All Projects

17 Results for
Recipient
Pheasants Forever
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,960,000
Fund Source

The proposal was to accelerate the protection of 1,220 acres of prairie grassland, wetland, and other wildlife habitat as State Wildlife Management Areas open to public hunting. Over the course of the appropriation, we acquired 11 parcels for a total of 1,484.05 acres which exceeded our total acre goal of 1,220 acres by 264.05 acres.  Breaking down acres by ecological section we acquired 876 acres in the metro, 152 acres in the forest/prairie, and 456 acres in the prairie.  We have a balance of $52,798 that will be returned to the Fund despite exceeding our acre goals.

Brown
Carver
Cottonwood
Jackson
Le Sueur
Lincoln
Martin
McLeod
Mower
Murray
Pipestone
Renville
Stearns
Stevens
Recipient
DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,790,000
Fund Source

Many of Minnesota's wetlands have been lost and the remainder degraded.  The original proposal planned for 15,000 acres of wetland/shallow lake enhancement to provide critical habitat for each life stage of waterfowl and wetland wildlife.  The six projects subsequently completed with this appropriation enhanced 13,800 acres of wetlands and shallow lakes in the Prarie and Forest/Prairie Ecosections of Minnestoa.

Aitkin
Becker
Benton
Big Stone
Freeborn
Jackson
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Le Sueur
Lincoln
Mille Lacs
Nicollet
Polk
Roseau
Todd
Wilkin
Recipient
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$600,000

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.

Becker
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Chippewa
Clay
Douglas
Faribault
Grant
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Mahnomen
Norman
Otter Tail
Polk
Pope
Redwood
Stearns
Stevens
Traverse
Wilkin
Recipient
Hiawatha Valley Resource Conservation & Development, Inc.
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$52,000

Terrestrial invasive plants such as buckthorn, wild parsnip, garlic mustard, and others are becoming widespread threats throughout many sites in Minnesota. Present chemical and mechanical control methods tend to be costly, effective only in the short-term, or have other negative environmental impacts. However, an alternative practice of using grazing animals for invasive species management is used successfully in many parts of the western United States.

Dodge
Fillmore
Freeborn
Goodhue
Houston
Mower
Olmsted
Rice
Steele
Wabasha
Winona
Recipient
DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,250,000
Fund Source

DNR completed nine stream habitat projects with this appropriation. Four fish passage projects opened up access to 180 miles of river and 13,521 acres of lake and wetland habitat. We enhanced habitat on 39 Aquatic Management Areas, totalling 1440 acres, through the efforts of four positions funded by this appropriation. It also funded two stream habitat positions that oversaw the completion of 23 DNR projects and over 50 partner-lead projects funded by various OHF sources.

Aitkin
Becker
Beltrami
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Cass
Chippewa
Clay
Cook
Cottonwood
Crow Wing
Dakota
Douglas
Fillmore
Hubbard
Itasca
Jackson
Le Sueur
Lincoln
Martin
Meeker
Morrison
Otter Tail
Polk
Renville
Rice
Rock
St. Louis
Wabasha
Winona
Recipient
DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,783,400
Fund Source

Work resulting from this appropriation resulted in the acquisition, development, and inclusion of 2,095 acres into the state Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system, 74 acres into the the state Scientific and Natural Area system, and through easement acquisition added 387 acres to the state Native Prairie Bank.

Becker
Brown
Clearwater
Hubbard
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Pennington
Stearns
Stevens
Swift
Wadena
Wilkin
Wright
Recipient
DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,220,000
Fund Source

The following table provides a short summary of the accomplishments under this appropriation.  In total, the DNR enhanced and restored 283 sites for a total of 17,087 acres.  

Becker
Beltrami
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Clay
Cottonwood
Douglas
Faribault
Fillmore
Goodhue
Grant
Houston
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Lyon
Marshall
Martin
Nobles
Norman
Otter Tail
Polk
Pope
Redwood
Renville
Rice
Roseau
Sibley
Stevens
Swift
Traverse
Wabasha
Winona
Yellow Medicine
2025 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$300,000
2024 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$300,000
2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2022 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
Fund Source

The Minnesota DNR and the Minnesota Forest Resources Council work with forest landowners, managers and loggers to implement a set of voluntary sustainable forest management guidelines that include water quality best management practices (BMPs) to ensure sustainable habitat, clean water, and productive forest soils, all contributing to healthy watersheds. This project will monitor the implementation of these forest management guidelines and BMPs on forested watersheds in MN.

Aitkin
Anoka
Becker
Beltrami
Benton
Carlton
Cass
Clearwater
Cook
Crow Wing
Fillmore
Goodhue
Houston
Hubbard
Isanti
Itasca
Kanabec
Koochiching
Lake
Lake of the Woods
Mahnomen
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Olmsted
Otter Tail
Pine
Roseau
Sherburne
St. Louis
Stearns
Todd
Wabasha
Wadena
Winona
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,808,000
Fund Source

Minnesota’s use of groundwater has increased over the last two decades. An increasing reliance on groundwater may not be a sustainable path for continued economic growth and development. The DNR is establishing three pilot groundwater management areas (GWMA) to help improve groundwater appropriation decisions and help groundwater users better understand and plan for future groundwater needs associated with economic development.

Clearwater
Douglas
Meeker
Swift
Wadena
Anoka
Becker
Hubbard
Pope
Ramsey
Stearns
Washington
Recipient
Dept. of Agriculture / U of MN
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$240,000
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive insect that has been decimating ash trees throughout the Great Lakes states. It was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009 and is now found in four counties (Hennepin, Houston, Ramsey, and Winona). EAB poses a particularly serious threat to Minnesota because it is home to nearly 1 billion ash trees that occur throughout the state - the second most of any state.
Hennepin
Houston
Ramsey
Statewide
Winona
2025 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$150,000
2024 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$150,000
2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$135,000
2022 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$135,000
2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$150,000
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$150,000
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$110,000
2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$110,000
2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$110,000
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$110,000
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$110,000
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$110,000
Fund Source

Funding supports an Irrigation Specialist to develop guidance and provide education on irrigation and nitrogenbest management practices (BMPs). In this position, Dr. Vasu Sharma provides direct support to irrigators onissues of irrigation scheduling and soil water monitoring. She is collaborating on the development of new irrigationscheduling tools that help irrigators manage water and nitrogen resources more precisely. These tools help reducenitrogen leaching losses in irrigated cropping systems.

Becker
Beltrami
Benton
Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Cass
Chippewa
Clay
Crow Wing
Dakota
Douglas
Goodhue
Grant
Hubbard
Isanti
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Marshall
Meeker
Morrison
Mower
Norman
Otter Tail
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Renville
Rice
Sherburne
Stearns
Stevens
Swift
Todd
Wabasha
Wadena
Washington
Watonwan
Wright
Recipient
MN Trout Unlimited
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,470,000
Fund Source

Minnesota Trout Unlimited enhanced in-stream and riparian habitat for trout and other wildlife along more than 11 miles of coldwater streams across the state.  We far exceeded our original targets, enhancing habitat on 135 acres rather than 78.  We completed 16 separate stream habitat projects. Leveraging other funding and efficiently contracting projects allowed us to add habitat projects and adjust to changing conditions. 

Carlton
Cook
Dakota
Fillmore
Lake
Olmsted
St. Louis
Winona
Recipient
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$750,000

Prior to European settlement more than 18 million acres of prairie covered Minnesota. Today less than 1% of that native prairie remains, and about half of those remaining acres are in private landownership without any formal protection currently in place. Through this appropriation the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will work with private landowners of high quality native prairie sites to protect remaining native prairie using a variety of tools. Approximately 200 acres are expected to be permanently protected through Native Prairie Bank conservation easements.

Norman
Otter Tail
Pennington
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Redwood
Renville
Rice
Rock
Roseau
Stearns
Stevens
Swift
Traverse
Watonwan
Wilkin
Yellow Medicine
Recipient
The Nature Conservancy
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,310,000
Fund Source

Phase Four of the MN Prairie Recovery Program resulted in a total of 1,707 acres protected, 37,567 acres enhanced, and 440 acres restored. When combined with Phases 1-3 of the Prairie Recovery Program we have cumulatively protected 5,777 acres, enhanced 95,701 acres and restored 754 acres using Outdoor Heritage Fund dollars. We will continue to implement subsequent Phases toward meeting the conservation goals described in the MN Prairie Conservation Plan.

Big Stone
Chippewa
Clay
Cottonwood
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
Marshall
Murray
Nobles
Norman
Pennington
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Rock
Roseau
Stearns
Swift
Wilkin
Yellow Medicine
Recipient
The Nature Conservancy/MN Land Trust
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,644,600
Fund Source

The Nature Conservancy acquired in fee 3 properties that added 143 acres to the RJ Doer Memorial Hardwood Forest. The Minnesota Land Trust protected 3 properties with perpetual easements totaling 526 acres. The Nature Conservancy enhanced 396 acres of high priority habitat (bluff prairie and oak savanna) on existing state forest and Scientific and Natural Area lands, and an additional 35 acres on new fee acquisitions. 

Fillmore
Houston
Winona
Recipient
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,000,000

Over the past 100 years, about half of Minnesota’s original 22 million acres of wetlands have been drained or filled. Some regions of the State have lost more than 90 percent of their original wetlands. The National Wetland Inventory, a program initiated in the 1970s, is an important tool used at all levels of government and by private industry, non-profit organizations, and private landowners for wetland regulation and management, land management and conservation planning, environmental impact assessment, and natural resource inventories.

Beltrami
Cook
Itasca
Kittson
Koochiching
Lake
Lake of the Woods
Mahnomen
Marshall
Norman
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Roseau
St. Louis
Recipient
American Bird Conservancy
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,180,000
Fund Source

Using Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund dollars allocated in this grant, American Bird Conservancy (ABC) completed 2581 total acres of habitat enhancement on protected public lands in the northern MN Golden-winged Warbler focal area and 480 acres of acquisition adjacent to the Four Brooks Wildlife Management Area with assistance from The Conservation Fund.

Becker
Mille Lacs