LCMR 2005 PROJECT ABSTRACTS
MN Laws 2005, First
Special Session, Chapter 1, Article 2, Section 11 (July 1, 2005
through June 30, 2007)
The following documents are short abstracts for projects funded during
the 2006-2007 biennium. The final date of completion for these projects
is listed at the end of the abstract. When available, we have provided
links to a projects web site. The sites linked to on this page are not
created, maintained, or endorsed by the LCCMR office or the Minnesota
Legislature. If you would like further information about specific
projects, please contact the appropriate program manager at the address
or phone number listed.
Subd. 03 - Administration
Subd. 04 - Advisory Committee
Subd. 05 - Fish & Wildlife Habitat
Subd. 06 - Recreation
Subd. 07 - Water Resources
Subd. 08 - Land Use and Natural Resource
Information
Subd. 09 - Agriculture & Natural
Resource Industries
Subd. 10 - Energy
Subd. 11 - Environmental Education
Subd. 12 - Children's Environmental
Education
Subd. 03 - Administration
03a Legislative Commission on
Minnesota Resources - PARTIAL
VETO
See 2006 Project Abstracts
03b Contract Administration
Subd. 04 - Advisory
Committee
04 Citizen
Advisory Committee
Subd. 05 - Fish
& Wildlife Habitat
05a Restoring
Minnesota's Fish and Wildlife Habitat Corridors - Phase III
05b Metropolitan Area
Wildlife Corridors - Phase II
05c Development of
Scientific and Natural
Areas
05d Prairie Stewardship
of Private Lands
05e Local Initiative
Grants - Conservation Partners and Environmental Partnerships
05f Minnesota
Releaf Community Forest Development & Protection
05g Integrated and Pheromonal Control of Common Carp - Research
05h Biological Control of European Buckthorn and Garlic Mustard - Research
05i Land Exchange Revolving Fund for Aitkin, Cass, and Crow Wing Counties - GOVERNOR VETO
See 2006 Project Abstracts
Subd. 06 - Recreation
06a State Park and
Recreation Area Land Acquisition
06b LAWCON Federal
Reimbursements
06c State Park
and Recreation Area Revenue-Enhancing Development
- GOVERNOR
VETO
06d Best Management
Practices for Parks and Outdoor Recreation
06e Metropolitan
Regional Parks Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Development
06f Gitchi-Gami
State Trail
06g Casey Jones State
Trail
06h Paul Bunyan State
Trail Connection
06i Minnesota
River Trail Planning
06j Local
Initiative Grants-Parks and Natural Areas
06k Regional Park
Planning for Nonmetropolitan Urban Areas
06l Local and
Regional Trail Grant Initiative Program
06m Mesabi Trail
06n Cannon Valley Trail
Belle Creek Bridge Replacement
06o Arrowhead Regional
Bike Trail Connections Plan
06p Land Acquisition,
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
06q Development and
Rehabilitation of Minnesota Shooting Ranges
06r Birding Maps
Subd. 07 - Water
Resources
07a Local Water
Management Matching Challenge Grants
07b Accelerating
and Enhancing Surface Water Monitoring for Lakes and Streams
07c Effects of
Land Retirements on the Minnesota River - Research
07d Recycling
Treated Municipal Wastewater for Industrial Water Use
07e Unwanted
Hormone Therapy: Protecting Water and Public Health
- Research
07f Climate
Change Impacts on Minnesota's Aquatic Resources - Research -
GOVERNOR VETO See 2006 Project Abstracts
07g Green
Roof Cost Share and Monitoring - GOVERNOR VETO
07h Woodchip
Biofilter Treatment of Feedlot Runoff
- Research
07i
Improving Water Quality on the Central Sands - Research
07j
Improving Impaired Watersheds: Conservation Drainage Research
- Research
07k Hydrology,
Habitat, and Energy Potential of Mine Lakes
07l
Hennepin County Beach Water
Quality Monitoring Project
07m Southwest Minnesota
Floodwater Retention
Projects
07n Upgrades
to Blue Heron
Research Vessel - GOVERNOR
VETO
See 2006 Project Abstracts
07o Bassett Creek
Valley Channel
Restoration
07p Restoration
of Indian Lake
Subd. 08 - Land Use
and Natural Resource Information
08a Minnesota
Biological Survey
08b Soil Survey
08c Land
Cover Mapping for Natural Resource Protection
- GOVERNOR VETO
See 2006 Project Abstracts
08d Open Space
Planning and Protection
Subd. 09 - Agriculture
& Natural Resource Industries
09a Completing
Third-Party Certification of DNR Forest Lands
09b Third-Party
Certification of Private Woodlands
09c Sustainable
Management of Private Forest Lands
09d Evaluating
Riparian Timber Harvesting Guidelines: Phase 2 - Research
09e Third Crops
for Water Quality - Phase 2
- Research
09f
Bioconversion of Potato Waste into Marketable Biopolymers
- Research
Subd. 10 - Energy
10a Clean Energy
Resource Teams and Community Wind Energy Rebate Program
10b Planning
for Economic Development via Energy Independence
- GOVERNOR VETO
10c Manure
Methane Digester Compatible Wastes and Electrical Generation
10d Dairy Farm
Digesters
10e Wind to
Hydrogen Demonstration
10f Natural
Gas Production from Agriculture Biomass - Research
10g
Biomass-Derived Oils for Generating Electricity and Reducing Emissions
10h Phillips
Biomass Community Energy Systems - GOVERNOR VETO
See 2006 Project Abstracts
10i Laurentian
Energy Authority Biomass Project - GOVERNOR VETO
See 2006 Project Abstracts
Subd. 11 - Environmental
Education
11a Enhancing
Civic Understanding of Groundwater -
GOVERNOR VETO
See 2006 Project Abstracts
11b Cedar Creek Natural
History Area Interpretive Center and Restoration
11c Environmental
Problem-Solving Model for Twin Cities Schools
- GOVERNOR VETO
11d Tamarack Nature
Center Exhibits
Subd. 12 - Children's
Environmental Education
12a Children's
Environmental Health
Funding Sources:
(**note: all projects are TF, unless
otherwise noted)
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
(TF)
Oil Overcharge (OOC)
Great Lakes Protection Account (GLP)
Subd. 03 - ADMINISTRATION
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources - PARTIAL GOVERNOR VETO
03(a) $ 899,000
$449,000 (second year appropriation of $450,000 was vetoed)
John Velin, Director
LCMR
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd.
65 - State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651)296-2406
Fax: (651)296-1321
E-mail:
lcmr@commissions.leg.state.mn.us
Web: http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/lcmr/lcmr.htm
For administration as provided in Minnesota Statutes,
section 116P.09, subdivision 5.
Project completed:
6/30/2007
Contract Administration
03(b) $150,000
Bill Becker
DNR, Office of Management and Budget Services
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651) 296-3093
Fax: (651)296-6047
E-mail: bill.becker@dnr.state.mn.us
Contract administration activities assigned to the
commissioner for agreements with non-state agencies to receive project
funding on a reimbursement basis.
Project completed: 6/30/2008
Subd. 04 -
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Citizen Advisory Committee for the Trust Fund
04 $20,000
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd.
65 - State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651)296-2406
Fax: (651)296-1321
E-mail:
lcmr@commissions.leg.state.mn.us
Web: http://www.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/lcmr/lcmr.htm
For expenses of the citizen
advisory
committee as provided in Minnesota
Statutes, section 116P.06. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section
16A.281,
the availability of $15,000 of the appropriation from Laws 2003,
Chapter 128,
article 1,section 9, subdivision 4, advisory committee, is extended to
June 30,
2007.
Project due to be
completed: Funding changed to the newly
created LCCMR
M.L. 2006, Chp. 243, Section 19
Subd. 05 - Fish and Wildlife
Habitat
Restoring Minnesota's Fish and Wildlife Habitat Corridors
- Phase III
05(a) $4,062,000
Matt Holland
Pheasants Forever
679 W. River
New London, MN 56273
Phone: 320-354-4377
Fax: 320-354-4377
E-mail: ringneck@tds.net
DNR, Board of Water and Soil Resources, and for
agreements with Pheasants
Forever, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association,
Ducks Unlimited, Inc., National
Wild Turkey Federation, the Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Land Trust,
the Trust
for Public
Land, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Trust, Inc., U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Red Lake Band of Chippewa,
Leech Lake Band of
Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa, USDA-Natural Resources
Conservation
Service.
Overall
Project Outcome and Results
The Habitat
Conservation Partnership (HCP) restored, enhanced or protected 21,380.9
acres in defined project areas expending a total of $16,354,411, with
$4,032,739 coming from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
(ETF). Please see http://www.mnhabitatcorridors.org for complete
information.
Partners restored or enhanced 14,721-acres, exceeding the goal of
11,685 acres. Work included 8,161-acres of grassland
restoration/enhancement, 2,295-acres of wetland restoration, 526-acres
of woodland restoration, and 2,886-acres of wetland enhancement.
Other accomplishments included shallow lake surveys & lakescaping
demonstration projects/workshops. A total of $4,193,879 ($972,203
ETF, $3,221,676 Other Funds) was expended.
Partners acquired 5,484 acres of perpetual conservation
easements. HCP fell below the goal of 7,270 acres due to
increased non-state funds spent on restoration. Easement
protection priority was placed upon shoreline habitats of which over
5.2 miles were protected. Habitats protected were grasslands,
wetlands, and woodlands. A total of $7,150,074 ($1,360,830 ETF,
$5,789,244 Other Funds) was expended.
Partners acquired 1,176.5 acres in fee-title. HCP exceeded the
goal of 984 acres. HCP achieved 437.3 acres of new WMA’s, 15.2
acres of AMA’s, 458.4-acres of WPA’s, and 266.5-acres of private/local
government lands. A total of $4,725,457 ($1,474,706 ETF,
$3,250,751 Other Funds) was expended.
HCP Partners included: Ducks Unlimited, Fond du Lac Reservation,
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, MN Board of Water and Soil Resources, MN
Deer Hunters Association, MN Department of Natural Resources, MN Land
Trust, MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust, Inc, National Wild
Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever, Red Lake Band of Chippewa, The
Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Project completed:
6/30/2008
Metropolitan Area Wildlife Corridors - Phase II
05(b) $3,530,000
Peggy Booth
DNR
1200 Warner Rd
St. Paul, MN 55106
Phone: (651) 772-7562
Fax: (651) 772-7977
E-mail: peggy.booth@dnr.state.mn.us
DNR, and for agreements with Trust for Public
Land, Ducks Unlimited, Inc.,
Friends of the Mississippi River, Great
River Greening, Minnesota Land Trust,
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust, Inc., Pheasants
Forever, Inc.
and Friends of the Minnesota Valley
Overall
Project Outcome and Results
The key
objectives and results of this program are to accelerate agency
programs and cooperative agreements with partner organizations for the
purposes of planning, improving, and protecting important natural areas
in the metropolitan region and portions of surrounding counties through
grants, contracted services, conservation easements, and fee
acquisition.
The primary results of the program were:
- Restoration of 2,026 acres of
habitat
- Protection of approximately 2.4
miles of shoreline
- Fee and easement acquisition of
2,973 acres
Project
Results Use and Dissemination
The Metro
Corridors partnership distributed information about the
program and projects through the widely broadcast e-mails to people on
the Regional Greenways Collaborative (RGC) database, through the RGC
quarterly meetings, and jointly held county meetings. As projects were
completed, the partners publicized accomplishments through press
releases and organization newsletters and websites.
Project completed:
6/30/2008
Development
of Scientific and
Natural Areas
05(c) $134,000
Peggy Booth
DNR
500
Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone:
(651) 259-5088
Fax:
(651)
296-1811
E-mail: peggy.booth@dnr.state.mn.us
Web
Page: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas
Overall
Project Outcome and Results
Ecological restoration and development projects were carried out on
about 330
acres in 26 counties across the state at 37 of the state's 147 state
Scientific
and Natural Areas (SNA). This
included:
- Prairie grassland improvement (exotics and woody encroachment
removal) on 155 acres at 17 SNAs,
- Prairie restoration, including seed collection on 40 acres at
2 SNAs and 179 acres of prescribed burns and 31.35 miles of burn break
development at 18 SNAs,
- Boundary signing along 19 miles of perimeter at 4 SNAs,
- Other development work, including deer enclosure
construction, kiosk, gates, parking lots, and site cleanup at 8 SNAs.
This
work is necessary to preserve and perpetuate the state's ecological
diversity,
including rare species and native plant communities in sites of
biological
diversity significance, in areas that are part of the state's SNA
system and to
enhance the value and usage of SNAs as part of the state's outdoor
recreation
system.
Project
completed:
6/30/2008
Prairie
Stewardship of Private Lands
05(d)
$100,000
Jason Garms
DNR
500 Lafayette Rd., Box 25
Saint Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651) 259-5130
Fax: (651)
296-1811
E-mail: jason.garms@dnr.state.mn.us
Web: www.dnr.state.mn.us
Overall Project Outcome and Results
Native prairie is Minnesota's
most threatened natural habitat. Less than 1%, or less than 170,000
acres, of the State's native prairie survives - and much of it is
privately owned. Many of these remaining prairies have
not received sustainable management activities since European
settlement and subsequent removal of nature processes. In the absence
of active management prairies
frequently deteriorate from encroachment by woody species or
competition from non-native plants. Landowners are almost always interested in improving the
stewardship of their native prairie remnant, but often lack the
expertise or resources to identify and address this backlog of needed
management.
One
project objective was to provide native prairie
landowners with comprehensive
Prairie Stewardship Plans that offer long-term guidance for the
care of
their native prairie. Natural resource
professionals prepared plans that inventoried and evaluated the
landowner's
native prairie and other land resources, identified their goals and
objectives,
and recommended ecologically sound management strategies. Both DNR
Prairie
Specialists and qualified private-sector prairie professionals, who
competitively bid their services, assisted landowners with completion
of their
Prairie Stewardship Plans. A total of 37 stewardship plans were written
covering
4,459 total acres, 1,313 acres of which were prairie.
The
second project objective was to implement existing Prairie Stewardship
Plans. Landowners
were able to request cost-share assistance for habitat improvement
practices
which they implemented themselves, or had DNR prairie staff carryout
practices
they did not feel qualified to do. Example habitat projects included
prescribed
burns, woody encroachment removal, invasive species control, and
prairie
reconstruction. In many cases, DNR packaged groups of projects, such as
prescribed burns, into larger contracts for professional vendors to
competitively bid on, thereby maximizing efficiencies and minimizing
costs for
landowners. A
total of 23 stewardship projects were completed covering 1,043 total
acres,
which included 469 acres of which were prairie.
Since
inception of the Scientific and Natural Area's Prairie Stewardship
Program in
1999 there have been 144 Prairie Stewardship Plans written for prairie
landowners. Future plans for the Prairie Stewardship Program include
surveying
past stewardship plan recipients to determine if plans have been fully
implemented, and if not, what have been the obstacles to setting those
plans in
motion.
Project
Results Use and Dissemination
Copies of Stewardship
Plans have been provided to local DNR managers and used by the
landowners as
they work with other conservation agencies and programs.
One landowner
participating
in the cost-share assistance for habitat improvement took it upon
himself to
highlight the project in his local newspaper. The article was published
in the
January 24, 2008 issue of the Advocate Tribune (Granite Falls, MN). A
scan of
this article has been included with the final report.
Project completed:
6/30/2008
Local
Initiative Grants (Conservation Partners and Environmental Partnerships)
05(e)
$500,000
Wayne
Sames
DNR
500
Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone:
(651) 296-1567
Fax:
(651) 296-6047
E-mail: wayne.sames@dnr.state.mn.us
Overall
Project Outcome and Results
The
objective of this program is to foster public/private and
intergovernmental
partnerships through state matching grants to private organizations and
local
governments for 'on the ground' fish, wildlife and native plant habitat
improvement projects and related research and environmental service and
conservation projects.
Grants
totaling $404,911 were provided to private and non-profit
organizations,
educational institutions, local governments and soil and water
conservation
districts. Of that total, 19 Conservation Partners grants were made for
'on
the ground' fish, wildlife and native plant habitat improvement
projects and
research or surveys of fish and wildlife directly related to specific
habitat
improvement. The remaining 18
Environmental Partnerships grants were made for community environmental
service,
education, information, and conservation projects.
A
number of habitat restorations were completed, including lake, pond,
river and
stream shoreland restorations and prairie, oak forest, and oak savanna
restorations. Other projects included invasive species control,
research related
to proposed fen restoration, and Dwarf Trout Lilly habitat protection.
Among the
Environmental Partnerships projects funded were educational exhibits,
prairie
restoration and homeowners natural habitat project guides, GIS
modeling,
resource assessments, stream and river clean-up projects, a Prairie
Chicken
video, water quality monitoring, and a stormwater treatment project.
These
projects are located throughout the state, therefore many Minnesotans
will
benefit directly by having access to the project areas. Minnesotans
will also
benefit from information or research that may be applicable in many
locations,
such as the Prairie Restoration Guide, or habitat improvements that
benefit fish
and wildlife populations and help protect water quality. Environmental
education, interpretation, and information projects also foster an
appreciation
for the need to conserve our natural resources, particularly for
younger
generations.
For
more detailed information on any of the projects contact the DNR Local
Grants
Unit. A list of funded projects is included in the final report.
Project
Results Use and Dissemination
Information
from these projects has been used and/or disseminated in a number of
ways. Some
of the projects involve habitat improvement that can be accessed by the
public.
Other projects involved development of informational materials such as
interpretive signing, written reports or guides, data bases, traveling
educational trunks, field visits, videos, workshops, and training of
community
volunteers. Project managers sent copies of written materials, guides,
etc., to
the DNR with their final reports. See the individual project
descriptions in the
final report for more details.
Project completed:
6/30/2008
Minnesota
ReLeaf Community Forest Development and Protection
05(f)
$500,000
Ken
Holman
DNR
500
Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone:
(651) 296-5269
Fax:
(651)
296-5954
E-mail: ken.holman@dnr.state.mn.us
Website: www.dnr.state.mn.us/fad/forestmgmt/releaf.html
Overall Project Outcome and
Results
Since 1991, Minnesota ReLeaf Community Forestry Grants have helped over
350
communities to build sustainable tree care programs. The 2005-2007
program
provided assistance to 57 projects statewide through matching grants
and
technical assistance to support community efforts.
The overall emphasis was to
address current and
potential community forest health problems by enabling communities to
build
their capacity to develop and sustain forest management programs that
increase
tree diversity and improve tree vigor.
Local matching grants were
provided in three
areas. Forest health protection projects focused on enhancing forest
resilience
against insects and disease. Tree planting projects focused on
increasing the
diversity of tree species and increasing forest canopy. Community
forestry
assessment projects conducted inventorying and assessment of existing
forest
resources to support better planning.
Grantees received technical
assistance in the
form of maps, workshops, in field training sessions, and printed
resources.
Nearly one third of the projects
included an
assessment of public trees, resulting in management plans to guide
planting a
greater diversity of species, use of native trees and improved vigor of
existing
trees through proper maintenance. These activities provide valuable
examples for
residents and neighboring towns to emulate, thus multiplying and
maximizing the
many benefits healthy trees provide. Continued coordination and
co-promotion
with DNR, PCA and other grant programs would help provide one-stop
assistance
for local environmental management needs.
Project Results and
Dissemination
Experience gained will improve:
- A web portal to offer tree care
information to communities and homeowners: www.MNtrees.org
- Oak wilt control practice,
community programs, and policies. Decreased Federal Oak Wilt
Suppression dollars results in a move to demonstration projects in
place of generally available matching grants.
- The Inventory Decision Model to
guide cities considering this vital step toward management, and
Inventory/Management plan guidelines being developed with private
contractors.
- Use of I-Tree, a USDA Forest
Service software suite of urban and community forestry analysis and
benefits assessment tools.
All of these new tools are
available via the DNR
web page, www.dnr.state.mn.us
or www.MNtrees.org
Project
completed:
6/30/2008
Integrated
and Pheromonal Control of Common Carp
05(g)
$550,000
Peter
Sorensen
U
of M
1980
Folwell Ave.
St.
Paul, MN 55108
Phone: (612)
624-4997
Fax:
(612)
625-5299
E-mail:
soren003@umn.edu
RESEARCH
To research new options for
controlling common carp.
Project due to be
completed:
6/30/2009
Biological
Control of European Buckthorn and Garlic Mustard
05(h)
$200,000
Luke
Skinner
DNR
500
Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone:
(651) 259-5140
Fax:
(651) 296-1811
E-mail: luke.skinner@dnr.state.mn.us
RESEARCH
Overall Project Outcome and
Results
This project builds upon and continues work begun from a 2003 Trust
Fund appropriation and
has since received an additional 2007 Trust Fund appropriation to
further continue and
accelerate the work.
Buckthorn and garlic mustard are
invasive species
of highest priority for development of long-term management solutions,
such as
biological control (bio-control). This research aimed to help determine
1) if
there are suitable insects that can be used to reduce impacts caused by
buckthorn and 2) to implement introduction of insects to control garlic
mustard
and assess their establishment and success.
Buckthorn: Insects were
collected and
reared for carrying out host specificity testing. A total of 1,733
specimens
(356 species) were collected from buckthorn infestations in this insect
fauna
survey. In total, 39 specialized arthopods were recorded from R.
cathartica
(common buckthorn) and F. alnus (glossy buckthorn) in Europe.
The reassessment of the potential
for biological
control of R. cathartica and F. alnus was conducted based on work done
in Europe
from 2002-2007 on potential biological control agents. A summary of 10
priority
species for future research on biological control of R. cathartica is
provided
in Appendix A of the Work Program Final Report. This final suite of
priority
species are being tested for use as effective bio-control agents in
future work.
Garlic mustard: Pre-release
data is
providing a greater understanding of normal year-to-year variation. To
help
differentiate normal fluctuation from changes due to the bio-control
insect,
data was collected over the course of this project. On average, less
than 2% of
the leaf area was damaged by herbivores. Garlic mustard plant
populations do
vary considerably from year to year. Two to three years of pre-release
monitoring data have given us a good understanding of the year-to-year
fluctuations in populations. At some sites, the population fluctuations
are due
to the changes in dominance between the seedling and adult stages.
After biological control insects
are released we
expect to see decreases in garlic mustard populations. With long-term
data
collection we can see long-term trends in garlic mustard populations
(see
Appendix B of Work Program Final Report).
Project Results Use and
Dissemination
Information garnered from this study will be used to
further our objective of developing an effective and efficient
bio-control agent
for buckthorn and garlic mustard. Effective bio-control agents will
help reduce
the damage and cost related to control of these invasive species. The
information provided by this work helps to establish basic biological
information pertaining to the types of species available for potential
bio-control agents for buckthorn and narrow our efforts to a few
priority
species. The information gained on garlic mustard growth and impacts on
native
species will help us to assess the effectiveness of the current
bio-control
agents once they have been applied to the test sites. Without this type
of
baseline data a true understanding of the impacts the bio-control agent
is
having are impossible to attain. Information from these projects are
being
shared with multiple federal and state agencies to help the region
better
understand the potential control mechanisms for buckthorn and garlic
mustard.
Information on this work has also
been developed into
peer reviewed scientific papers. The information has been presented at
a variety
of national and international conferences. Locally this information has
been
presented to a variety of interested practitioners and citizens at
local
conferences and meeting.
Project
completed:
6/30/2008
Land
Exchange Revolving Fund for Aitkin, Cass, and Crow Wing Counties
- GOVERNOR
VETO
05(i)
$500,000
Roger
Howard
Aitkin
County
209
- 2nd Street NW
Aitkin,
MN 56431
Phone
218-927-7364
Fax
218-927-7249
E-mail
acld@co.aitkin.mn.us
For a six-year revolving
loan fund to improve public and private
land-ownership patterns, increase management efficiency, and protect
critical
habitat in Aitkin, Cass, and Crow Wing counties. By June 30, 2011,
Aitkin County
shall repay the $500,000 to the Commissioner of Finance for deposit in
the
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
Project due to be
completed: 6/30/2011
Received 2006 appropriation of $290,000: ML
2006, Chap., Sec. 20, Subd. 8 ("Land
Exchange Revolving Fund for Aitkin, Cass, and Crow Wing Counties").
See 2006
Abstracts for more information.
Subd. 06 - Recreation
State
Park and Recreation Area Land Acquisition
06(a) $2,000,000
Larry Peterson
DNR
500 Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651) 296-0603
Fax: (651) 296-6532
E-mail: larry.peterson@dnr.state.mn.us
Overall
Project Outcome and Results
The purpose of
this project was
to acquire inholdings from willing sellers within state park and
recreation area
boundaries. Approximately
931 acres in the following locations were
completed using the 2005 LCMR appropriation:
-
Crow Wing
State Park: 213 acres (also used 2003 Trust Fund
funding)
-
G. Crosby
Manitou State Park: 420 acres
(also used Coastal Zone Management Grant)
-
Whitewater
State Park: 218 acres
-
Judge C.R.
Magney State Park: 80 acres
This
appropriation was significant in
that it continued the progress toward acquiring critical private
in-holdings
within statutory state park boundaries. The
Crow Wing
State park
acquisition protected additional
lands along the Mississippi River
wildlife corridor in an area that is
experiencing rapid residential development. These parcels will also
preserve the
natural views from the park facilities and helped facilitate the
connection of
the Paul Bunyan State Trail. The George Crosby Manitou and
Judge C.R.
Magney
State Park
parcels were acquired to protect
lands within the Lake Superior
watershed and offer recreational
opportunities such as hiking (one mile of hiking trail included),
backpacking
and birdwatching. The Whitewater
State Park
parcel protects the integrity
of the valley and park by preserving the
bluff above the
park.
Project
Results Use and Dissemination
Parcels
acquired have been shown on updated state park boundary maps, and have
been
described in the Minnesota State Park Traveler newspaper and other
publications.
Project
completed: 1/18/2008
LAWCON
Federal Reimbursements
06(b) $1,600,000
Wayne Sames
DNR
500 Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651) 259-5559
Fax: (651) 296-6047
E-mail: wayne.sames@dnr.state.mn.us
Overall
Project Outcome and Results
This
project involves administration of the federal Land and Water
Conservation Fund
(LAWCON) allocation to the state. One-half of these funds are used to
provide
grants to local governments for local parks and are appropriated by
statute.
LAWCON funds are also used to reimburse state expenditures on state
outdoor
recreation facilities. These reimbursements, in turn, are used to fund
additional state outdoor recreation projects recommended by the LCCMR.
The cost
of administering the program, including planning and related activity
required
to maintain eligibility, can also be funded from these reimbursements.
Two
state projects were funded. An allocation of $800,000 was used to help
purchase
470 acres of fish and wildlife habitat on the Vermillion River in
Dakota County
as part of the Vermillion Empire WMA/AMA. The second allocation of
$384,000 was
used to help purchase a 90 acre addition to the Pine Bend Bluffs
Scientific and
Natural Area located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River in Dakota
County.
A
total of $416,000 was used for administration costs related to
implementing the
LAWCON program. In addition to covering the administrative costs of
grants
administration, financial management, contract management and project
monitoring, these funds were used to complete the State Comprehensive
Outdoor
Recreation Plan (SCORP). This plan is required to maintain eligibility
for
LAWCON funding. The plan was completed and has been forwarded to the
National
Park Service for final approval.
As
part of the SCORP public involvement and information requirement a
$30,000
contract was provided to Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) to produce
a
one-hour television program dealing with issues of changing outdoor
recreation
participation. The program, entitled "Outdoor Recreation in Decline",
included interviews with outdoor professionals and a focus group of
parents and
teachers. The program has aired several times since its completion in
2007.
The
2005 local grants portion of the LAWCON funds was used to fund projects
solicited during two annual grant rounds in 2004 and 2005. These funds
are not
part of the $1,600,000 LAWCON appropriation covered by this work
program, but
are included for informational purposes. Information on these projects
is
included in the 2005 Local Initiative Grants work program.
Project
Results Use and Dissemination
The
two state land acquisition project areas are open for public use.
The
SCORP is posted on the DNR web site and may be downloaded (click on
"Grants"
on the DNR home page to find the link to the SCORP). Five hundred
copies of the
report were printed and approximately 200 copies have been distributed
to date
to a wide variety of individuals, agencies and organizations.
The
TPL television program debuted in 2007 with two separate advertised
airings on
TPT Channel 17. It continues to be aired periodically on TPT channels.
DVDs of
the program were provided to the DNR and several copies have been
distributed to
DNR staff, local National Park Service staff and other individuals.
Project
completed: 6/30/2008
State
Park and Recreation Area Revenue-Enhancing Development - GOVERNOR VETO
06(c) $200,000
Larry Peterson
DNR
500 Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN
Phone 651-296-0603
Fax 651-296-6532
E-mail
larry.peterson@dnr.state.mn.us
To enhance revenue
generation in the state’s park and recreation system.
Project due to be
completed: 6/30/2007
Best
Management Practices for Parks and Outdoor Recreation
06(d) $200,000
Michelle Snider
MN Recreation & Park Association
200 Charles Street NE
Fridley, MN 55432
Phone: (763)
571-1305, x100
Fax: (763) 571-5204
E-mail: snider@mnrecpark.org
Web:
For
MRPA - www.mnrpa.org For
Project - www.bestpracticesmn.org
Overall
Project Outcome, Results, Use and Dissemination
This project was
the result of
the 2004 Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR) Parks
Study and
the 2003-2008 State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
Together,
both of these studies pointed toward the value and importance of better
coordination and collaboration across Minnesota
’s outdoor recreation providers. The Best Management
Practices for Parks and
Outdoor Recreation grant project addressed these recommendations by
engaging
public and private outdoor recreation leaders to translate better
coordination
into concrete advice and on-the-ground action.
The project was
successful in
reaching a broad cross-section of professional outdoor recreation
providers from
city, county, state and federal agencies; private consultants;
universities and
non-profits. More
than 1,250 professionals participated in nine events held throughout
the state.
These events, including a Best Practices Summit and regional workshops,
provided
participants with new ideas and ways of managing parks and outdoor
recreation.
The networking has been instrumental in better coordination and
collaboration
among outdoor recreation providers.
A
website (www.bestpracticesmn.org)
was developed during the project to enable professionals to share best
practices
in a wide variety areas – from facility maintenance to natural resource
management to research. During the project, there were approximately
3,800
unique visitors to the website.
Prior
to this project, there were no other forums for learning and
collaboration at a
cross-agency level. This project provided park and outdoor recreation
professionals with the opportunity to learn from one another, share
best
practices and lessons learned. Project participants now have an
enhanced set of
tools in which to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.
Project
participants gained information to work more effectively and
efficiently in many areas, including, but not limited to:
-
Outdoor recreation trends
-
Sustaining outdoor
recreation facilities for the future
-
Park,
open space & trail system planning
-
Surface
& storm water management
-
Innovative
financing for operations & maintenance
-
Innovative
financing for land acquisition & development
-
Contemporary approaches to natural resource
stewardship
-
Strategies
for getting kids and young adults outdoors
-
Case
studies for successful cross-agency collaboration
-
Energy
efficiency in parks and recreation
A detailed
report of project
results can be obtained by contacting
Kathy Schoenbauer at keschoenbauer@comcast.net
or
Michelle Snider at snider@mnrecpark.org.
Project completed:
6/30/2007
Metropolitan
Regional Parks Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Development
06(e) $2,000,000
Arne Stefferud
Metropolitan Council
230 E. 5th Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: (651)
602-1360
Fax: (651)
602-1467
E-mail: arne.stefferud@metc.state.mn.us
Website: www.metrocouncil.org
Overall
Project Outcome and Results
This appropriation leveraged
$1,333,000 of Metropolitan Council bonds and $701,000 of 2005 State
bonds in
grants from the Metropolitan Council to regional park agencies to
accomplish the
following:
-
Acquire 567
acres in 4 parks (0.8 acre for Long
Lake Regional Park
in Ramsey County , 543 acres for Rice Creek Chain of
Lakes Park Reserve in Anoka County , 18.6 acres for Lake Waconia
Regional Park in Carver
County , and 5
acres for Big Marine Park Reserve in Washington County).
-
Acquire a
permanent trail easement from Burlington Northern Railroad for a 0.8
mile of right-of-way for the Bruce Vento Regional Trail in Ramsey County .
-
Partially
finance trail and shoreline rehabilitation at Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis
-
Replace 4
pit toilets with sewer-served restrooms for picnic areas at Keller Regional
Park in Ramsey County
-
Rehabilitate
0.7 miles of separated bike/pedestrian trails, lighting and landscaping
along East Lakeshore
Drive at Como
Regional Park in St. Paul
-
Build 2
classrooms, storage and reception areas for a visitor center at Gale
Woods Special Recreation Feature in Three Rivers Park District
-
Design/engineering
for 1.5 miles of North Urban Regional Trail in Dakota County
-
Build a
picnic shelter at the Sucker
Lake portion of Grass-Vadnais
Regional Park
in Ramsey
County
A
partial extension
to the appropriation timeline is allowing Anoka
County to use $524,000 remaining from a
land acquisition
grant to match $1,050,000 of
Federal Transportation Enhancement grant funds to construct two linked
sections
of the Rice Creek North Regional Trail within Rice Creek Chain of Lakes
Park
Reserve that totals 4 miles.
Project
Results Use and Dissemination
The parks and trails where
these projects are located had 9,233,000 visits in 2007, which was 28%
of all
visits to the Metropolitan Regional Park System in 2007.
Each
regional park agency that received a grant or grants from this
appropriation
informs the public about the land acquisition, or new or rehabilitated
park
facilities with its own website and news releases.
The Metropolitan Council also publishes a "Regional Parks
Directory
and Map" that informs the public about the recreation activities
available
at each regional park and trail and includes website addresses and
phone numbers
for each park agency for more information. Finally,
the Metropolitan Council's website includes an
interactive parks
map that contains the same information as the paper version of the
"Regional
Parks Directory and Map" at www.metrocouncil.org/parks/r-pk-map.htm
Project due to be
completed: 6/30/2010
Gitchi-Gami
State Trail
06(f) $500,000
Keven Johnson
DNR
1568 Hwy #2
Two Harbors, MN 55616
Phone: (218)
834-6240
Fax: (218) 834-6639
E-mail: kevin.johnson@dnr.state.mn.us
To design and construct
approximately two miles
of Gitchi-Gami state trail segments.
Project due to be
completed: 6/30/2009
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