This Phase 5 continuation of the Wild Rice Shoreland Protection Program will utilize permanent conservation easements to protect 500 acres, translating to approximately 3 miles of wild rice shoreland habitat. Sites are selected through an integrative ranking process that considers development risk, surrounding land use, habitat value, and numerous other criteria. BWSR will utilize the RIM Easement process in partnership with 12 local SWCDs within the Northern Forest and Forest/Prairie Transition Sections during the appropriation term.
Twenty six easements protecting 1,173.3 were recorded which exceeded the original proposal by 173 acres (15%). 11.6 miles of shoreline were protected which exceeded the 8 acre goal by 30%. Total expenditure was $1,355,000 which was 17% lower than originally budgeted. No fee-title land acquisition opportunities on wild rice lakes that fit within DNR and other government agency land plans were available during this time period thus DU did not expend any of the $100,000 budgeted for fee-title acquisition. Instead the program focused on RIM easements.
Phase 2 of the Wild Rice River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) project includes: continued civic engagement; production of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study, which allocates pollutant load reductions for impaired waters; and production of the WRAPS report, which identifies implementation strategies that will maintain or improve water quality in many lakes and streams throughout the watershed.
This Phase III continuation of the Wild Rice Shoreland Protection project acquired 98 acres for Yaeger Lake Wildlife Management Area (total acquisition was 285 acres but a portion was funded with other LSOHC money, only the portion funded with this grant is reported here) and 14 RIM easements protecting 600 acres for a total of 698 acres of wild rice shoreland habitat in the Northern Forest Section. This exceeded this Phases overall goal by acres for RIM.
Assesss current data sources and preliminary information about the conditions in the watershed and present the information through bibliographies, abstracts and memos.
This Corridor Habitat Restoration Project is a cooperative effort between the District (WRWD), MN Board of Soil and Water Resources (MNBWSR), MN DNR, and Red River Watershed Management Board (RRWMB). This is a voluntary program with the long-term goal to restore a natural corridor area along the Lower Reach of the Wild Rice River. When completed, the project will restore 23 channelized river miles to 50 miles of natural stream channel.
The Bird’s Eye Lake AMA acquisition has been completed. A portion of the land cost had come from this
appropriation, the 2016 Aquatic Habitat OHF appropriation, and by gifts matched with RIM Critical Habitat. This
tract consists of 52 acres, of which 5 acres are being reported on under this appropriation, as to not double count
acreage.
The Wilder Foundation Archive was made more accessible to the public as a result of building on initial efforts by organizing and preserving fifty-nine (59) cubic feet of archival materials. The materials were inventoried and digitized, preservation issues were addressed and remedied and finding aids were created and made available. Some historic documents were donated to the Minnesota Historical Society, the University of Minnesota Social Work Archive, Stillwater Historical Society and the NPRHA Archives East End.
To hire a qualified consultant to conduct an architectural study of the windows in the Brown County Historical Society building, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2016, VocalEssence WITNESS welcomes artist Melanie DeMore to help us explore the Underground Railroad in Minnesota—specifically how our state has been a place of sanctuary for refugees from the time of slavery through today. As part of this project, Melanie will help record absent narratives of those who have found sanctuary in Minnesota, and these stories will be shared in video and written form to explore the concept of sanctuary as part of the WITNESS School Program.
Wolves are a hot topic in Minnesota, with the public sharply divided on management issues such as wolf hunting. The complexity of the topic lends itself to a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation that is not always helpful to resolving the polarized debate.
An online timeline of legislation that has significantly affected women from Suffrage (1920) to the present was published. The entries are listed in chronological order. Each point on the timeline has a summary of the legislation and is linked to documentation related to the law's passage. Specific legislation can be indentified in conjunction with how many female legislators were holding office at that time.
The personal recollections of six women who have sought or held office in Minnesota were videotaped. These oral histories speak of the barriers, biases, challenges and opportunities they faced in politics. The recorded interviews are permanent additions to the Minnesota Historical Society archives. They were also used in a 30 minute broadcast television program on TPT (Twin Cities Public Television).
As part of a larger project to create a documentary on women's political history in Minnesota, historic footage, photographs, news clips and portions of taped oral history interviews were assembled and edited. The project produced a thirty-minute video documentary prepared for broadcast on Minnesota public television stations. AAUW owns the copyright and has offered programs and DVD copies to communities statewide, including a copy sent to the Minnesota historical Society.
To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the 1913 Woodland Park Baptist Church, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Having completed one year in a new and expanded facility, the Duluth Children’s Museum focused on deepening and enriching the visitor experience. Minnesota Arts and Cultural Legacy funding allowed the Museum to focus on intensive educational program services; the rotation of the exhibits to bring fresh and new experiences to the visitor; and investment in a new tracking and reporting system, Altru by Blackbaud, a project begun with a previous Legacy grant.
Young Forest Conservation Phase III will continue American Bird Conservancy's successful, ongoing efforts to maintain, restore, and enhance Golden-winged Warbler, American Woodcock, and Ruffed Grouse breeding habitat on publicly protected lands in Minnesota. This work also benefits a suite of associated deciduous, mixed upland and lowland forest habitat species within a diverse, contiguous landscape-level forest matrix. Through Phases I and II, ABC completed 5,535 acres of high-quality early successional habitat projects.
Restore 3,647 acres of public forest to help meet wildlife and recreational goals within six Minnesota conservation plans, leverage $500,000 from outside sources for forest restoration on private lands and keep Golden-winged Warbler off the ESA.
