The project will advance the protection, restoration and enhancement goals for prairie, grassland and wetland habitats as described in the 2018 MN Prairie Conservation Plan. It builds upon the highly successful model previously established in prior Prairie Recovery Phases and seeks to protect 500 acres in Fee without PILT obligations to be held by The Nature Conservancy, enhance 18,000 acres of permanently protected grasslands, and restore 200 acres of prairie and wetland habitat.
We propose to integrate Minnesota Wildflowers Information, an online tool for plant identification, with the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas, to preserve and extend this popular ENTRF-supported resource for future use.
This project helps Minnesota entities that directly or indirectly cause PFAS and microplastics contamination stop the flow of the contaminants by developing strategies to manage solid waste streams.
Granite rock outcrops along the Upper Minnesota River are among the oldest exposed rock in North America, dating back approximately 3.6 billion years. These outcrops are also home to rare and specialized plant and animal communities rarely found elsewhere in Minnesota, including several types of cactus and one of Minnesota's only three lizard species, the five-lined skink. However, these rock outcrops are increasingly threatened by mining, overgrazing, and development.
Private wells provide drinking water for the rural residents of Lac qui Parle County. This project will retrofit 35 well pits allowing the homeowner to continue using a serviceable well while safeguarding the source of their drinking water. Well pits, which are similar to a below-ground cistern, were once a common practice to prevent freezing in the winter. Many of these pits remain in use today. However, well pits are subject to flooding, especially if they are located in a floodplain. Flooding can contaminate the well and groundwater with bacteria from unknown sources.
We will characterize environmental drivers contributing to the decline of wild rice using lake sediment cores to reconstruct historical wild rice abundance in relation to lake and watershed stressors.
The Clean Water Fund (CWF) and Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF) were used together to secure easements on buffer areas. 84 easements have been recorded for a total of 1,441 acres and are reported in the output tables for the final report (acre total does not include Clean Water Fund acres). The total acreage from both CWF and OHF sources for recorded easements is 2,793.2 acres. Only the OHF acres are being reported in this final report to be consistent with the approved accomplishment plan.
We propose identifying hot spots of groundwater chloride pollution of surface waters due to excessive road salt use, which is a long term source increasing chloride impairment of surface waters.
Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) strategic acquisition (~85 acres) will conserve Minnesota's most unique places and rare species for everyone's benefit.
This education project will continue building the next generation of conservationists in Minnesota by engaging youths and adults in science and outdoor learning through radio, podcasts, newsletters and schoolyard exploration.
Ducks Unlimited's Phase 5 land program will acquire and restore 600 acres of prairie land and wetlands for inclusion in state Wildlife Management Areas for Minnesota DNR, with focus on restorable prairie lands and wetlands, and land buffering shallow lakes.
This Phase 11 request supports Ducks Unlimited's prairie land acquisition and restoration program. DU proposes to acquire and restore 550 acres of land containing drained wetlands and land on shallow lakes in SW Minnesota's Prairie Pothole Region for transfer into the Minnesota DNR's state WMA system. This land acquisition and restoration program focuses on restoring cropland with drained wetlands along shallow lakes and adjoining WMAs to help restore prairie wetland habitat complexes for breeding ducks and other wildlife.
State leadership for the 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife Program, including staff and 4-H volunteer committee members, will provide a menu of equipment options for local programs to choose from as a means to build their Shooting Sports & Wildlife project. Local programs will submit a grant application justifying how the new equipment will help them build and grow their program, attract and engage new audiences, and provide sustainability in their local chapter.
