Provide approximately 25 matching grants for local parks, acquisition of locally significant natural areas and trails to connect people safety to desirable community locations and regional or state facilities.
Provide approximately 13 matching grants for local parks, acquisition of locally significant natural areas and trails to connect people safety to desirable community locations and regional or state facilities.
The Conservation Fund and Minnesota Land Trust will protect 380 acres of high-priority grassland, prairie, and wetland wildlife habitat with working lands conservation easements in western, central, and southeastern Minnesota. Grasslands represent one of Minnesota’s most threatened habitat types. Privately-held and well-managed grasslands in strategic habitat complexes have provided lasting benefits for Minnesota’s wildlife. This project will permanently prevent the conversion of grasslands to row crops.
The Grassland Conservation Partnership Phase II grant resulted in the protection via conservation easement of 1,778 acres of grassland habitat and 3 miles of shoreline associated with 2 working grasslands projects in western Minnesota. Land protected through conservation easement exceeded the proposed outputs for this grant by 445% (1,778 versus 400 proposed acres). In addition, 140 acres of grasslands habitat was enhanced through the grant.
Construct new 4.5 kilowatt solar electric system which will provide about one third of the park office's electrical energy requirements. Excess electrical energy production is put into the local power grid.
$100,000 the first year and $103,000 the second year are for Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails Commission capacity building to undertake system planning and provide recommendations to the legislature for grants funded by the parks and trails fund.
This project is established by the Minnesota Legislature, directing the Department of Natural Resources to provide a grant to the Greater Minnesota Regional Park and Trail Coalition.
The Green Corridor Legacy Program (GCLP) will protect new and/or expansion fish, game, and wildlife habitats in the Prairie Eco Region. The DNR will provide the restoration and/or enhancement funds for converting croplands into high quality habitat cover. Local wildlife conservation clubs will be encouraged to submit L-SOHC Small Grants proposals for additional restoration and/or enhancement activities on these tracts. Fee title of all lands acquired will be held by the State and designated as WMA and/or AMA open to hunting, trapping, fishing, and compatible outdoor recreation uses.
This program helped to create a legacy of habitat connectivity, public access, and economic vitality based on increased outdoor recreational opportunities in the mid-Minnesota River Watershed.
This program helped to create a legacy of habitat connectivity, public access, and economic vitality based on increased outdoor recreational opportunities in the mid-Minnesota River Watershed.
Minnesota’s use of groundwater has increased over the last two decades. An increasing reliance on groundwater may not be a sustainable path for continued economic growth and development. The DNR is establishing three pilot groundwater management areas (GWMA) to help improve groundwater appropriation decisions and help groundwater users better understand and plan for future groundwater needs associated with economic development.
Complete a centralized aquifer property database to provide needed hydrogeologic data for characterization of groundwater storage, recovery and appropriation sites.
Design and construct fencing and handling facility needed to reintroduce bison to Camden State Park as part of preserving and interpreting the population and genome of American Plains bison.
During this grant funding timeline, this project only protected one 14-acre, permanent natural area conservation easement; but was able to restore and enhance way more than the anticipated 178 acres and 157 acres, respectively, of wildlife habitat, by restoring a total of 696 acres and enhancing 251 acres prior to the funding deadline.
Determine habitat associations of breeding bottomland forest birds in response to restoration actions along the Mississippi River at the Reno Bottoms outside Reno, MN
The Hardwood Hills Habitat Conservation Program is focused on the protection of remaining high-quality forest systems and their associated biota within the Hardwood Hills ecological section of west-central Minnesota. Over 60 percent of forests in the Hardwood Hills have been lost to conversion over the past century, with lakeshore development and growth along the I-94 corridor near St. Cloud posing significant threats.
To acquire fee title to 16 parcels to allow for the extension of the state trail from Harmony south to the Iowa state boarder with a spur to Niagara Cave.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
MDHA funding restored a total of two oak savannahs (grassland enhancement) consisting of 35 acres on the Winger Waterfowl Production Area (WPA). Federal WPA's are managed for waterfowl production and are open to public hunting and other recreation consistent with the National Wildlife Refuge System. This restoration to the oak savannahs will create suitable habitat for deer, turkey, ruffed grouse, and other cavity nesting birds.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
The objective of this project was to accelerate Ducks Unlimited (DU) bio-engineering assistance to help agencies design and construct enhancement projects on shallow lakes for waterfowl using water control structures. DU biologists and engineers provided technical assistance to Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and private landowners around shallow lakes with a goal of:
Overall Project Outcome and Results
DNR spent $140,689 to continue on-site field investigations to accelerate management of shallow lakes and adjacent wetland complexes and support the accomplishments of Ducks Unlimited through HCP 2c and 3c. Temporary field personnel (1 full time and up to 6 temporary) documented shallow lake habitat occurrence and quality. Habitat surveys were conducted on 171 lakes within seven HCP project areas. The lakes surveyed totaled over 82,831acres. The surveys were distributed more broadly than in the past with:
Overall Project Outcome and Results
This project contained two types of habitat enhancement that resulted in the enhancement of a total of 72 acres of habitat.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) 2009 work program focused on 6 habitat restoration projects totaling 3,664 acres (3,118-ENRTF funds; 546-other funds). Additional details, beyond the short summary below, are found in the more detailed reporting provided for each project.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
The objective of this project was to accelerate Ducks Unlimited (DU) efforts to help improve and protect shallow lakes managed for waterfowl. To protect shallow lakes, DU worked with private shallow lake shoreline landowners to secure permanent conservation easements on managed shallow lakes prioritized by DU for their importance to waterfowl and threat of development. The goal was to permanently protect at least 200 shallow lake shoreland acres.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
This project focused on the acquisition of habitat linkages that provided environmental protection of the shoreline and riparian zone, exhibited a high risk of development, supplied angler access, and afforded management access necessary for implementing habitat improvement projects.
Project goals were to protect 120 acres (1.4 miles of lake and stream shoreline) with the help of partner and other state funding. Partner funding includes donations of land value and cash.
Overall Project Outcome and Results
The Minnesota Valley Trust acquired 78.5 acres of priority lands in Lincoln Township of Blue Earth County to expand the Lincoln Waterfowl Production Area for the Minnesota Valley Refuge and Wetland Management District, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Of the 78.5 acres, 21 acres were acquired with Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund; the other 56.5 acres were acquired with nonprofit / other, non-state funds.