At an average cost of less than $65 per student, Wilderness Inquiry's Canoemobile program provides introductory and immersive experiences for Minnesota students across the state. The program brings history and cultural heritage alive for students on their local lands and waterways, fostering a passion for Minnesota's culture and investing in the preservation of our outdoor heritage.
This project will connect over 11,000 students to the Boundary Waters through classroom education and wilderness canoe experiences, targeting diverse and underserved populations across Minnesota.
This project is the ecological restoration of 1,400 feet of Shingle Creek, an Impaired Water for low dissolved oxygen and impaired biota, in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. The Shingle Creek Impaired Biota and Dissolved Oxygen Total Maximum Daily Load requires sediment oxygen demand load reductions and establishes restoration design standards to enhance habitat that will be incorporated into this project.
Wilderness Inquiry will expand its work to provide a continuum of outdoor experiences for youth, adults, and families in communities across Minnesota by:
Though they are a relatively unnoticed group of species, native freshwater mussels are a critical part of river ecosystems because they provide a variety of important functions including improved water clarity, enhanced streambed stability, reduced downstream transport of contaminants, and creation of habitat for other aquatic life. However, mussel populations in Minnesota have declined in recent decades as a result of habitat destruction, pollution, land-use change, over-harvesting, and the introduction of exotic species.
As of 11/1/2022, the CPL program has provided over 900 grants totaling $109 million to over 200 different grantee organizations, improving or protecting over 339,000 acres of habitat. Demand for CPL grants has continued to grow each year as new applicants hear about the program and successful grantees return. In ML 2018 there were 107 grants awarded- 18 metro grants, 20 traditional grants, and 69 Expedited Conservation Partners grants. Through these 107 grants, over 18,000 acres were restored, enhanced, or protected. Over $11M was awarded to organizations for projects.
Educating Minnesotans about conservation issues and how they can engage in conservation activities is critical to the stewardship of our state’s natural resources. Legacy funds have been used to create new programs and expand existing activities to bring zoo guests and citizens statewide in close contact with animals and demonstrate the ways people can participate in conservation in their own backyard. Program highlights include:
Identify forest management actions and guidelines that maximize breeding season productivity across breeding cycle (nesting through post-fledgling) for three bird species of conservation concern: Golden-winged Warbler, Veery, and American Woodcock.
The Minnesota Zoo will improve the long-term viability of Minnesotas imperiled turtle populations by researching threats, implementing mechanisms to reduce mortality, and creating educational materials for use throughout the state.
The Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program will be managed by the Department of Natural Resources to provide competitive matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national non-profit organizations and government entities. In it's first 7 years of funding, the CPL program has provided 410 grants totaling $37 million to 133 different grantee organizations, positively affecting over 220,000 acres of habitat. Demand for CPL grants has continued to grow each year as new grantees hear about the program and successful grantees return.
Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program is managed by the Department of Natural Resources to provide competitive matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national non-profit organizations and government entities. In it's first 10 years of funding, the CPL program provided 760 grants, totaling $74.5 million to over 200 different grantee organizations, enhancing, restoring, or protecting over 350,000 acres of habitat.
The purchase of conservation easements—restrictions on land use that protect natural features while keeping land in private ownership—has proven to be an effective means to protect land at a lower initial cost than full state ownership. However, once an easement is purchased there are ongoing stewardship, monitoring, and enforcement responsibilities necessary to ensure the terms of the agreement between the easement holder and the landowner are met.
Enrollment of private lands in conservation programs can provide important natural resource and other public benefits by taking the lands out of production so that they can provide various wildlife, water quality, and ecological benefits. This appropriation is enabling the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources to continue to provide grants to local soil and water conservation districts for employment of technical staff to assist private landowners in implementing conservation programs.
Grassland ecosystems evolved to depend on periodic disturbances, such as fire and grazing, to maintain their health and stability. Periodic disturbances help control invasive species, add nutrients back into the soil, germinate plant seeds, enhance wildlife habitat, and more. In Minnesota habitat managers have used fire as a disturbance tool for decades but the use of grazing has been much rarer, mostly because of a lack of necessary infrastructure such as fencing.
Educating Minnesotans about conservation issues and how they can engage in conservation activities is critical to the stewardship of our State’s natural resources. Legacy funds have been used to create new programs and expand existing activities to bring zoo guests and citizens statewide in close contact with animals and the ways in which people can participate in conservation in their own backyard. Program highlights include:
In partnership with the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute, scientists and veterinarians from the Zoo are tracking moose in northeastern Minnesota to better understand their habitat and habits. This project will result in management recommendations to enable Minnesota’s moose population to be sustained into the future.
In partnership with other conservation agencies and organizations, the Zoo aims to prevent the extinction of Minnesota’s native prairie butterflies.
Legacy funding has allowed the Zoo to expand our education programs, both at the Zoo and throughout the state. By expanding existing programs and developing new programs we are able to reach a broader audience. We are increasing offerings for all ages in many different ways. Public opportunities to interact with Zoo staff have increased, and continue to expand. We are able to offer new programing to our guests, taking advantage of the new Target Learning Center space. The arts are being used, including theater, sculpture, and other media.
Significant interest exists across Hennepin County for providing additional water and natural resources education, engagement, and technical assistance to residents that leads to implementation of conservation practices on more residential properties and across more communities. WMWA, Hennepin County, and 5 metro Watershed-Based Implementation Funding (WBIF) convening groups propose a pilot program funded in part by metro WBIF allocations.
Contract with CCM for natural resource and maintenance management throughout the regional park system in Anoka County. Work includes conducting invasive species removals, prairie, oak savanna and forest restoration, oak wilt management, seeding, plantings, building and grounds maintenance, tree/shrub removal, debris removal, sign installation, river clean-up/obstruction removal, if needed.
The Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program is managed by the Department of Natural Resources to provide competitive matching grants of up to $400,000 to local, regional, state, and national non-profit organizations and government entities. In it's first 10 years of funding, the CPL program provided 650 grants, totaling $67 million to 195 different grantee organizations, enhancing, restoring, or protecting over 350,000 acres of habitat.
