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Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council

MN Board of Water and Soil Resources

Your Outdoor Heritage Fund at Work

Click the photo cards below to view highlights of BWSR's programs supported by the Outdoor Heritage Fund.

View all BWSR Programs funded with the Outdoor Heritage Fund

Wild Rice Shoreland Protection

A canoe and wild rice seeds on a lakeshore dock.

Program Overview: ReInvest in Minnesota Wild Rice Conservation Easements

Central & Northwest Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

Site of wild rice easement on Star Lake.

In Otter Tail County, Easement Protects Wild Rice, Fish, Wildlife

Dent, Minnesota

Photo © John Voz, BWSR

Aerial view of Mallard Lake.

Protecting Minnesota's Wild Rice Lakes

Central & Northwest Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

ReInvest in Minnesota Wetlands Partnership

Aerial view of protected wetland site in Minnesota.

Program Overview: RIM Wetlands

Statewide, Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

Site of a wetland restoration in Minnesota.

RIM Wetlands: The Evolution of Wetland Restoration

Statewide, Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

Aerial view of 160 acre wetland restoration in Murray County, Minnesota.

Water Storage Among Benefits of Murray SWCD Wetland Restoration

Murray County, Minnesota

Photo © Murray SWCD

Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor

Shoreline within the Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor.

Program Overview: Mississippi River Headwaters Habitat Corridor

Mississippi Headwaters Region, Minnesota

Photo © Andy Richter

Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor

Mississippi Headwaters Region, Minnesota

Video © BWSR

Visitor fishing at Indian Jack Lake WMA in the Brainerd Lakes area.

Mississippi Headwaters Protections Expand to Tributaries, Create More Linked Corridors

Mississippi Headwaters Region, Minnesota

Photo © Andy Richter

Shoreline within the Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor.

Mississippi River Headwaters Habitat, Recreational Resource Gain Protection

Crow Wing County, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

ReInvest in Minnesota Grasslands

Prairie grassland with a stream in the background.

Program Overview: RIM Grassland Reserve

Prairie Habitats, Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

Native prairie in Kittson County.

RIM Easements Protect Minnesota's Native Prairie

Prairie Habitats, Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape ACUB Protection Program

View from a scenic overlook showing Camp Ripley area grasslands and rolling forested hills.

Program Overview: Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB)

Morrison, Crow Wing, & Cass Counties, MN

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

Staff visit Mississippi River shoreline during a tour of Camp Ripley.

Buffering Camp Ripley

Morrison, Crow Wing, & Cass Counties, MN

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

A wild rice easement in Crow Wing County within the Camp Ripley buffers area.

Camp Ripley Buffers Near 30,000 Acres

Morrison, Crow Wing, & Cass Counties, MN

Photo © BWSR

Landowner walks onto managed forestland.

Camp Ripley Forest Partnerships

Morrison, Crow Wing, & Cass Counties, MN

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

NRCS, Morrison SWCD Advance Camp Ripley Forestry Partnerships

Morrison, Crow Wing, & Cass Counties, Minnesota

Video © BWSR

Morrison SWCD staff and Minnesota National Guard officer prepare to plant native plants at Camp Ripley.

Meet the Morrison SWCD Staffer Behind 350-plus RIM Easements

Morrison County, Minnesota

Photo © Morrison SWCD

Buffalo-Red River Watershed Stream Habitat Program

People walk on protected prairie in Minnesota.

Restoring Wolverton Creek

Clay & Wilkin Counties, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

Wolverton Creek

Clay & Wilkin Counties, Minnesota

Video © BWSR

A crew digging the new, remeandered channel of Whiskey Creek.

First 7 miles of Whiskey Creek Restoration Show Effectiveness

Wilkin County, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

Whiskey Creek Restoration

Wilkin County, Minnesota

Video © BWSR

A crew digging the new, remeandered channel of Whiskey Creek.

Whiskey Creek Restoration:
Landowners. Leveraged Funds. Partnerships.

Wilkin County, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

ReInvest in Minnesota Buffers for Wildlife and Water

Riparian grassland area in the early morning.

Program Overview: RIM Riparian and Floodplain Restoration

Statewide, Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

RIM easement signage posted along a riparian grassland area.

New RIM Program Targets Riparian Areas, Floodplains to Benefit Habitat, Water Quality

Statewide, Minnesota

Photo © Mary Juhl, BWSR

Aerial view of easement seeding underway as part of the Swift Coulee riparian restoration project.

In the Red River Basin, a new approach to riparian restoration

Red River basin, Minnesota

Photo © Houston Engineering, Inc.

Riparian area within the Pine River and Leech Watersheds.

Pine River and Leech Watershed Protection Program

North Central Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

Aerial view of Mud Creek riparian easement in Yellow Medicine County.

Riparian RIM Easement Builds Upon Existing Wildlife Habitat

Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota

Photo © Yellow Medicine SWCD

Site of stream restoration at South Creek in Lakeville, Minnesota.

Securing Sourcewater via Forestland

Crow Wing and Hubbard Counties, Minnesota

Photo © Crow Wing SWCD

Kettle River riparian area with grasslands and trees.

RIM Riparian Protection -
Kettle and Snake Rivers Program

Kettle & Snake River Watersheds, Minnesota

Photo © BWSR / Pine County SWCD

Integrating Habitat and Clean Water Easement Program

Aerial view of newly protected habitat in Murray County.

Program Overview: RIM 1W1P (Integrating Clean Water and Habitat)

Statewide, Minnesota

Photo © Murray SWCD

Shoreline protected by easement along the North Fork Crow River.

New RIM Easement Program Option Exceeds Initial Goal, Offers Flexibility

Statewide, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

Additional Conservation Success Stories supported with the Outdoor Heritage Fund

Rock riffles at the site of stream restoration in Clearwater County, Minnesota.

Water quality, fish habitat shape Clearwater River streambank work

Clearwater County, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

Site of stream restoration at South Creek in Lakeville, Minnesota.

Working Lands for Habitat (Grazing)

Statewide, Minnesota

Photo © BWSR

Conservation workers explore a streambank restoration.

Shoreline Tour Illustrates Solutions

Stearns County, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

Conservation Corps restoration workers restore rivershore in Stearns County.

Building Conservation Careers

Stearns County, Minnesota

Photo © Ann Wessel, BWSR

Aerial view of fish passage project in construction.

TSA 8 staff propels dam replacement

Crow Wing County, Minnesota

Photo © Crow Wing SWCD

Aerial view of newly protected former cropland in Nobles County.

Partners Protect Groundwater, Habitat

Nobles County, Minnesota

Photo © Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District

Site of stream restoration at South Creek in Lakeville, Minnesota.

Restoring a Metro Trout Stream

Lakeville, Minnesota

Photo © City of Lakeville Staff

BWSR staff visits Horseshoe Lake site in Redwood County.

BWSR Engineering Tour Offers Insights to Help Overcome Design Challenges

Southwest Minnesota

Photo © Siri Doyle, BWSR

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