MN River Valley Green Corridor Land Protection

Overall Project Outcome and Results
The Green Corridor Legacy Program will provide Minnesotans public access to high quality game and wildlife habitat through a multi-year land acquisition plan.

The initial phase of this project included:

• Acquisition of 249.23 acres of easement free fee-title acquisition conservation lands from willing sellers. This program acquired land from willing and supportive landowners. The land is purchased and then transferred to the DNR for long-term habitat conservation, outdoor recreational access, sustainability, and monitoring. These properties include the Whispering Ridge Aquatic Management Area in Redwood County (182.87 acres), Beaver Falls Aquatic Management Area in Renville County (6.6 acres), and two additions to Fort Ridgely State Park in Renville County (29.85 acres and 30 acres).
• Development of a conservation plan guidance document that insures both the natural resources and the natural history of this corridor are restored, conserved, protected and utilized in manners that balance the ecological, cultural, socio-economic and recreational needs of today, while preserving these resources for future generations.
• Organization of a variety of stakeholders into a working partnership team committed to the vision for a Green Corridor in the Minnesota River Valley.

Project Results Use and Dissemination
Results from this project have been disseminated as follows:

• The conservation plan will be used to guide and vet proposed acquisitions by Green Corridor, Inc.
• More importantly, the plan will be used as a key decision support system by a wide variety of conservation partners and stakeholders within the project area to craft and implement a conservation and economic vision for the project area.
• The plan will be disseminated principally through the web, but is also available in limited numbers via CD and hard copy format. In the near future, once the new Tatanka Bluff Council website is fully operational, a recap of these FY08 ENRTF appropriation accomplishments will be posted on this website under the "Green Corridor" icon tab. The website will ask viewers for comments and feedback concerning the various strategies and outcomes related to this project and the Conservation Plan. The project will also served as a cornerstone for future funding requests to the LCCMR and from the Outdoor Heritage Fund.

The communications and outreach activities that have been done for the Minnesota River Valley Green Corridor Project include:

• The plan has been adopted by Green Corridor, Inc. as its conservation vision for the Middle Minnesota Valley.
• The final plan was presented to the public on May 6th, 2010 at the Tatanka Bluffs Council annual meeting at the Redwood Area Community Center in Redwood Falls MN.
• The conservation plan entitled, "Conservation in the Middle Minnesota Valley: A Blueprint and Action Plan" was produced in hard copy, CD and web format. The product will be available via the following web sites: Green Corridor, Inc. (www.tatankabluffs.com) and Great River Greening (www.greatrivergreening.org).
• Since the start of this project in the summer of 2008 numerous meetings, public forums, and media outreach activities have taken place that have illustrated the intended outcomes, accomplishments, and public benefits of this appropriation.

For more information, visit http://www.lccmr.leg.mn/all_projects/2008_projects.html.