesota are classified as “impaired” for aquatic recreation and aquatic life as the result of nonpoint source pollution. These impairments can be addressed by the citizens that live by and have a vested interest in these water bodies, but there is often a lack of knowledge and resources to take effective action. The Freshwater Society is using this appropriation to train citizen groups in lake ecology and management in order to guide them in implementing water quality improvement projects for their local water bodies.
Minnesota Trout Unlimited, the Minnesota Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land will combine their expertise in six targeted watersheds to increase the resilience of remnant populations of brook trout unique to Southeast Minnesota. We will protect and enhance habitat in floodplains, along gullies, above steep slopes, and on bluffs to slow runoff, increase infiltration, and keep aquatic habitat productive.
The Nature Conservancy acquired in fee 3 properties that added 143 acres to the RJ Doer Memorial Hardwood Forest. The Minnesota Land Trust protected 3 properties with perpetual easements totaling 526 acres. The Nature Conservancy enhanced 396 acres of high priority habitat (bluff prairie and oak savanna) on existing state forest and Scientific and Natural Area lands, and an additional 35 acres on new fee acquisitions.
This project will permanently protect, restore and enhance critical habitat within the Sauk River Watershed, which has experienced considerable habitat loss and is at high risk for more land use conversion. Using conservation easements and fee land acquisition, we will protect approximately 720 acres of high priority habitat in Minnesota’s Prairie and Forest-Prairie Transition area and will restore/enhance approximately 290 acres of wetlands and accompanying uplands to create vital habitat for important waterfowl and SGCN populations.
This program will permanently protect, restore and enhance critical habitat within the Sauk River Watershed, which has experienced considerable habitat loss and is at high risk for more land conversion. Using conservation easements and fee land acquisition, we will protect approximately 660 acres of priority habitat in Minnesota's Prairie and Forest-Prairie Transition Area. We will restore/enhance approximately 224 acres of wetlands and accompanying uplands to create habitat for waterfowl and populations of Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN).
This project will permanently protect, restore and enhance critical habitat within the Sauk River Watershed, which has experienced considerable habitat loss and is at high risk for more land use conversion. Using conservation easements and fee land acquisition, we will protect 750 acres of high priority habitat in Minnesota's Prairie and Forest-Prairie Transition Area and will restore/enhance approximately 66 acres of wetlands and accompanying uplands to create vital habitat for important waterfowl and Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) populations.
This proposal will accomplish shallow lake and wetland enhancement habitat work throughout Minnesota, with a focus on the prairie region. The proposal is comprised of four components: (1) projects to engineer and construct or renovate wetland infrastructure and to enhance wetlands; (2) funding to continue wetland habitat enhancement work by the existing Roving Habitat Crew in Region 1; (3) continued funding of three Shallow Lakes Program specialists, and; (4) creation of a new Prairie Wetland Initiative to address unmet management needs of small wetlands in Minnesota prairies.
This pilot program protected 1,210 acres of wild rice lake shoreland habitat in the Northern Forest Section by securing 14 permanent RIM conservation easements and four fee-title acquisitions, surpassing our goal of 700 acres, and doing so $250,202 under budget.
to install solar electric PV panels at Dennis Frandsen County Park to provide power for park lighting, well and security equipment and when power is not called for to support park operations it will support grid function
This project will permanently protect critical habitat using conservation easements and fee land acquisition on approximately 590 acres and restore and enhance approximately 116 acres of declining habitat for species of greatest conservation need in strategically targeted public land assets of biodiversity significance in the Blufflands resulting in increased public access and improved habitat.
This program will protect approximately 1,900 acres using conservation easements and fee land acquisition and restore and enhance approximately 165 acres of declining habitat for important wildlife species in strategically targeted areas of biodiversity significance in the Blufflands of Southeast Minnesota resulting in increased public access and improved wildlife habitat.
This project will protect approximately 680 acres and restore and enhance approximately 70 acres of declining habitat for species of greatest conservation need in strategically targeted areas of biodiversity significance in the Blufflands resulting in increased public access and habitat.
This project will protect approximately 1,098 acres using conservation easement and fee land acquisition, and restore and enhance approximately 753 acres of declining habitat for important wildlife species. Actions will occur in strategically targeted areas of biodiversity significance within the Blufflands of Southeast Minnesota, resulting in increased public access and improved wildlife habitat.
Blufflands oak forest regeneration is threatened by invasive species, lack of fire, and subsequent succession to less desirable northern hardwood trees, such as maple and basswood. This proposal combines invasive species treatments, increased use of fire in fire-dependent forests, and mast tree planting on sites being converted from ag land to forest as well as existing stands identified for harvest by the Subsection Forest Resource Management Plan (SFRMP) and the Sustainable Timber Analysis.
This project will protect approximately 660 acres using conservation easement and fee land acquisition and restore and enhance approximately 75 acres of declining habitat for important wildlife species. Actions will occur in strategically targeted areas of biodiversity significance within the Blufflands of Southeast Minnesota, resulting in increased public access and improved wildlife habitat.
Through this appropriation, The Nature Conservancy and Minnesota Land Trust protected 2,135 acres through fee acquisition and conservation easements. This includes over 7 miles of stream frontage. Three new Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) were created around the fee acquisitions, opening up 1,505 acres of habitat to public recreation. Restoration or enhancement work was completed on 225 acres of bluff prairies and forests, much of it on lands protected through this program.
This project will protect and restore declining habitats and watersheds for important wildlife species in strategically targeted areas of biodiversity significance in Southeast Minnesota. The project will result in increased public access and expanded habitat complexes critical to the state.
With these funds the DNR enhanced almost 3,100 acres on 140 different tracts within State Forests and Wildlife Management Area lands in southeastern Minnesota. While a lot of forest management can be conducted with well-planned and carefully conducted timber harvests, these activities enhanced these forested habitats beyond standard harvest practices such as increasing hard mast production (acorns, hickory nuts, etc). This will provide long-term benefits for a range of wildlife species and increased recreational opportunities for Minnesotans.
This project will protect approximately 1,375 acres and restore and enhance approximately 280 acres of declining habitat for important wildlife species in strategically targeted areas of biodiversity significance in the Blufflands resulting in increased public access and habitat.
Native trout require clean, cold water that usually originates from springs, but the springs feeding the 173 designated trout streams in southeastern Minnesota are under increasing pressure from current and expected changes in land use. This joint effort by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working to identify and map the springs and the areas that feed water to these springs and to learn how these waters might be affected by development and water use.
Phase 5 of the Sate Forest Acquisition project protected 43 acres of critical forest habitat in the southeastern ecological section of the state. These lands have been incorporated into the State Forest program of the Outdoor Recreation System, and will be sustainably managed for quality wildlife habitat, timber production, and public recreation in perpetuity. Additionally, over 300 acres of sensitive floodplain forest habitat were enhanced using a variety of methods.
This project will protect and enhance high priority habitat in fee for the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Forest in southeast Minnesota. This will include enhancing mixed deciduous forest lands through silvicultural practices and control of invasive species. The project will also provide additional opportunities for hunting in an area of the state where public hunting opportunities are limited. All projects will be done in accordance with the state forest land asset plans, RJ Dorer State Forest Plan and the SE MN Driftless Project Map.
Project Overview Minnesota, which was recently named "Best Trails State" in the country, is host to numerous state trails providing a variety of different outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the state. This appropriation is allowing the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to acquire land expanding two of these state trails: the Brown's Creek segment of the Willard Munger Trail in Washington County and the Paul Bunyan Trail along Lake Bemidji.
