Green Corridor Legacy Program, Phase 1
The Green Corridor Legacy Program (GCLP) will protect new and/or expansion fish, game, and wildlife habitats in the Prairie Eco Region. The DNR will provide the restoration and/or enhancement funds for converting croplands into high quality habitat cover. Local wildlife conservation clubs will be encouraged to submit L-SOHC Small Grants proposals for additional restoration and/or enhancement activities on these tracts. Fee title of all lands acquired will be held by the State and designated as WMA and/or AMA open to hunting, trapping, fishing, and compatible outdoor recreation uses. These proposed tracts of land do not have permanent conservation easements.
The initial phase of the program proposal will allow the citizens of MN to have more access to public hunting lands by acquiring 350 (or more) acres of land which would e developed and protected as WMA and/or AMA.?
The program proposal will succeed because numerous partnerships have developed from a wide variety of disciplines (e.g. U of M, DNR, local SWCD, USFWS, PF, MDHA, NWTF, community/civic groups, regional business leaders, and supportive landowners) that will assist in monitoring outcomes, provide long range management of the qcquired lands, provide technical support and ensure that program activities will advance the goals, objectives, and strategies of the various state-wide conservtion plans (e.g. Duck Recovery Plan, the PHeasants Plan, the Wild Turkey Plan, the WMA Acquisition Plan and numerous strategies associated to the MN Conservation and Preservation Plan.)
Other program activities outside of OHF will include:
short and long range program development to ensure continuring community.citizen.regialnl support of the program
public relations and outreach
partnerships involvement in program development and local/state government cooperation
fiduciary responsibility for the program including the land transactions
financial oversight, transparency and accountability to all rpogram activities and outcomes
development of strategy to continue the investment for possible furuture OHF as long range program activity
leadership development for those seeing the vision and opportunity of the GCLP
Through the GCLP Board of Directors, there is suport fo this project from local government agencies like the SWCD Board and the MN DNR, and cooperation from the local county officials.? Once purchased agreements are secured, fromal request to the Board of County Commissioner will be completed as is the normal protocol.?
Once appropriations and/or agreements are finalized, the SWIF, through the approval of the Green Corridor Board of Directors, will have the program manager begin the process of appraisals, purchase agreements, and title transfer activities.? It is the assumption that the DNR and stte of MN can provide normal timelines to process these fee simple acquisition title transfers.? Acquisitions and title transfers to the State of MN and management by the MN DNR of these program acres are anticipated to be complete by June 30, 2010.
$1,617,000 in fiscal year 2010 is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Southwest Initiative Foundation or successor to acquire land for purposes allowed under the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 15, in Redwood County to be added to the state outdoor recreation system as defined in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 86A. A list of proposed fee title acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan. The commissioner of natural resources must agree to each proposed acquisition. No more than five percent of this appropriation may be spent on professional services directly related to this appropriations purposes.
Protected in Fee 378 acres of Prairies
MDHA, SWIF in-kind and Green Corridor in-kind