The average Minnesotan and even most natural resource managers are not skilled in plant identification, yet the ability to positively identify plants is crucial to a number of conservation activities, including identifying areas that need protection, recognizing new or existing invasive species, monitoring restoration projects, and delineating wetlands. The Minnesota Wildflowers project attempts to fill this need with a free web-based field guide ultimately aimed at providing profiles for each of the over 2,100 vascular plant species in Minnesota.
New and innovatively designed greenhouse facilities have the potential to provide sustainable food, fuel, and other products year round by utilizing ecological processes and other practices to integrate production of fish, plants, and algae in a low input, self-sustainable system. The City of Silver Bay and researchers at the University of Minnesota – Duluth are using this appropriation to expand and enhance a demonstration greenhouse facility. Refined techniques developed at the facility have the potential to be transferred and replicated at similar facilities throughout the state.
The Fairmont Chain of Lakes habitat restoration project converted almost 35 acres of existing undeveloped and row crop lands into prime habitat. The open water areas were designed to promote northern pike spawning areas to benefit that fish species within the Chain of Lakes. This was accomplished by connecting to the existing Dutch Creek channel that flows adjacent to the project and outlets into the downstream lakes.
to construct a trail from the North Alexander Park on the East at Two Rivers Park and on the West at the railroad tracks, including an underpass connection under Second Avenue
The DNR works with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Health to determine the level of contamination from mercury and other harmful chemicals in fish from Minnesota's lakes and rivers and to track the success of efforts to reduce mercury pollution. Clean Water Legacy funding is being used to significantly increase (more than double) the number of lakes and rivers that are assessed for mercury contamination on an annual basis. Fish are collected during DNR fishery surveys, processed for laboratory testing, and analyzed for contaminants.
The number of people from other cultures and languages is increasing in Minnesota. It is important that they learn the behaviors that will help Minnesota preserve and enhance its natural resources. Yet, communicating and effectively interacting with people across cultures to change behaviors on natural resources, conservation, pollution prevention and stewardship is challenging. Most environmental information is designed for reaching native English readers. Translating and printing information often does not reach the intended audiences, who are often part of an oral culture.
The Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation in partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust will protect high priority critical fish habitat and the surrounding watersheds on 30 tullibee "refuge" lakes by securing conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. We will permanently protect approximately 445 acres and 1 miles of shoreland in total. If a lake's watershed has less than 25% land disturbance, the lake has a high probability to maintain clean water and healthy lake ecosystem.
The Minnesota Land Trust and the Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation will protect 603 acres of high priority critical fish habitat and 0.5 mile of shoreline on 16 priority tullibee "refuge" lakes and their associated watersheds through conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. We will restore and enhance 60 acres of associated habitat. A lake's ecosystem and water quality have a high probability of being maintained if less than 25% of its watershed is disturbed.
The Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation in partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust will protect high priority critical fish habitat and the surrounding watersheds on 38 tullibee "refuge" lakes by securing conservation easements. We will permanently protect approximately 400 acres. If a lake's watershed has less than 25% land disturbance the lake has a high probability to maintain clean water and healthy lake ecosystem. State of Minnesota reports indicate this region could see 64% population growth by 2030.
The Northern Waters Land Trust (NWLT) and Minnesota Land Trust (MLT) will protect critical fish habitat within 48 tullibee "refuge" lakes and their minor watersheds by securing conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. These efforts are prioritized toward the 15 highest priority tullibee refuge lakes. Through this Fisheries Habitat Protection program, NWLT and MLT are working to protect 75% of each targeted watershed, a measure that provides a high probability of maintaining clean water and healthy lake ecosystems.
The Northern Waters Land Trust (NWLT), in partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust (MLT), will protect high priority critical fish habitat within 15 tullibee "refuge" lakes and their minor watersheds by securing conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. Through this Fisheries Habitat Protection program, NWLT and MLT are working to protect 75% of each targeted watershed, a measure that provides a high probability of maintaining clean water and healthy lake ecosystems. We will permanently protect approximately 1,000 acres through this proposal.
Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation and the Minnesota Land Trust collectively protected 765 acres and 8.9 miles of critical shoreland and forest habitat in the watersheds of strategic North Central Minnesota lakes through the completion of 5 conservation easements and 1 fee title acquisition. Acreage protection outcomes exceeded that proposed by 151%; shoreland protected exceeded that proposed by 297%. The grant leveraged $1,119,000 through landowner donation of easement and fee value and other sources, exceeding goals by 134%.
600 acres of critical shorelands and diverse forest habitat will be permanently protected in strategic North Central Minnesota watersheds through targeted conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. This program will help sustain high-quality fish habitat.
Reed canary grass and other invasive plants are preventing natural tree regeneration and threatening floodplain forests, upland forests, and wildlife alike. The Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries provide a critical habitat corridor for hundreds of species of birds from waterfowl and other game birds to warblers of special concern. This proposal builds on three previous and successful projects and will expand Audubon's work on State and Federal Lands as well as introduce projects on permanently protected private lands.
Floodplain forest enhancement projects were implemented at 10 sites covering 292 acres along the Mississippi River from Red Wing to the Iowa border. We completed site preparation; controlled invasive species; planted trees and shrubs using a combination of direct seeding, bare root seedlings and large, potted trees; protected trees from deer and voles; completed post tree planting weed control; and installed willow and cottonwood cuttings. Outcomes varied by site, ranging from poor to excellent tree seedling survival.
Reed canary grass is preventing natural regeneration of trees and threatening floodplain forests and wildlife along the Mississippi. This effort builds on previous LSOHC funding to control reed canary grass and plant trees as part of a long-term effort.
Our program/project will protect and maintain intact forest ecosystems through the use of perpetual conservation easements and other tools. This program/project will directly protect approximately 187, 277 acres of forest and wetlands with permanent conservation easements and 1,344 acres with fee acquisition.
This proposal would acquire forest lands of significant natural resource and strategic location values and then resell those same lands previously acquired with this grant, subject to a Conservation Easement. Process would be repeated with land sale proceeds.
The Minnesota DNR and the Minnesota Forest Resources Council work with forest landowners, managers and loggers to implement a set of voluntary sustainable forest management guidelines that include water quality best management practices (BMPs) to ensure sustainable habitat, clean water, and productive forest soils, all contributing to healthy watersheds. This project will monitor the implementation of these forest management guidelines and BMPs on forested watersheds in MN.
This project will improve wetland protection, management, and restoration in Minnesota by completing a partially established long-term wetland hydrology monitoring network that will provide critical knowledge of wetland hydrology.
This program will install fish barriers at (3) three locations on in the Watershed District to exclude carp and other rough fish that destroy fish habits and aquatic vegetation and stir-up phosphorous rich sediments that cause algal blooms and cause water quality impairments. The project will allow for effective carp control in an effort to improve fish habitat, fish spawning and habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. Improving the fish habitat has a clear and measurable residual value in improving water quality and aquatic vegetation.
The Frogtown area of St. Paul is a culturally diverse, low-income neighborhood having less green space per child than any other neighborhood in the city and was recently identified as an area in need of a new park. This appropriation is being used by The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the City of St. Paul, to acquire a portion of twelve acres of a currently vacant space in the area to establish the multi-purpose Frogtown Farm and Park.
Rehabilitation of State Trail Bridge over the St. Croix River, This bridge is a jointly owned, with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Burnett County, Wisconsin.
The DNR Gateway to the Outdoors Initiative is a department-wide effort to stem the decline in outdoor recreation participation, and connect people to the outdoors through the use of Minnesota State Parks and Trails.
This project will equip out-of-school youth organizations across Minnesota with knowledge, skills and resources to incorporate outdoor nature activities into after-school programs and engage under-privileged children with the outdoors.
The project proposes a .48 mile trail along the Otter Tail River in downtown Fergus Falls as well as a 125 ft. long bicycle and pedestrian bridge crossing the river.
