This proposal will accomplish shallow lake and wetland enhancement and restoration work throughout Minnesota, with a focus on the prairie region. Almost 4,200 acres of wetland habitat will be impacted. The proposal is comprised of two components - (1) projects to engineer and implement shallow lake and wetland enhancement activities; (2) funding to continue the existing Roving Habitat Crew in Region 3 to conduct habitat management work on public lands.
This Phase 2 partnership will accelerate USFWS wildlife habitat easements to restore and protect 775 acres of private grasslands and pothole wetlands in west-central Minnesota, and restore 50 additional prairie-wetland acres too. These "working land" conservation easements allow delayed haying and grazing while protecting restored wetlands and prairie grasslands for nesting ducks, pheasants, and other wildlife.
This proposal will accomplish shallow lake and wetland enhancement and restoration work on over 555000 acres. The proposal is comprised of two components - (1) nine projects to engineer and/or construct infrastructure such as water control structures, dikes, and fish barriers that will lead to enhanced or restored wetland wildlife habitat, plus aerial cattail spraying of hybrid cattails; (2) Continued funding for four shallow lakes specialists.
DU and PF will help accelerate USFWS wildlife habitat easements by restoring and enhancing 1,900 acres of protected private grasslands and wetlands in Minnesota's Prairie and Transition Sections. These are "working lands" under permanent federal conservation easements that allow delayed haying and/or grazing while protecting restored wetlands and prairie grasslands for nesting ducks, pheasants, and other wildlife.
The Anoka Sand Plain (ASP) Partnership protected 423 acres through conservation easement, restored/enhanced 768 acres of Prairie/Oak Savanna, Wetland, Habitat, and Woodland/Forest habitats, including rescue and relocation of 11,000 rare plants, at sites centered around the DNR's ASP ecoregion. Overall, we reached 112% of our acreage goals, and an additional 5.4 miles of shoreline.
Phase VIII of the RIM Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape ACUB Partnership utilized permanent RIM conservation easements to acquire 1,755-acres of high quality habitat within the ACUB work area. We secured 7 easements including the two one contiguous block but done as two easements for legal reasons) Cushing Land Company easements that totaled 1,464 acres. In total one of the largest RIM easements ever acquired.
Phase IX of the RIM Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape ACUB Partnership secured 7 permanent RIM conservation easements to protect 539-acres of high quality habitat. We hit the estimated number of acres from the original Accomplishment Plan. BWSR utilized the RIM easement process in partnership with the Morrison SWCD to secure habitat corridor easements on sites within Crow Wing, Cass, and Morrison counties during the appropriation term.
The Camp Ripley ACUB Phase VII project protected 598.2 acres of high quality habitat along the Crow Wing, Gull, Nokasippi, and Mississippi River corridors through nine conservation easements.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) currently partners with seven non-governmental organizations to strategically acquire new fee title land from willing sellers that meets state land-management goals. A detailed set of criteria is used to determine whether a proposed acquisition meets DNR goals. With every fee title land acquisition that is conveyed to the DNR, core functions make sure the parcel is legally acquired and meets minimal development standards for public access and cultural resource protection.
