Minnesota's iconic northern forests, wetlands, and brushland habitats require management beyond basic forestry practices or at smaller scales than commercial operations work. Other enhancements, such as brushland shearing or mowing have low commercial value but high wildlife value. These additional habitat enhancements improve the quality of the forests for both wildlife and outdoor recreation.
Grasslands continue to be the most threatened habitat in the state. This programmatic request will build on the DNR's history of enhancing and restoring grasslands, embedded wetlands, and oak savannas to increase wildlife populations. The Prairie Plan, Pheasant Plan, and Wildlife Action Plan will guide our efforts to ensure we are operating in a strategic and targeted manner.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) will complete six fish passage projects to reconnect reaches of habitat for fish and other aquatic life, restore 71 acres on eight rivers to create over six miles of diverse habitat, and enhance 224 acres of riparian and terrestrial habitat on Aquatic Management Areas. The footprint of fish passage projects is small, but projects will reconnect over 290,000 acres of lake and river habitat.
Minnesota's iconic forests and brushland habitats require enhancement beyond DNR timber harvest practices. Enhancements, such as brushland shearing provide critical wildlife habitat but are not achieved through timber harvest practices. These additional habitat benefits improve the quality of the forests for wildlife, water quality and outdoor recreation. DNR's Conservation Agenda, Wildlife Action Plan, Forest Action Plan, SNA Strategic Land Protection, Fish Habitat Plan, will guide habitat enhancements in this proposal to meet the objectives put forth in these plans.
Grasslands continue to be the most threatened habitat in the state. This programmatic request will build on the DNR's history of enhancing and restoring grasslands, embedded wetlands, and oak savannas. The Prairie Plan, Pheasant Plan, and Wildlife Action Plan will guide our efforts to ensure we are operating in a strategic and targeted manner. This proposal will enhance and restore grasslands on 5,700 acres parcels that are permanently protected and most open to public hunting using prescribed fire, tree removal, high-diversity seedings, and similar practices.
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 approximately 130 acres and 8 miles of trout stream corridor 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.
This DNR Aquatic Habitat appropriation used a programmatic approach to achieve prioritized aquatic habitat restoration, and enhancement of lakes and streams across all the LSOHC planning regions. Two large stream restoration projects totaling 54 acres were completed with this appropriation. Also, habitat enhancement projects were completed on 51 Aquatic Management Areas, totaling 1252 acres. Stream habitat work for this appropriation and LSOHC-funded projects from other appropriations was aided by funding for a stream restoration coordinator and interns.
We restored and enhanced a total of 15,577 grassland acres with 239 projects on Wildlife Management Areas, Scientific and Natural Areas, and Native Prairie Bank easements.
Through this appropriation MN DNR was able to acquire 115 aces of permanent trout stream conservation easements, nearly doubling the AP goal of 62 acres. This amounts to over seven miles of protected shoreline. We were able to nearly fully send the appropriation. All the acquired easements are now open to public angling and are locate in SE and NE Minnesota. This appropriation also included a contribution to the Conservation Stewardship Account.
The karst topography of southeast Minnesota increases the possibility of drinking water supplies becoming contaminated with high concentrations of nitrates. To address this risk in the region, there needs to be an increase in the use of nitrogen best management practices and agronomic rates of nitrogen need to be fine-tuned to balance production with environmental degradation. In addition, potential point sources of nutrient contamination in groundwater need to be addressed wherever possible. This project will have three components that will address these needs.
This project will provide cost-share funds to landowners in vulnerable groundwater areas for the incorporation of cover crops in their crop rotation and to provide education related to nitrogen BMPs through field trials and Nutrient Management Plans. An anticipated 100 producers in highly vulnerable areas, will plant 3,000 acres of cover crops resulting in preventing potentially 19,800 pounds of nitrate from leaching into groundwater.
For this project, eahpro is interested in focusing efforts in obesity prevention and chronic diseases through amplification and celebration of Somali arts, culture and heritage in Minnesota, because different Somali dances are exercise which help to prevent obesity and chronic disease. If we get help from Minnesota humanities center (MHC) we will create multicultural event and dinners to show different communities how Somali culture and heritage and dance are important and can be part of prevention of chronic diseases.
