Minnesota Wildlife Habitat

Partnership puts Lottery Dollars to Work for Minnesota Wildlife Habitat
Habitat Conservation Partnership report outlines progress for fish & wildlife habitat.

Minnesota’s Habitat Conservation Partnership announces the completion of 21,381 acres of habitat improvements during the third phase of funding. Funds for these projects were provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Trust Fund dollars originate through the Minnesota State Lottery.

The 21,381 acres of projects included; 6,243 acres of grassland restorations, 1,382 acres of wetland restorations, 3,433 of wetland enhancements, and 513 acres of woodland restorations. In addition, the Partnership worked with willing sellers to acquire 1,176.5 acres in fee-title and 5,483.9 acres in perpetual conservation easements.

Since inception in 2001, the Partnership has completed 126,899 acres of habitat improvements through 855 different projects across the state. In fact, total expenditures through the partnership in that time have exceeded $102 million with $21.8 million originating from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The remaining $80.2 million has come from the project partners matching those Trust Fund contributions.