All Projects

55 Results for
Recipient
University of St. Thomas
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$203,000

The occurrences of contaminants including antibiotics, other pharmaceuticals, and personal care products in the environment have gained increasing attention in recent years because of their potential health and ecological impacts. However, serious gaps remain in our understanding of these contaminants and the significance of the threats they may pose, such as to drinking water. Through this appropriation scientists at the University of St.

Anoka
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Ramsey
Sherburne
Stearns
Wabasha
Wright
Recipient
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$140,000

Garlic mustard is a non-native, invasive plant species that is severely threatening native plant communities and degrading wildlife habitat in forest and riparian zones throughout the state. The plant is considered the highest priority species for development of long-term management solutions such as biological control, which involves using natural enemies of a non-native species from its native region to control or reduce the impact of the species in the areas where they are invasive.

Statewide
Recipient
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$200,000

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.

Statewide
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
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$135,000

Appropriations to non-state entities must be made through a formal contract with a state entity that manages all of the funds for the project on a reimbursement basis. This appropriation to Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) funds the expenses incurred by the DNR in contracting, contract management, and expense re-imbursement for most of the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund appropriations made to non-state entities, including both new projects funded during the biennium and existing projects funded in previous bienniums.

Statewide
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
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,200,000

The Minnesota County Geologic Atlas program is an ongoing effort begun in 1979 that is being conducted jointly by the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Geological Survey and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This portion, called Part B and conducted by the DNR, analyzes water samples to understand water chemistry and sensitivity to pollution.

Anoka
Blue Earth
Clay
Houston
Morrison
Nicollet
Renville
Sherburne
Sibley
Wright
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,875,000

The Minnesota County Geologic Atlas program is an ongoing effort begun in 1982 that is being conducted jointly by the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Geological Survey and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The program collects information on the geology of Minnesota to create maps and reports depicting the characteristics and pollution sensitivity of Minnesota's ground-water resources.

Benton
Carlton
Carver
Chisago
Sherburne
Sibley
Recipient
MN DNR
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$540,000

Asian carp pose a real and serious threat to Minnesota’s aquatic ecosystems. While there are a few instances of individual carp being found in Minnesota waters, including the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, it is not presently believed that there are significant established populations in the state. In order to quickly and effectively respond to threats posed by Asian carp in the future, though, detailed information about the fish themselves is needed.

Statewide
Recipient
US Fish and Wildlife Service
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$50,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$225,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results
The objective of this project was to accelerate Ducks Unlimited (DU) bio-engineering assistance to help agencies design and construct enhancement projects on shallow lakes for waterfowl using water control structures. DU biologists and engineers provided technical assistance to Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and private landowners around shallow lakes with a goal of:

Statewide
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$145,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results
DNR spent $140,689 to continue on-site field investigations to accelerate management of shallow lakes and adjacent wetland complexes and support the accomplishments of Ducks Unlimited through HCP 2c and 3c. Temporary field personnel (1 full time and up to 6 temporary) documented shallow lake habitat occurrence and quality. Habitat surveys were conducted on 171 lakes within seven HCP project areas. The lakes surveyed totaled over 82,831acres. The surveys were distributed more broadly than in the past with:

Statewide
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$50,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$100,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
National Wild Turkey Federation
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$85,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results
This project contained two types of habitat enhancement that resulted in the enhancement of a total of 72 acres of habitat.

Cottonwood
Fillmore
Goodhue
Houston
Jackson
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$75,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$75,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
The Nature Conservancy
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$365,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results
The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) 2009 work program focused on 6 habitat restoration projects totaling 3,664 acres (3,118-ENRTF funds; 546-other funds). Additional details, beyond the short summary below, are found in the more detailed reporting provided for each project.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Land Trust
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$210,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results
The objective of this project was to accelerate Ducks Unlimited (DU) efforts to help improve and protect shallow lakes managed for waterfowl. To protect shallow lakes, DU worked with private shallow lake shoreline landowners to secure permanent conservation easements on managed shallow lakes prioritized by DU for their importance to waterfowl and threat of development. The goal was to permanently protect at least 200 shallow lake shoreland acres.

Statewide
Recipient
Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$420,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
Pheasants Forever, Inc.
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$350,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$300,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results
This project focused on the acquisition of habitat linkages that provided environmental protection of the shoreline and riparian zone, exhibited a high risk of development, supplied angler access, and afforded management access necessary for implementing habitat improvement projects.

Project goals were to protect 120 acres (1.4 miles of lake and stream shoreline) with the help of partner and other state funding. Partner funding includes donations of land value and cash.

Statewide
Recipient
The Trust for Public Land
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$350,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Statewide
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$25,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results
This project focused on paying professional services related to the conveyance of habitat corridor lands to the DNR by HCP partners. Parcels acquired from HCP partners will be placed in public ownership and administered as State Wildlife Management Areas.

Project goals were to pay professional services as parcels are conveyed to DNR by nonprofit HCP partners. During this appropriation only Pheasants Forever (PF) projects were conveyed to DNR.

Statewide
Recipient
Pheasants Forever
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$100,000

Overall Project Outcome and Results

Duties assigned to the project coordinator under this work program and as outlined and approved by the Habitat Conservation Partnership were to:

Statewide
Recipient
Red Lake Watershed District
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$400,000

Since 2000, a diverse group of partners has been collectively working in northwestern Minnesota on one of the largest prairie-wetland restorations in the world. Spanning 22,000 acres and adjacent to an additional 16,000 acres of public and private conservation land, the goal of the Glacial Ridge Project has been to demonstrate whether large-scale habitat restoration is a viable way to reduce flooding and improve water quality. Prior to beginning restoration efforts on the project, a comprehensive baseline hydrologic study of the area was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Land Trust
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$100,000

Project Outcome and Results
The Metro Conservation Corridors (MeCC) Partnership completed its fifth phase of work to accelerate protection and restoration of remaining high-quality natural lands in the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area. Work was accomplished by strategically coordinating and focusing conservation efforts within a connected network of critical lands that stretches from the area's urban core to its rural perimeter, including portions of 16 counties.

Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Recipient
Friends of the Mississippi River
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$90,000

Project Outcome and Results

Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Ramsey
Washington
Recipient
Friends of the Minnesota Valley
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$90,000

Project Outcome and Results

Carver
Hennepin
Le Sueur
Scott
Sibley
Recipient
Great River Greening
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$155,000

Project Outcome and Results

Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Isanti
Le Sueur
Nicollet
Ramsey
Rice
Scott
Sherburne
Sibley
Stearns
Washington
Wright
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,175,000

Project Outcome and Results

Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Recipient
MN DNR
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$410,000

Project Outcome and Results

Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Isanti
Le Sueur
Ramsey
Scott
Sherburne
Washington
Wright
Recipient
The Trust for Public Land
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$380,000

Project Outcome and Results
In its Critical Lands Protection Program, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) used $380,000 ENRTF funds to secure fee title on 21.63 ENRTF acres of 402 total acquired acres. TPL conveyed these lands to public agencies for permanent protection. Individual project successes include the following:

Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Recipient
Minnesota Land Trust
2010 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000

Project Outcome and Results

Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Isanti
Le Sueur
Nicollet
Ramsey
Rice
Scott
Sherburne
Sibley
Washington
Wright
Recipient
Friends of the Mississippi River

Friends of the Mississippi is using this appropriation to permanently protect six acres through fee title acquisition for addition to Fish Creek Natural Area near Maplewood, MN, and to restore and enhance approximately 134 acres of permanently protected prairie, savanna, wetland, and forest habitat in Dakota, Washington, Ramsey, and Hennepin counties. Specific restoration and enhancement activities will include updating management plans, soil preparation, prescribed burning, native vegetation installation, woody encroachment removal, and invasive species control.

Dakota
Hennepin
Ramsey
Washington
Recipient
Great River Greening

These funds will enable Great River Greening to restore approximately 90 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.

Anoka
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Isanti
Ramsey
Scott
Sherburne
Washington
Recipient
Dakota County

Through this appropriation Dakota County plans to permanently protect approximately 27 acres of shoreland and contiguous upland in the Marcott Lakes area of Inver Grove Heights by securing a conservation easement from a willing landowner. 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 40 acres.

Dakota
Recipient
The Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land is using this appropriation to purchase approximately 24 acres of land and 0.2 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 an areas around the Rum River in Anoka County, Lindstrom Natural Area in Chisago County, and Carnelian Creek and Keystone Woods area in Washington County.

Anoka
Chisago
Scott
Washington
Recipient
Minnesota Land Trust

With this appropriation, the Minnesota Land Trust plans to protect 100 acres of high quality forest, prairie, wetland, or shoreline 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 Chisago, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, and Washington counties.

Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Goodhue
Hennepin
Isanti
Le Sueur
Nicollet
Ramsey
Rice
Scott
Sherburne
Sibley
Washington
Wright