The groundwater contained in confined glacial aquifers provides clean drinking water to many Minnesota residents. An important factor affecting the long-term sustainability of these aquifers is how water infiltrates through clayey deposits of overlying glacial till, which act as barriers to contaminants but also limit water flow and aquifer recharge. Very little is actually known about the properties and infiltration of water through till, which hinders the ability to accurately define the sustainability of these aquifers.
Audubon Minnesota and Minnesota Land Trust are requesting funds to protect 560 acres through conservation easement and to enhance 500 acres of significant wildlife habitat on protected private and public lands. Our project and parcel prioritization criteria places an emphasis on Important Bird Areas and priority areas identified in the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan, prioritizing the 6 northwestern Minnesota counties associated with the Tallgrass Aspen Parklands region.
The program protected 848 acres using OHF, and a total of 1,627 acres of forested habitat which leveraged over $2.2 million in other state and federal Department of Defense funding to permanently protect these lands near some of Minnesota's fastest developing cities (Baxter and Brainerd). This was a partnership effort involving The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Camp Ripley, City of Baxter, Sylvan Township, Cass County, and Crow Wing County. The local press covered the closing of the project on radio, TV, and the newspapers.
A partnership among the City of Baxter, Brainerd Public Schools, Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape program and The Conservation Fund will acquire 200 acres of riparian forest on the upper Mississippi River Headwaters.
This project will complete 18 permanent conservation easements, 30 forest management plans, and 20 best management practices (BMP) around Aitkin and Crow Wing Counties highest quality lakes.
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 magnitude, timing, and frequency of flow are key attributes governing the structure of native fish and aquatic communities. Through targeted protection and restoration projects, the Minnesota Land Trust will conserve these attributes and ensure resiliency of priority coldwater tributaries to Lake Superior.
Project protects forest wildlife habitat in central Minnesota through fee title acquisition of key forest tracts. Title of lands acquired is held by Cass County in fee.
This program will protect and restore approximately 400+ acres of forest and wetland wildlife habitat in central Minnesota (Cass County) through fee title acquisitions of industrial forest tracts. Title of lands acquired will be held by Cass County in fee.
This project has protected forest wildlife habitat in central Minnesota through fee title acquisition of key forest tracts. Title of lands acquired is held by Cass County in Fee.
Funding was used to design, install and evaluate deterrent barrier options in Minnesota and to cost share a barrier in northwest Iowa to limit or slow the movement of Invasive carp.
Project has protected forest wildlife habitat in central Minnesota through fee title acquisition of key forest tracts. Title of lands acquired will be held by Cass County in fee.
Landowner-donated conservation easements in Aitkin, Cass, and Crow Wing counties permanently conserved 260 acres and 3.6 miles of critical shorelands for the protection and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat and continued public recreational enjoyment of these aquatic resources.
Protected 585 acres of forest wildlife habitat in central Minnesota through fee title acquisition of key forest tracts. Title of lands acquired is held by Cass County in Fee.
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.
This project protected 282 acres of forest wildlife habitat in central Minnesota through fee title acquisition of key forest tracts. The title of the acquired lands will be held in fee by Cass County.
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.
This project protected 277 acres of forest wildlife habitat in central Minnesota through fee title acquisition of key forest tracts. The title of the acquired lands will be held in fee by Cass County without a PILT obligation.
White Earth has acquired all 2,034 acres and transferred them into fee title status. Initial assessment/inventory of habitat conditions and needs were conducted in summer of 2017. Most illegal dump sites were removed in summer of 2017. The parcel located east of Lower Rice lake adjacent to HWY 92, which contained remnants of ~ 5 acres of food plots, were planted into a pollinator prairie mix. This prairie planting makes the property compliant with the MN Buffer Law. This east parcel is in the planning stages of an early succession forest manage plan.
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 Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN); yet, at present, no habitat protection program specifically targets these priority resources.
This proposal serves to protect 580 acres and enhance 140 acres of forest habitats within Minnesota's public forests through fee title acquisition of strategic private forest land inholdings in State, County and National Forests. Successful efforts will 1) greatly increase management efficiencies and effectiveness of surrounding public forest lands, 2) address primary forest habitat management concerns of forest habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, and 3) serve to address critical forest and recreational user access needs.
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 Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN); yet, previous to this program, no habitat protection program specifically targeted these priority resources.
Invasive carp pose a threat to the ecology, economy, and natural resources of Minnesota. This proposal will include design, installation, and assessment of invasive carp deterrent and removal technologies at Lock and Dam 5 (LD5) on the Mississippi River and test new methods to support and enhance effectiveness of a lock deterrent. This LD5 invasive carp prevention and management program will be further developed in collaboration with partners, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and U.S.
Project will reduce EAB through community developed management (inventory, canopy assessment, management plan, removal, non-neonicotinoid treatment) and improve their community forest by involving citizens and planting a diversity of trees.
This statewide inventory will provide baseline data and build in-state knowledge on Minnesota's stoneworts, a diverse group of aquatic plants that are critical for clear lakes and healthy fish habitat.
Enormous growth in irrigation in Minnesota?s Mississippi Headwaters/Central Sands has occurred without assessment of water resource impacts. This project will assess aggregate irrigation water quality and quantity impacts/sustainability.
The magnitude, timing, and frequency of flow are key attributes governing the structure of native fish and aquatic communities. Through targeted protection projects, the Minnesota Land Trust will conserve these attributes and ensure resiliency of priority coldwater tributaries to Lake Superior. The Land Trust will protect 600 acres and 1.4 miles of shoreline by targeting high quality, priority parcels that will protect habitats for coldwater species such as trout and cisco, but also provide habitat for a number of wildlife species such as American woodcock and golden-winged warbler.
Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Citizen Science Program aims to prevent and reduce purple loosestrife by engaging, educating and empowering citizens in using a biocontrol to protect and restore native ecosystems.
We will quantify exposure to two contaminants for 12 Minnesota raptors. Polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) and methylmercury (Hg) are bioaccumulative toxicants that cause reproductive failure in birds.
Develop second swimming quarry to relieve pressure on existing swimming quarry. Construct T-dock access platform, a cantilevered access platform, informational and safety signage, restroom, picnic shelter and landscaping.
Pond enhancement project to repair and expand an existing man made pond to improve outdoor recreational opportunities for park visitors that use the pond for fishing, boating and wildlife viewing.
Acquire approximately 39.5 acres adjacent to the existing 643-acre Quarry Park and Nature Preserve and the DNR's 300-acre Quarry Park SNA. This key acquisition will open up a southern entrance serving the rapidly expanding St. Cloud metro area.
Guiding management for reduction of phosphorus inputs to Lake of the Woods by examining sources, mobility, and storage of sediment-bound phosphorus within Rainy River.
