The Sauk River Dam in Melrose will be modified into a rapids, creating fish passage between the 53.7 miles of river downstream to over 16 miles of river upstream. An additional 500 feet of heavily modified stream and adjacent floodplain downstream from the dam will also be restored. The project will benefit fish species such as walleye, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish. Rare mussel species (black sandshell and creek heelsplitter) not currently found in the reach above Melrose will also benefit.
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 25,000 acres of shallow lake and wetland enhancement and restoration work throughout Minnesota, with a focus on the prairie region. The proposal is comprised of three components: (1) twenty-seven projects to engineer and/or construct wetland infrastructure or to enhance wetlands and shallow lakes; (2) funding for the existing Roving Habitat Crew in Region 4 to continue wetland and shallow lake enhancement work, and; (3) funding to base a new Shallow Lakes program specialist in Windom to accelerate shallow lakes work in the prairie region of SW Minnesota
This Phase 7 request for Ducks Unlimited’s land acquisition and restoration program. DU will acquire and restore 550 acres of prairie and wetlands on state Wildlife Management Areas and managed shallow lakes in the Prairie Pothole Region of SW Minnesota for transfer to the Minnesota DNR for inclusion in the WMA system. This land acquisition and restoration work will focus on land that buffers shallow lakes and wetlands, and restores breeding habitat for ducks and other prairie wildlife.
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 Phase 8 request funds Ducks Unlimited’s prairie land acquisition and restoration program. DU will acquire 560 acres of land containing drained wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of SW Minnesota for restoration and transfer to the Minnesota DNR for inclusion in the state WMA system. This land acquisition and restoration program focuses on restoring cropland with wetlands along shallow lakes and adjoining WMAs containing large wetlands to help restore prairie wetland habitat complexes for breeding ducks and other wildlife.
This Phase 6 request for Ducks Unlimited's land protection and restoration program will acquire and restore 600 acres of prairie land on shallow lakes and prairie land with restorable wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of SW Minnesota for transfer to the Minnesota DNR for inclusion in the state Wildlife Management Area system. This land acquisition and restoration work will focus on land that buffers shallow lakes and provides breeding habitat for ducks and other prairie wildlife.
This Phase 10 request funds Ducks Unlimited's prairie wetland acquisition and restoration program. DU will acquire and restore 660 acres of prairie land containing wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of SW Minnesota for transfer to the Minnesota DNR for inclusion in the state WMA system. This land acquisition and restoration program focuses on restoring cropland with drained wetlands along shallow lakes and adjoining WMAs to help restore prairie wetland habitat complexes for breeding ducks and other wildlife.
This is Phase 9 of Ducks Unlimited's wetland and prairie acquisition and restoration program. DU will acquire and restore 516 acres of land containing drained wetlands in SW Minnesota's Prairie Pothole Region for restoration and transfer to the Minnesota DNR for inclusion in the state WMA system. This land acquisition and restoration program focuses on restoring cropland with drained wetlands along shallow lakes and adjoining WMAs to help restore prairie wetland habitat complexes for breeding ducks and other wildlife.
Ducks Unlimited purchased a total of 567 acres in 11 separate parcels in the Prairie Section for the state of Minnesota, including 135 acres of wetlands and 432 acres of uplands. All 11 parcels have been restored and transferred to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for inclusion in state Wildlife Management Areas, are open to public access, and managed for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation. This prairie conservation work contributes to the goals of the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan, the Governor's Pheasant Action Plan, Minnesota's Long-range Duck Recovery
DU will acquire fee title land from willing sellers on unprotected shoreline adjacent to shallow lakes of critical importance to ducks and other migratory birds in Murray, Lincoln, and Le Sueur , Minnesota. Each shallow lake identified is actively managed (via water control structures) or soon to be managed (planned DU structure) by the Minnesota DNR for waterfowl and other wetland dependent wildlife. Through fee acquisition, DU will permanently protect 100 acres of uplands and small wetlands adjacent to these basins.
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.
Ducks Unlimited successfully completed this Phase 4 our land acquisition/restoration program to protect shallow lakes and restore wetlands by purchasing and restoring 1,004 acres of land with drained wetlands and land on shallow lakes as additions to state Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) for the MNDNR throughout southern Minnesota.
Ducks Unlimited's Phase 5 land program will acquire and restore 600 acres of prairie land and wetlands for inclusion in state Wildlife Management Areas for Minnesota DNR, with focus on restorable prairie lands and wetlands, and land buffering shallow lakes.
The Phase VII Habitat Restoration Program included an Orr Wetland Restoration, a Belshan Property Targeted Habitat Acquisition Project, and a Shell Rock River Streambank Restoration Project. As a result, 152 acres of habitat and wetlands were protected, enhanced or restored.
The Shell Rock River Watershed District (SRRWD) Phase VIII Habitat Restoration Program will restore and protect 315 acres of essential shallow lake, oak savanna and wetland habitat across the watershed. As a result of the strategic projects, a key biological functioning parcel will be permanently protected, lake shores will be enhanced, in-lake habitat structures will be created, oak savanna will be protected and vegetation will be restored for migratory fowl habitat.
The Phase VI Habitat Restoration Program included an Orr Property Acquisition, a Vandegrift Wetland Restoration, an IC&E Wetland Enhancement Project and a Headwaters Streambank Restoration Project. As a result, 296 acres of habitat and wetlands were protected, enhanced or restored.
The Shell Rock River Watershed District (SRRWD) Phase X Habitat Restoration Program will enhance, and protect 389 acres of essential prairie upland, wetland, and streambank habitat across the watershed. As a result of the strategic projects, key biological functioning parcels will be permanently protected, vegetation and feeding sources will be restored for migratory fowl habitat and wetlands will be restored from row crop agriculture.
The Shell Rock River Watershed District (SRRWD) Phase IX Habitat Restoration Program will restore, enhance, and protect 483 acres of essential prairie upland, wetland, and streambank habitat across the watershed. As a result of strategic projects, key biological functioning parcels will be permanently protected, streambank habitat will be protected, vegetation and feeding sources will be restored for migratory fowl habitat and wetlands will be restored from row crop agriculture.
The Shell Rock River Watershed District’s Watershed Habitat Restoration Program will restore, enhance, and protect 5393 acres of critical shallow lake, wetland and stream bank habitat benefiting fish, waterfowl and wildlife populations, preserving an outdoor legacy for future generations.
The Shell Rock River Watershed District's Phase 5 Habitat Restoration Program will restore, enhance, and protect 1040 acres of essential shallow lake, wetland and stream bank habitat benefiting fish, waterfowl and wildlife populations, preserving an outdoor legacy for future generations.
The Six Mile Creek Halsted Bay (SMCHB) Habitat Restoration program restored 2,488 acres of deep and shallow lake habitat by implementing the state?s most ambitious program to manage common carp below the threshold where they damage lake ecosystems with three primary tactics:
?Installation of utilities to operate aeration at three locations to limit carp reproduction.
?Construction of four carp barriers to impede carp migration.
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.
The City of Mankato is looking to restore a varied ecosystem that includes wetland restoration, upland prairie establishment, and stream improvements. A minimum of a 100 acre area would provide habitat that supports a diverse mix of plants and animals and will allow for different types of outdoor sporting opportunities. The project is a unique opportunity for habitat establishment and protection in an urbanizing area that will provide lasting benefits for region.
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.
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.
Priority lands will be acquired and developed as State Forests to protect forests, habitat and provide public hunting, trapping and compatible outdoor uses.
Priority lands were acquired within the Richard J. Dorer State Forest; protecting forests, habitat and providing public hunting, trapping and compatible outdoor uses as well as watershed protection. This project protected 203 acres of forest land, reduced boundaries by 3720 feet, provided access to 1116 acres of state forest land, and protected 2000 feet of shoreline.
Protected through fee title acquisition 340 acres of priority forestland habitat in the northern and southeast ecological sections of the state. All parcels have been included in the DNR State Forest system; providing for long-term, ongoing protection and management of lands for the benefit of all Minnesotans.
Hubbard, Crow Wing, and Cass County Land Departments and Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) will partner to acquire 300 acres (public access) and place easements on 240 acres of private high-quality forest, wetlands, and shoreline in the Northern Forest Ecological Section. This project is integrating county land management goals and parcel selection into the 75 percent protection watershed goal (Phase 1 Watershed Grant).
