Minnesota Land Trust

Dream Acres is the place to be for birds, butterflies, and people...and it will stay that way for generations to come because of a permanent conservation easement thanks to the Stacken family. It's not often that a landscape rates far above average on the climate resiliency rating scale – the highest rating possible – but this 37.8-acre oasis in Fillmore County did!  The resilient Deer Creek Valley in Minnesota's Driftless Region will remain intact despite increasing development pressure from Rochester, which is good news for birds like the cerulean warbler who require large tracts of mature, deciduous forest habitat to thrive. These enchanting birds are a Special Concern Species in Minnesota, who along with over 185 other bird species call this protected haven home. In addition to the busy forest, 15 acres of important wetlands and over 7,000 feet of shoreline on Deer Creek have been protected. This helps buffer and protect the Root River and provides an idyllic backdrop for Dream Acres off-grid organic farmstead, which hosts school and family retreats and is home to the Dreamery Rural Arts Initiative. The region where the protected property is located is home to the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ – Wahpeton (Dakota) who have stewarded, hunted, fished, harvested, and held ceremonies on the land and in partnership with it for many thousands of years. 🌈 Funding for the acquisition of this conservation easement was provided by Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC). #LandTrust #DriftlessMinnesota #ResilientLandscapes #NaturalClimateSolutions #brooktroutfishing

🌊 In honor of #lakesuperiorday (yesterday), we're sharing an incredible protection story with you...    In June, we completed one of our largest Lake Superior protection projects, at just over 61 acres dominated by forest and woodland and 2,349 feet of rugged Lake Superior shoreline. 🌲    Rated as a site of high biodiversity significance by the Minnesota DNR, each acre of this protected landscape is a haven for Minnesota plants and wildlife and is home to rare species that can't thrive anywhere else. It also provides critical shelter and food for thousands of migrating birds during their journey south along the Lake Superior shoreline.    The tall cliffs are prime peregrine falcon nesting habitat, which is why this property is part of the North Shore Peregrine Falcon Eyries Important Bird Area.    This incredible accomplishment wouldn't have been possible without donor support and the generosity and dedication of the landowners, Steve and Natalie Lehr, who permanently reconnected multiple parcels under one conservation easement to protect a third of an entire peninsula on Lake Superior.    🌼 The region where the protected property is located is home to the Ojibwe (or Chippewa), who have a deep connection to Gichigami (Lake Superior) and its waters, having arrived in the Great Lakes region some 800 years ago following a prophecy to find the place where food grows on the water (manoomin).     Because Indigenous peoples have been in a sustainable relationship with land, water, and wildlife for thousands of years, their leadership is vital for conservation and efforts to address climate change to be successful. Although they only hold about 20% of the land across the globe, that land is responsible for 80% of the world’s biodiversity.    🌈 Funding for the acquisition of this conservation easement was provided by Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC).    #LandTrust #LakeSuperior #Gichigami #WaterConservation #CleanWater #ProtectOurLakes #LandConservation #ForestProtection

It's #NationalForestWeek but we want to flip the script and talk for a minute about the importance of protecting forests on PRIVATE land.    Privately owned lands are lost almost five times faster than lands owned or managed by federal or state governments (including National Forests). Unprotected private lands lose habitat for threatened and endangered species TWICE as quickly as federal lands.     With more than 75% of Minnesota's land area in private ownership, private lands protection is critical to ensuring there are enough forests throughout Minnesota (not just on protected state and federal lands) to support our incredible wildlife populations, maintain our cold and clean water, stabilize soil, ground carbon and produce oxygen.     Luckily, amazing people like Becky Lourey and her family are doing something about it. The Lourey family recently added a conservation easement to their property in Pine County FOREVER protecting 1,729 acres of forest and wetland. This is the second-largest conservation easement ever in our 30+ year history.    With its expansive managed forests and bogs, the property protects a critical wildlife corridor between General C.C. Andrews and Nemadji state forests that benefits gray wolves, black bears, red-shouldered hawks, and ovenbirds among many other species. The property also helps safeguard the water quality of the Willow River – a tributary to the Kettle and St. Croix rivers. This incredible natural landscape produces abundant, clean air while sequestering 421 metric tons of carbon annually – the equivalent of 344 gas-powered vehicles driven for one year.  Now protected, the lands will never be cleared, parceled, or otherwise degraded. Instead, they will continue to provide intact habitat for animals that need space and clean water to thrive—a victory for conservation that wouldn't have been possible without the Loureys and our supporters!    The region where the protected property is located is home to Indigenous peoples, including the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Dakota Nation) and the Ojibwe (or Chippewa). These peoples have stewarded, hunted, fished, harvested, and held ceremonies on the land and in partnership with it for thousands of years.     🌈 Funding for the acquisition of this conservation easement was provided by Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC). #naturalclimatesolutions #forestprotection #landconservation #pinecounty #landtrust

Perch Lake, in Duluth, MN, is the most recent project in a decades-long initiative to restore the 12,000-acre St. Louis River which became a dumping site for sawmills during the timber boom in the mid-1800s. The 1900s brought paint, steel, and concrete manufacturing to the region which further compromised the river and surrounding habitat. The river was so polluted that people were advised to stay out of the water and avoid eating the fish. By 1987 the entire St. Louis River was designated an Area of Concern (AOC), the second largest US-based AOC and one of 31 across the Great Lakes. Today, in partnership with over a dozen local, state, and federal entities including the City of Duluth, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, 1854 Treaty Authority, Minnesota DNR and Wisconsin DNR, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and many more, we've completed a number of projects removing contaminated sediment, enhancing fish and wildlife habitat, and restoring manoomin beds. At Perch Lake, we installed a new 16' x 12' culvert to improve water circulation and add small boat access from the St. Louis River; removed 72,000 cubic yards of sediment to deepen the lake and enhance fish habitat, including during the winter; added spawning habitat for bluegill and black crappie, and added diverse native vegetation to improve the marsh habitat benefitting a variety of shorebirds as well as beaver and muskrats. Read more about the Perch Lake restoration project: https://lnkd.in/g4Ar_pCD Learn about all our work in the St. Louis River Estuary at mnland.org/slre. The Perch Lake project is a joint effort with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund. #habitatrestoration #mnfishing #cleanwater #duluthmn #waterprotection #fishhabitat

Wildlife havens > Gravel pits — With the help of caring landowners and supporters, the Minnesota Land Trust has permanently protected over 34 acres of forest and wetlands near Foley, Minnesota, along Stony Brook! While this region has been dominated by rural farm fields during the last couple hundred years, present-day expansion from both the Twin Cities and Saint Cloud is increasingly squeezing the landscape, resulting in land division and contributing to loss of wildlife habitat. Gravel mining is another threat in the region. This recently protected property sits immediately north of another Land Trust-protected site, creating a 73-acre haven on both sides of Stony Brook, a beacon for migratory birds and waterfowl on their long journeys, and buffering the creek from agricultural fields on both sides. The region where the protected property is located is home to Indigenous peoples, including the Bdewakantuwan (Mdewakanton) of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Dakota Nation) and the Ojibwe (or Chippewa). These peoples have stewarded, hunted, fished, harvested, and held ceremonies on the land and in partnership with it for thousands of years. 🌈 Funding for the acquisition of this conservation easement was provided by Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC). 📷 Aerial Photo: Nate Hylla, Kanati Land Management #BentonCounty #LandTrust #Minnesotaconservation #landconservation #waterprotection #NaturalClimateSolutions #PreserveWetlands #protectwildlife 

Some reminders for a wildlife and habitat-friendly 4th of July: 🧨 Celebrate without fireworks as they can frighten and disorient birds and other wildlife, cause wildfires and contribute up to 42% more pollutants in the air than on a normal day. 🐾 More pets go missing on the 4th of July than any other time. Take extra precautions to secure pets and make sure ID information is up-to-date. 🧨 Clean it up: waste and packaging from spent fireworks can pollute water, be toxic to wildlife, and pose a choking hazard. 🧨 Consumer fireworks are banned in all national wildlife refuges, national forests and national parks 365 days a year. 🔥 Do not leave fires or grills unattended, fully extinguish flames and embers when done, and clean up trash. 🎣 Reduce the risk to wildlife when fishing by properly discarding fishing line and hooks, and retrieving broken lines, lures and hooks. #LandTrust #habitatconservation #supportbirds #fireworksfreefourth #wildfireseason #darksky #milkyway

I Am One of You: Wildlife Biologist Travis Booms came out professionally in 2019 in an article published in the magazine “Wildlife Professional” (linked below). This act of bravery blazed a trail for others like him by raising awareness of the number of LGBTQIA2S+ biologists in the field and encouraging LGBTQ+ students to enter the sciences. Booms’ article was published just 5 years ago and though DEI initiatives have built momentum at universities, agencies, and organizations in the intervening years, there is still a lot of work to be done to expand access and support for LGBTQ+ wildlife biology and ecology professionals, including in the conservation sector, which is one reason we’re amplifying Booms’ story this month. “... stigmas and discrimination present in the wildlife profession have discouraged LGBTQ students from entering the field. In fact, some of my friends who displayed tremendous potential as young wildlife biologists and who were highly involved in TWS entered other fields because of the homophobia they perceived in our profession. Nevertheless, statistics strongly suggest that at least one of the next 15 wildlife professionals you speak to identifies as LGBTQ. Seriously, stop and think about that.” Read the entire article: https://lnkd.in/gRKpbU7P *LGBTQIA2S+ = Lesbian; Gay; Bisexual; Transgender; Queer or Questioning; Intersex; Asexual, Aromantic, and Agender; Two-Spirit; + all other sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions not specifically included in the acronym. #Pride2024 #PrideMonth #LGBTQIA2S+ #Inclusion #CelebrateDiversity #AllAreWelcomeHere

I Am One of You: Wildlife Biologist Travis Booms came out professionally in 2019 in an article published in the magazine “Wildlife Professional” (linked below). This act of bravery blazed a trail for others like him by raising awareness of the number of LGBTQIA2S+ biologists in the field and encouraging LGBTQ+ students to enter the sciences. Booms’ article was published just 5 years ago and though DEI initiatives have built momentum at universities, agencies, and organizations in the intervening years, there is still a lot of work to be done to expand access and support for LGBTQ+ wildlife biology and ecology professionals, including in the conservation sector, which is one reason we’re amplifying Booms’ story this month. “... stigmas and discrimination present in the wildlife profession have discouraged LGBTQ students from entering the field. In fact, some of my friends who displayed tremendous potential as young wildlife biologists and who were highly involved in TWS entered other fields because of the homophobia they perceived in our profession. Nevertheless, statistics strongly suggest that at least one of the next 15 wildlife professionals you speak to identifies as LGBTQ. Seriously, stop and think about that.” Read the entire article: https://lnkd.in/gRKpbU7P *LGBTQIA2S+ = Lesbian; Gay; Bisexual; Transgender; Queer or Questioning; Intersex; Asexual, Aromantic, and Agender; Two-Spirit; + all other sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions not specifically included in the acronym. #Pride2024 #PrideMonth #LGBTQIA2S+ #Inclusion #CelebrateDiversity #AllAreWelcomeHere

Building the Big Woods Near Lake Sarah — Our partners at Hennepin County Forestry recently led a 400-tree reforestation effort on a Land-trust-protected property in Independence, Minnesota. This restoration project is located in the Big Woods region of the state, whose landscape historically included around 3,000 square miles of towering red oaks, sugar maples, and American elm trees before they were cleared for agriculture fields. Today, only about 5% of the Big Woods forest remains. This planting adds sugar maple, bitternut hickory, black walnut, aspen, black cherry, swamp white oak, red oak, elm, nannyberry, and elderberry for a more diverse native habitat for wildlife, which is critical because of the development pressure in the region and the effects of climate change. #landtrust #reforestation #treeplanting #forestrestoration #Biodiversity #NaturalClimateSolutions Hennepin County

🎉 We just can’t stop protecting the Sauk [River]! 🌊 This spring, thanks to conscientious landowners and donor support, the Minnesota Land Trust permanently protected over 182 acres of land and 3.7 miles of shoreline on the Sauk River in Stearns County! The two protected properties are part of a rapidly growing corridor of protected natural lands buffering the Sauk River, a tributary to the Mississippi River. 🦆 Getting the projects across the finish line involved dedication on the part of the landowners as well as support from Stearns County Soil & Water Conservation District and The Nature Conservancy to remove 385 cubic yards of debris from an historic dump site along the river. Then the riverbank had to be re-graded to stabilize it. The extra cleanup effort was a lot of work but a big win for water quality. 🐟 The two conservation easements protect critical wetland habitats like swamps, wet meadows, and marshes, as well as oak and maple forests, and ensure they remain in their natural state for generations to come! 🍂  The region where the protected properties are located is home to Indigenous people, including the Bdewakantuwan (Mdewakanton) and Wahpekute of the Dakota Nation. The Dakota people have stewarded, hunted, fished, harvested, and held ceremonies on the land and in partnership with it for many thousands of years. 🌈 Funding for the acquisition of this conservation easement was provided by Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC). 🌲 About the Minnesota Land Trust The Minnesota Land Trust is a #conservationnonprofit organization based in St. Paul, MN, whose mission is to protect and restore Minnesota’s most vital natural lands to provide #wildlifehabitat, #cleanwater, outdoor experiences, and scenic beauty for generations to come. With the support of donors and landowners, the Land Trust protects over 81,000 acres of natural land and more than 516 miles of fragile shoreline through permanent #conservationeasements. We’ve also partnered with agencies and organizations across the state to restore 7,447 acres of protected land so far.    📷 Aerial photos: Nate Hylla, Kanati Land Management #StearnsCounty #landtrust #minnesotaconservation #landconservation #waterprotection #NaturalClimateSolutions