To bring together a diverse assortment of educational opportunities to one location and provide an easily accessed way for all ages and backgrounds to enhance their knowledge of the arts, culture and heritage. The McLeod County Fair connected with community people from multiple communities and backgrounds by hosting presentations and demonstrations by local artists and experts within the areas of the arts, cultural heritage and Minnesota history.
To bring provide new and diverse programming to the McLeod County Fair. Programming will include presentations and demonstrations by local artists and experts on pioneer trunks, Native American legends and beliefs, and the US Dakota conflict of 1862. By holding these demonstrations, the McLeod County Fair hopes to develop precedence and continue to offer demonstrations like these in future years.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is using this appropriation to purchase 35 acres, with 0.6 miles of shoreline, along the Vermillion River in Dakota County to be managed as Aquatic Management Areas. Priority will be given to lands that have a high risk of development, provide protection to shoreline and riparian zones, and allow access for anglers and habitat improvement projects.
The Minnesota Land Trust provides coordination, mapping, and data management for the Metropolitan Conservation Corridors partnership. Funds are being used to coordinate the partnership, guide strategic outreach and implementation efforts, manage project data, and provide reporting and mapping of accomplishments.
Friends of the Mississippi is using this appropriation to restore and enhance approximately 163 acres of permanently protected prairie and forest lands in Dakota, Washington, Ramsey, and Hennepin counties in order increase the amount of high quality habitat within designated conservation corridors. Specific activities will include updating management plans, soil preparation, prescribed burning, native vegetation installation, woody encroachment removal, and invasive species control.
These funds will enable Great River Greening to restore approximately 121 acres of permanently protected forests, savanna, prairie, and wetland habitat and 0.18 miles of shoreland habitat while engaging hundreds of volunteers in the stewardship of the Metropolitan area's remaining natural areas. Specific activities include invasive species control, seeding/planting, prescribed burning, and other associated activities.
The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust is using this appropriation to purchase a total of approximately 125 acres of land to expand the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and to restore and enhance approximately 405 acres of oak savanna and remnant native prairie communities within the refuge. Many benefits are anticipated from this project, including improved habitat connectivity, protection of native species, improved water quality in the Minnesota River, and increased public access to natural lands for activities such as hiking, hunting, and fishing.
Through this appropriation Dakota County plans to permanently protect approximately 287 acres along rivers, including the Vermillion and Cannon Rivers, by securing conservation easements from willing landowners. For all acres protected, natural resource management plans will be prepared to ensure their long term stewardship. Additionally, restoration and enhancement activities are expected to occur on approximately 75 acres.
The Trust for Public Land is using this appropriation to purchase approximately 30 acres of land and 0.3 miles of shoreline with high ecological value and then convey the land to state or local governments for long-term stewardship and protection. Lands being considered for permanent protection in this round of funding include areas around the Rum River and Rice Creek in Anoka County, Lindstrom Natural Area in Chisago County, Savage Fen Scientific and Natural Area and Pike Lake in Scott County, and St. Croix/Fraconia-Scandia Scientific and Natural Area in Washington County.
With this appropriation, the Minnesota Land Trust plans to protect 150 acres of high quality forest, prairie, or wetland habitat by securing permanent conservation easements and dedicating funds for their perpetual monitoring, management, and enforcement. Lands being considered for permanent protection in this round of funding are located in Anoka, Carver, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Washington, and Wright counties.
To promote and highlight artistic excellence by displaying artists’ works at the fair. The Meeker County Agricultural Society purchased display cases in which to display fine arts like quilts and embroidery. The fair will be able to increase the number of exhibits it offers and will keep the object safe.
To offer several types of historical music and dance lessons to fairgoers. The Meeker County Agricultural Society will host two bands along with a professional dance teacher to teach fairgoers swing, the jitterbug, lindy, waltz, and other types of historical dance. The events follow the 4-H’s motto of “learning by doing.”
To promote and highlight artistic excellence by displaying local artists’ works at the fair. The Meeker County Agricultural Society will purchase display cases in which to showcase fine arts. This will allow the fair to increase the number of exhibits by not only offering additional space, but by encouraging artists to display valuable pieces by providing secure cases for exhibitions.
Picnic shelter, restroom enclosures, ADA Trail, access road safety improvements, renovation of historic pump station, reconstruction of steps and trail for hiking access, interpretive kiosks, improvements to existing disc golf, mountain bike, hiking and cross country skiing trails, storage building, bike lockers, geocaching course and restoration of historic picnicking areas.
Construction of approximately 2 miles of the Mesabi Regional Trail beginning in Soudan at the Brietung Town Hall and ending at the Vermillion State Park entrance road.
This project will establish a groundwater monitoring network in the 11 county metropolitan area. The network will provide information about aquifer characteristics and natural water trends by monitoring healthy aquifers (non-stressed systems). The project will also develop an automated system that captures groundwater level and water use data. This system will enhance evaluation of changes in aquifers that are stressed by pumping from existing wells.
Metro Big Rivers Phase 3 protected 67 acres of significant habitat along more than 1 mile of the Mississippi River, restored 8 acres of prairie and enhanced 495 acres of priority habitat (47 wetland acres, 50 prairie acres and 398 forest acres) in the Metropolitan Urbanizing Area.
Minnesota’s 12 regional public library systems, which encompass 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional public library system receives a formula-driven allocation from the annual $3 million Minnesota Regional Library Legacy Grant.
