Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) M.L Work Plan

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1 Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) M.L. 211 Wk Plan Date of Status Update: Date of Next Status Update: 2/1/212 Date of Wk Plan Approval: 6/23/211 Project Completion Date: 6/3/214 Is this an amendment request? Project Title: MeCC VI - Reste and Enhance Significant Watershed Habitat (2.1) Project Manager: Tom Lewanski Affiliation: Friends of the Mississippi River Address: 36 N Robert St, Ste 4 City: St Paul State: MN Zipcode: 5511 Telephone Number: (651) x1 Address: tlewanski@fmr.g Web Address: Location: Counties Impacted: Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington Ecological Section Impacted: Minnesota and Ntheast Iowa Mainal (222M), Paleozoic Plateau (222L) Total ENRTF Project Budget: ENRTF Appropriation $: 2, Legal Citation: M.L. 211, First Special Session, Chp. 2, Art.3, Sec. 2, Subd. 4i2.1 Amount Spent $: Balance $: 2, Appropriation Language: $1,737, the first year and $1,738, the second year are from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources f the acceleration of agency programs and cooperative agreements. Of this appropriation, $15, the first year and $15, the second year are to the commissioner of natural resources f agency programs and $3,175, is f the agreements as follows: $1, the first year and $1, the second year with Friends of the Mississippi River; $517, the first year and $518, the second year with Dakota County; $2, the first year and $2, the second year with Great River Greening; $22, the first year and $22, the second year with Minnesota Land Trust; $3, the first year and $3, the second year with Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust, Inc.; and $25, the first year and $25, the second year with The Trust f Public Land f planning, resting, and protecting priity natural areas in the metropolitan area, as defined under Minnesota Statutes, section , subdivision 2, and ptions of the surrounding counties, through contracted services, technical assistance, conservation easements, and fee title acquisition. Land acquired with this appropriation must be sufficiently improved to meet at least minimum management standards, as determined by the commissioner of natural resources. Expenditures are limited to the identified project crid areas as defined in the wk program. This appropriation may not be used f the purchase of habitable residential structures, unless expressly approved in the wk program. All conservation easements must be perpetual and have a natural resource management plan. Any land acquired in fee title by the commissioner of natural resources with money from this appropriation must be designated as an outdo recreation unit under Minnesota Statutes, section 86A.7. The commissioner may similarly designate any lands acquired in less than fee title. A list of proposed restations and fee title and easement acquisitions must be provided as part of the required wk program. An entity that acquires a conservation easement with appropriations from the trust fund must have a long-term stewardship plan f the easement and a fund established f moniting and enfcing the agreement. Money appropriated from the trust fund f easement acquisition may be used to establish a moniting, management, and enfcement fund as approved in the wk program. An annual financial rept is required f any moniting, management, and enfcement fund established, including expenditures from the fund. This appropriation is available until June 3, 214, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.

2 I. PROJECT TITLE: 2.1-MeCC6 Reste and Enhance Significant Watershed Habitat II. PROJECT SUMMARY: Human land uses have drastically affected the habitat that is available in the Twin Cities metro area. High quality habitat within this region is imptant f both resident and migraty species. The Metro Conservation Crids is wking to establish a system of ecological functioning crids that not only provide high quality habitat, but open space and water quality benefits f the residents of the area, as well. Friends of the Mississippi River has been conducting enhancement/restation and permanent land protection activities on some of the most imptant and highest quality habitat within the ce metro and southeastern metro crids f over ten years. The landowner outreach, restation and enhancement activities that will be conducted in this phase of the project are designed to build on this earlier wk, helping to ensure that previous public investment in this habitat improvement is protected and added to. We have focused our wk on particular locations within the designated crids. As a result, we enjoy a high level of momentum in increasing the size and health of the habitat of these natural areas. Many of the crucial components of these projects are in place. Natural resource management plans have been are being developed, close relationships have been built with the landowners and partners and our staff know the sites well. With this grant we can continue the habitat restation in a seamless fashion allowing us to benefit from a project infrastructure that is in place. In this phase of the project, FMR will improve and increase habitat by resting and enhancing 163 acres of prairie and woodland/fest in Dakota, Washington, Ramsey & Hennepin counties. There are three overall goals f this project: One goal is to increase the amount of high quality habitat within designated conservation crids. Two outcomes of this goal are the restation of 55-acres of prairie and the restation of 5-acres of woodland habitat. Specific activities associated with these outcomes include updating management plans, soil preparation including herbicide, burning, and discing, seed/plant installation, followed by mowing, and weed control. A second goal is to enhance the quality of existing habitat areas. A primary outcome is the control of exotic, invasive woody species from 13-acres of existing prairie and woodlands. Activities associated with this outcome include updating management plans, cut/treat invasive plants and prescribed burning. Natural resource management plans will have been developed updated f each of FMR s sites pri to the initiating restation enhancement activities. FMR will utilize ENRTF (LCCMR) funding only on private property that is permanently protected through a conservation easement. FMR will also secure a landowner agreement f private land projects. The SNA s and WMA s, upon which FMR will conduct restation and enhancement activities, are owned by the State of Minnesota and therefe, presumably, permanently protected. A third goal is to develop a list of potential future restation and acquisition projects within the crids. FMR will contact 27 landowners to discuss the natural resources on their property, provide infmation on restation options, permanent land protection options, and solicit their involvement in habitat improvement. FMR will begin to plan habitat restation activities with interested landowners and will solicit the involvement of other MeCC partners on projects in which the landowner indicates an interest in pursuing permanent protection f their property through fee title acquisition a conservation easement. We feel this activity is imptant to maximize the both the efficiency and effectiveness of the current habitat restation and enhancement projects by expanding the restation activities that are taking place in the designated crids. III. PROJECT STATUS UPDATES: Project Status as of: 2/1/212 Project Status as of: 8/1/212 2

3 Project Status as of: 2/1/213 Project Status as of): 8/1/213 IV. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES: ACTIVITY 1: Reste and/ enhance 163 acres of prairie and woodland/fest. Description: There are three overall goals f this project: One goal is to increase the amount of high quality habitat within designated conservation crids. Two outcomes of this goal are the restation of 55-acres of prairie and the restation of 5-acres of woodland habitat. Specific activities associated with these outcomes include updating management plans, soil preparation including herbicide, burning, and discing, seed/plant installation, followed by mowing, and weed control. A second goal is to enhance the quality of existing habitat areas. A primary outcome is the control of exotic, invasive woody species from 13-acres of existing prairie and woodlands. Activities associated with this outcome include updating management plans, cut/treat invasive plant species and prescribed burning. Natural resource management plans will have been developed updated f each of FMR s sites pri to the initiating restation enhancement activities. FMR will develop and send out requests f proposals to vends, including Conservation Cps Minnesota, f services associated with the restation and enhancement activities planned. Vends will be selected based on bid amount, experience with the services requested, experience with site, and quality of similar services provided to FMR in the past. FMR will conduct an initial evaluation of the restation and enhancement activities undertaken with ENRTF funding provided through this grant. This evaluation infmation will be provided in the final rept. FMR will utilize ENRTF (LCCMR) funding only on private property that is permanently protected through a conservation easement. FMR will also secure a landowner agreement f private land projects. The SNA s and WMA s, upon which FMR will conduct restation and enhancement activities, are owned by the State of Minnesota and therefe, presumably, permanently protected. A third goal is to develop a list of potential future restation and acquisition projects within the crids. Specific activities include identifying and contacting 27 landowners in proximity to existing projects, meeting with these landowners and sharing infmation about the natural resources on their property, provide infmation on restation options, permanent land protection options, and solicit their involvement in habitat improvement. FMR will begin to plan habitat restation activities with interested landowners and will solicit the involvement of other MeCC partners on projects in which the landowner indicates an interest in pursuing permanent protection f their property through fee title acquisition a conservation easement. Summary Budget Infmation f Activity 1: ENRTF Budget: $ 2, Amount Spent: $ Balance: $2, Activity Completion Date: Outcome Completion Date 1. Conduct prairie restation activities on 55 acres. 6/3/213 $ 52, 2. Conduct woodland habitat restation of on 5-acres. 6/3/213 $ 3, 2. Conduct habitat enhancement activities on 41 acres of existing prairie 6/3/213 $ 22, 3 Budget (approx.)

4 3. Conduct restation and enhancement activities on 62 acres of fest/woodland. 4. Contact 27 landowners and meet with as many as are interested in doing so. Develop a spreadsheet that repts which landowners were contacted, meetings held, and landowners interested in pursuing restation and/ protection activities. 6/3/213 $ 9, 6/3/213 $ 6, Activity Status as of 2/1/212 Activity Status as of 8/1/212 Activity Status as of 2/1/213 Final Rept Summary: 8/1/213 V. DISSEMINATION: Description: FMR will disseminate infmation about the restation and enhancement activities associated with this grant on the ganization s website ( and in it s digital newsletter, which is called Mississippi Messages. Status as of 2/1/212: Status as of 8/1/212: Status as of 2/1/213: Status as of 8/1/213: Final Rept Summary: VI. PROJECT BUDGET SUMMARY: A. ENRTF Budget: Budget Categy $ Amount Explanation Personnel: $ 28,96 Conservation Direct: overall project management and landowner outreach and assistance:.5 FTE. Approximately $8,3. Ecologists (2): Develop and put out bids, hire and oversee vends, guide restation activities, evaluate restation activities..13 FTE. Approximately $17,65. Stewardship Codinat: Plan volunteer events. Train and oversee volunteers..1fte. Approximately $1,67. Volunteer Codinat: Seek, register, & communicate with volunteers..1fte. Professional/Technical Contracts: Approximately $1,34. $ 167,1 Vends to provide restation activities such as prescribed burns, soil prep., seeding, woody and exotic plant removal, herbicide application, etc. 4

5 Equipment/Tools/Supplies: $ 24 $ 2,4 (Vend contracts will be awarded on a competitive and perfmance basis.) Gloves, weeders, vinyl seed collection bags. Pay f a nursery to germinate and grow plants from locally collected (native ecotype) seed. Purchase native ecotype trees and shrubs. Travel Expenses in MN: $ 1,3 Travel to project sites and to partner meetings. TOTAL ENRTF BUDGET: $ 2, Explanation of Use of Classified Staff: NA Explanation of Capital Expenditures Greater Than $3,5: NA Number of Full-time Equivalent (FTE) funded with this ENRTF appropriation:.21 FTE (Total staff hours , divided by 4176, because the staff hours associated with this grant will be used over a two year period). B. Other Funds: Source of Funds $ Amount Proposed $ Amount Spent Use of Other Funds Non-state $ Private landowners $1, $ Staff time and vend services National Fish and Wildlife $1, $ Staff time and vend services Foundation Grant Local units of government $3, $ Staff time and vend services National Park Service $3, $ Staff time and vend services St. Paul Foundation $5, $ Staff time Friends of the Mississippi River $2, $ Staff time, supplies and vend services Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization $5, $ Staff time and materials/supplies TOTAL OTHER FUNDS: $2, $ VII. PROJECT STRATEGY: A. Project Partners: The FMR project team consists of the Conservation Direct-Tom Lewanski, Ecologist and Project Manager-Karen Schik, Ecologist - Joe Walton, Volunteer Codinat-Sue Rich and Stewardship Codinat-Karen Solas. Salary and benefits of these staff will be suppted by the Trust Fund appropriation. Trust Fund will be used f restation activities on land owned by these partners: The National Park Service, Macalester College (Katharine Ordway Natural Histy Study Area), Minneapolis Park Board, St. Paul Parks, The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Cities of Rosemount & Inver Grove Heights. Restation will also take place on a couple of sites that are in private ownership. FMR will utilize ENRTF (as recommended by LCCMR) funding only on private property that is permanently protected through a conservation easement. These entities, along with Dakota County, the Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization, Minneapolis neighbhood associations, watershed districts, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and community volunteers will contribute resources to restation and enhancement projects from non-trust Fund sources. No funds from this appropriation will go directly to any of the partners. 5

6 B. Project Impact and Long-term Strategy: The Mississippi River is the defining natural feature of the central ption of the United States. It provides critical habitat both as an international migration crid and as essential habitat f local resident wildlife and plant populations. FMR has been strategically focused on specific areas within the designated crids f well over a decade. This approach has allowed us to stay engaged with projects, landowners, partners and communities, helping to ensure the continuous improvement and expansion of the habitat values at these sites, over time, while protecting the public investment that has been made in them. As such the restation and enhancement projects presented in this proposal are all part of larger projects both in the sense of time and area. Many times these projects involve restation and protection components. FMR is committed to conducting fundrasing from both public and private sources, f the ongoing restation and enhancement activities required at these sites over time. C. Spending Histy: Funding Source M.L. 25 FY 26-7 ENRTF $9, Subd.5(b) M.L. 27 FY 28 $53, Subd.4c (2.1). M.L. 28 FY 29 $92, Subd. 3(a)2.1 M.L. 29 FY 21 $9, Subd. 4(f)2.3 M.L. 21 FY 211 Private landowners $8, $8, $8, $8, $8, Upper Mississippi River $1, Festry Partnership National Fish and Wildlife $34, Foundation St. Paul Audubon Society $5, Friends of the Mississippi $5, $5, $5, $5, $5, River Outdo Heritage Fund- Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program $94,374 Outdo Heritage Fund- LSOHC $25, VIII. ACQUISITION/RESTORATION LIST: See attached. IX. MAP(S): See attached. X. RESEARCH ADDENDUM: NA XI. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Periodic wk plan status update repts will be submitted not later than 2/1/212, 8/1/212, and 2/1/213. A final rept and associated products will be submitted between June 3 and August 1, 213 as requested by the LCCMR. 6

7 Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund M.L. 211 Restation List Project Title: 2.1-MeCC6 Reste and Enhance Significant Watershed Habitat Project Manager Name: Tom Lewanski M.L. 211 ENRTF Appropriation: $ 2, # Acquisition Restation Parcel Name Geographical Codinates (Provide Latitude/Longitude OR UTM-X/UTM-Y) Latitude UTM-X Longitude UTM-Y Ecosystem Description Ecological Significance Activity Description # of Acres Status 1 Gelhar-Emrick Prairie 2 Ges Pool WMA Upland fest and (fmer Freitag property) prairie. 3 Grey Cloud Dunes SNA Prairie 4 Hastings Sand Coulee SNA Prairie 5 Hastings SNA Floodplain fest & maple-basswood fest. 6 Heritage Village Park Floodplain fest Floodplain fest, wetland, upland 7 Mississippi River Gge fest, prairie 8 9 Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Upland fest and Area prairie. Ravenna block Oak fest and greenway grassland Mississippi River bluffland above Vermillion River Bottoms. Mississippi River floodplain and Cresponding uplands. Part of local greenway. Imptant bird habitat. Rare natural community with rare species. Rare natural community, including 14 rare species. Part of a local greenway. Prairie restation - site prep, presribed burn, exotic plant control, seed/plant natives. 4 Exotic plant control. Mow prairie restation area. Install native plants/seed. 8 Exotic plant control and prescribed burns. 3 Prescribed burns, remove trees & grind stumps, prepare soil, install seed, mow, exotic plant control. 14 Diverse natural community with rare plant. Imptant bird habitat. Part of a local greenway. Exotic plant control 4 Mississippi River floodplain. Imptant bird habitat. Exotic plant control 1 Mississippi River bluffland. Migraty crid, Imptant bird habitat. Diverse and rare natural communities. Part of local greenway. Imptant bird habitat. Contiguous fest within greenway, opptunity f prairie re-creation. Exotic plant control and native plant installation. 15 Exotic plant control, prescribed burns, prep and seed prairie restation. 6 Invasive species management, prairie & savanna restation- site prep and seeding. 6 1 Rosemount Wildlife Prairie and preserve woodland 11 Wilmar Prairie NOTES: Diverse natural communities. Part of local greenway. Imptant bird habitat. Vermillion River riparian habitat. Exotic plant control, Rx burning. 25 Exotic plant control and prescribed burns. 4 54

8 Attachment A: Budget Detail f M.L. 211 (FY ) Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Project Title: 2.1-MeCC6 Reste and Enhance Significant Watershed Habitat Legal Citation: Project Manager: Tom Lewanski M.L. 211 (FY ) ENRTF Appropriation: $ 2, Project Length and Completion Date: June 3, 213 Date of Update: ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND BUDGET Activity 1 Budget Amount Spent Balance BUDGET ITEM Reste and/ enhance 163 acres of prairie and woodland/fest. Personnel (Wages and Benefits) 28,96 $28,96 Conservation Direct: overall project management and landowner outreach and assistance:.5 FTE. (approximately 8,3 84% salary & 16% benefits) $8,3 Ecologists (2): Develop and put out bids, hire and oversee vends, guide restation activities, evaluate restation 17,65 activities..13 FTE. (approximately 83% salary & 17% $17,65 Stewardship Codinat: Plan volunteer events. Train and oversee volunteers..1fte. (approximately 78% salary & 22% benefits) 1,67 $1,67 Volunteer Codinat: Seek, register, & communicate with volunteers..1fte. (approximately 8% salary & 2% benefits) 1,34 $1,34 Professional/Technical Contracts Vends to provide restation activities such as prescribed burns, soil prep., seeding, woody and exotic plant removal, 167,1 herbicide application, etc. (Vend contracts will be awarded on a competitive and perfmance basis.) $167,1 Equipment/Tools/Supplies 24 Gloves, weeders, vinyl seed collection bags. $24 Plant material (native ecotype) 2,4 $2,4 Travel expenses in Minnesota 1,3 mileage $1,3 COLUMN TOTAL 2, $ $2,

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