This project is a partnership between several organizations to restore diverse prairie and wetland habitat in areas adjacent to existing DNR Wildlife Management Areas. Parcels are identified by working with the representatives of local government, Windom Area DNR, Ducks Unlimited (DU), The Conservation Fund (TCF), and the Fox Lake Conservation League. Wetland restoration and additional grasslands are needed to make our WMA's sustainable.
Two strategically identified parcels were purchased and restored totaling 463 acres. Four Corners WMA tract 11 (Kittleson tract) restored 55 acres of wetlands and 163 acres of diverse native prairie. With the recent addition of a private RIM easement on adjacent lands, a large wetland basin which crosses property lines will be restored soon via tile removal from that project. All work from this program is completed on this tract.
Prepare a master plan amendment for Battle Creek Regional Park, Rice Creek North Regional Trail, and develop a master plan for Lexington Avenue Regional Trail including design/engineering, community engagement to identify improvements for existing elements such as buildings, roads, parking, creeks, ponds, lakes, wetlands, trails, animal exercise, amenities, turf games, landscaping, utilities, stormwater management, restoration, signage, gathering nodes, fitness/play elements, land acquisition.
Through this project, the function and water quality of County Ditch Number 11 (CD #11) will be improved, contributing toward water quality improvements in Winsted Lake. This will be done by implementing 10 grade stabilization structures, 4 water and sediment control basins, and 1 grassed waterway throughout the drainage systems watershed. By completing this project a sediment will be reduced by 108 tons per year, and total phosphorus will be reduced by 124 pounds per year.
This project will locally maintain the ongoing efforts established by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to assess surface water quality at two locations within McLeod County; specifically, South Fork Crow River near Lester Prairie and Buffalo Creek near Glencoe.
Using the best science and biological data available, this project will protect sites that the DNR and has identified as high priority habitat acquisitions that are vital to support specific wildlife targets in the Metro Section Planning region. The Conservation Fund (TCF) will proactively contact and negotiate land protection with willing landowners in these complexes in coordination with DNR and local conservation groups and local communities to maximize wildlife populations of statewide and local importance.
It is critical to train new staff, create modeling protocols for new BMPs, refine and calibrate models, and test ever-advancing modeling applications. The Metro Conservation District?s (MCD) Sub-Watershed Analysis (SWA) program provides these capacity-building services and unites efforts across 11 SWCDs. MCD proposes to analyze an additional 15 subwatersheds. The analyses will identify the location and estimated cost/benefit relationship for BMPs, evolve with new technology, and share discoveries metro-wide.
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 successfully completed work with the Phase 8 / ML2018 OHF appropriation, exceeding amended acreage goals by 16% and completing work on 701 acres. Partners protected 87 acres through fee title acquisition and 199 acres through permanent conservation easement, restored 6 acres and enhanced 409 acres.
MBR 8 expended 97% of the OHF funds granted and leveraged the grant by 60% with over $1.5 million in other funds and landowner donation of easement value.
Metro Big Rivers successfully completed work with the Phase 9 / ML2019 OHF appropriation, exceeding acreage goals by 55% and completing work on 1,723 acres (goal was 1,115 acres). Partners protected 207 acres through permanent conservation easement, restored 50 acres and enhanced 1,466 acres.
MBR 9 expended 94% of the OHF funds granted and leveraged the grant 51% with over $2.0 million in other funds, landowner donation of easement value, and in-kind work by the USFWS.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network (WPLMN) forms the core of a long-term program designed to measure and compare regional differences and trends in pollutant loadings from Minnesota’s mainstem rivers and the outlets of major watersheds and subwatersheds draining to these rivers.
Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can 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 library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA) is a federated regional public library system in the Twin Cities Metro Area in central Minnesota.
Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can 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 library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA) is a federated regional public library system in the Twin Cities Metro Area in central Minnesota.
The Humanities Center used a portion of the Legacy funding for program planning and management. This support includes work such as exploratory and planning meetings for new initiatives and program management of all our Legacy work.
The Humanities Center used a portion of the Legacy funding to provide administrative support for Legacy-funded work. This support includes work such as financial management, reporting, technology, and website maintenance.
This project will reduce sediment and nutrient loading by 141 tons of sediment and 120 pounds of phosphorus annually while improving in-stream and riparian habitat by restoring a 2/3-mile corridor of Middle Sand Creek. This project expands upon the Lower Sand Creek Corridor Restoration project funded in part by a FY18 CWF grant and results in the restoration of over a mile of contiguous stream corridor.
Migizi holds a large collection of reel-to-reel audio tape recordings of our original radio programming. Migizi intends to transfer 1,000 pieces of reel-to-reel audio to a digital format so that it may be preserved and re-introduced. With our media partner, KFAI Fresh Air Radio, we will produce 12 new audio stories utilizing the archive as source material. Stories will be broadcast on KFAI’s airwaves and digital media platforms for listeners across Minnesota on the AMPERS Radio Network.
Objective 1: By September 1, 2019, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (MLBO) Nay Ah Shing (NAS) school and MLBO Human Resources (HR) will contract an hire an Immersion Consultant for delivery of Immersion services within the NAS Ojibwe program to project end. Objective2: By September 1, 2019, MLBO NAS and MLBO HR will contract and hire a Cultural Arts Consultant for delivery of cultural arts services including delivering of crafting and sewing programming as a component of NAS Ojibwe culminating activity.
Objective 1: By September 20, 2019, staff of MLBO Ojibwe Language Immersion program and MLBO OMB professionals responsible for relevant acquisition processes will purchase materials and resources necessary for the student attendance of Language Bowl and other quiz-type Ojibwe language competitions throughout the state, as well as those necessary for hosting a Language Bowl at MLBO, including financial provision for travel, food, and competition materials, as allowed by relevant granting policies and procedures.
Continue rehabilitation of Minnehaha Regional Park Pavilion to upgrade public spaces including restrooms, open seating areas, plaza spaces, stairs, ramps, and landscaping. Work will include design, engineering, architecture, and construction.
Design, engineer, and construct rehabilitation projects associated with existing trails, bridges, habitat enhancement, stormwater management and water quality infrastructure, and signage. Projects will be determined through community participation in a master planning process. This funding is a continuation of several years of Parks and Trails Funds dedicated to this project.
