This acquisition protected 2.7 miles of Mississippi river shoreline and nearly 2,000 acres of wetland and forest/upland habitat through fee title acquisition just east of Brainerd, MN.
Through the ML2015 Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Partnership appropriation, we permanently protected 1,923 acres of wildlife habitat in the quickly developing Mississippi Headwaters area. These accomplishments exceed the appropriation goal by 209%. Utilizing both fee-title acquisition and conservation easements, the partnership protected 10 projects, totaling over 11 miles of shoreline along the Mississippi River, its tributaries and nearby lakes.
The Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor Project Phase 1 (ML 16) achieved permanent protection of 1,478 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, including 11 miles of shoreland on the Mississippi River and on an adjacent lake. This accomplishment exceeded the appropriation goal by 178%. Utilizing fee-title acquisition and RIM conservation easements adjacent to public land, large habitat protection complexes were established, including one complex in Crow Wing County that protected over 9 contiguous miles along the Mississippi River.
The Mississippi Headwaters Board in partnership with The Trust for Public Land and BWSR assisted by 8 County SWCDs will permanently protect an additional 830 acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat along the first 400 miles of the Mississippi River, its major tributaries, 9 headwaters lakes and adjacent minor watersheds. Phases 1-7 have already protected 10,259 acres and 47 miles of shoreland using fee title acquisitions and conservation easements to create or expand permanently protected aquatic and upland wildlife habitat corridors/complexes.
This project will restore lost Mississippi River habitat and reintroduce mussels above St. Anthony Falls on four river islands and along approximately 6,000 linear feet of shoreline.
The Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor Project Phase IV (ML 18) achieved permanent protection of 1,590 acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat, including 12 miles of shoreland on the Mississippi River and adjacent lakes/tributaries. This accomplishment exceeded the appropriation goal by over 200%. Seven (7) fee-title acquisitions and 12 RIM conservation easements adjacent to public land created or expanded large habitat protection complexes. Acquisitions included 4 additions to county forests and 3 additions to DNR public land.
The Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor Project Phase III (ML 17) achieved permanent protection of 1,694 acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat, including 14.5 miles of shoreland on the Mississippi River and adjacent lakes/tributaries. This accomplishment exceeded the appropriation goal by over 200%. Fee-title acquisitions and RIM conservation easements adjacent to public land created or expanded large habitat protection complexes, including a new 232 acre WMA in Crow Wing County.
In Phase 7, The Mississippi Headwaters Board in partnership with The Trust for Public Land and BWSR assisted by 7 County SWCDs will permanently protect an additional 2,015 acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat along the first 400 miles of the Mississippi River, its major tributaries, and 9 headwaters lakes. Previous phases have already protected 4,130 acres and 34 miles of shoreland using fee title acquisitions and conservation easements to create or expand permanently protected aquatic and upland wildlife habitat corridors.
We propose a programmatic approach to achieve prioritized aquatic habitat protection for trout streams in Minnesota, with an emphasis on Southeast and Northeast Minnesota. We propose to protect 3.75 miles of trout streams, including approximately 75 acres with permanent conservation easements on private land. Protected lands will be designated as Aquatic Management Areas (AMA's) administered by the Minnesota
DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife.
DNR acquired a fee-title parcel designated as an Aquatic Management area in Itasca County. This acquisition protected 41 acres and exceeded the accomplishment plan goal. Nine trout stream conservation easements were also added to the AMA system. Two Forests for the Future easements with a combined total of 171 acres were acquired, achieving protection in priority watersheds while maintaining working forest in private ownership.
Update the state's 20-year-old native plant community classification guides to incorporate new data; streamline user application and access to products; and increase connections to evolving climate and vegetation trends.
Enhance lake conservation planning of state and local partners with a comprehensive update of Minnesota?s lake and pond GIS data as well as streamlining future maintenance.
Updating the Species in Greatest Conservation Need list through surveys, standardized assessments, and including rare plants for the first time to create v.3.0 of Minnesota?s Wildlife Action Plan
This project is part of a long-term, collaborative effort that will lead to cleaner water through targeted implementation projects and programs. It will accelerate the adoption of alternative culvert designs that improve biological connectivity and channel stability, reduce the flood stage and lower long-term infrastructure maintenance costs.
Moose, one of Minnesota's prized wildlife species, are dying at much higher rates in Minnesota than elsewhere in North America. Recently observed increases in mortality rates amongst some moose in northeastern Minnesota have led to concern that the population there may be entering a decline like that seen in the northwestern part of the state, where moose populations fell from over 4,000 to fewer than 100 in less than 20 years. Additionally the specific causes of increased mortality amongst individual moose remain under investigation.
The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS), in collaboration with federal, state, county, tribal, university and non-governmental organizational (NGO) partners, seeks to continue the successful work of previous Moose Habitat Collaborative (Collaborative) grants to stabilize/sustain Minnesota's moose population by enhancing ~8,000 acres of cover/forage habitat for moose.
The Minnesota Moose Habitat Collaborative enhanced approximately 7349 acres of moose habitat in northern forests of Northeastern Minnesota within Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties on county, state, and federal land.
The City of Moose Lake will be constructing a non-motorized recreation trail along Highway 73. This new trail will connect to several regional existing trails in the Moose Lake area.
The City of Hoyt Lakes and the Ranger ATV and Snowmobile Club will be improving the Moose and Seven Bears Trails and extending the trails to connect to regional trails.
The City of Morris and several partners will develop a model community for energy and environmental stewardship which will serve as a roadmap for other small communities across the state.
Conduct GHG emissions inventory of City and County operations within the operational boundary of the Morris Model partnership, implement policy to achieve regional targeted reductions, and document and disseminate findings
Construction funding is needed to stabilize a unique shoreline site using a bioengineered design incorporating native plants soil wraps, stream barbs and root wads to create aquatic habitat.
Complete the Morrison County culvert inventory started in 2016 to help solve landowner conflicts, protect wetlands, improve water quality, ensure road safety and design additional water storage throughout the county.
This habitat project presents a unique opportunity within the prairie region to convert 5.5 miles of ditched river to 8+ mile long stream channel within a 260 acre fish and wildlife habitat corridor composed of riparian wetlands and grasslands.
The Mustinka River Fish and Wildlife Habitat Corridor project will permanently rehabilitate a 5-mile straightened reach of the Mustinka River to a naturally functioning stream channel and floodplain.
National Loon Center dedicated to survival of loon, habitat protection, recreation, and environmental research establishing Minnesota as the premiere destination to experience the freshwater ecosystem we share with native wildlife.
Prior to European settlement more than 18 million acres of prairie covered Minnesota. Today less than 1% of that native prairie remains, and about half of those remaining acres are in private landownership without any formal protection currently in place. Through this appropriation the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will work with private landowners of high quality native prairie sites to protect remaining native prairie using a variety of tools. Approximately 200 acres are expected to be permanently protected through Native Prairie Bank conservation easements.
Native Prairie Bank (NPB) will help landowners conserve native prairie though multiple outreach methods, restoration and enhancement of 450 acres, and protection of 95 acres through conservation easements.
Native Prairie Bank (NPB) will help landowners conserve native prairie though multiple outreach methods, restoration and enhancement of 415 acres, and protection of 105 acres through conservation easements.
