Big Lottery Winner - Minnesota's Natural Resources

Habitat Conservation Partnership reports 32,000 acres of wildlife habitat improvement

Pheasants Forever is

Pheasants Forever is "The Habitat Organization."

Saint Paul, Minn. - February 23 -

Whether you win or lose playing the Minnesota State Lottery, Minnesota's natural resources always win. Minnesota's Habitat Conservation Partnership announces the completion of 32,334 acres of habitat improvements during the fourth phase of funding. Funds for these projects were provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Trust Fund dollars originate through the Minnesota State Lottery.

The partnership was first funded in 2001 by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources and participating partners. The partnership provides for a statewide coordination of existing federal, state and private land and water conservation programs. The project targets these programs and resources into identified project focus areas that have high potential for restoring and enhancing functional habitats benefiting wildlife in Minnesota.

"Once again, we have seen what strong conservation partnerships can achieve," said Matt Holland, project coordinator for the partnership and a senior field coordinator for Pheasants Forever. During the project period, partners leveraged $4.1 million dollars from the Environmental Trust Fund with over $11.8 million dollars of federal and private funds. Holland stated, "The partnership prides itself on using every Trust Fund dollar as a catalyst to do more high quality habitat work for Minnesota."

During the most recent project funding period, the partnership completed 14,845 acres of grassland enhancement and restoration, 100,000 feet of shoreline protection, 8,806 acres of wetland enhancement and restoration, and 91 acres of woodland restoration. In addition, the partnership worked with willing sellers to acquire 3,926 acres of perpetual conservation easements and 852 acres in fee-title. Since inception in 2001, the Partnership reports 145,868 acres in 1,095 wildlife habitat restoration, enhancement and protection projects for Minnesota. Total expenditures to date exceed $107 million dollars. A total of $24.5 million came from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and the remainder, $83.2 million, has come from the project partners.

Minnesota Habitat Conservation Partnership The mission of Minnesota's Habitat Conservation Partnership is to restore, enhance, and conserve habitat for the purpose of sustaining fish, wildlife and native plant communities for all generations. Member Organizations include: Ducks Unlimited * Fond du Lac Reservation * Friends of the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District * Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe * Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources * Minnesota Deer Hunters Association * Minnesota Department of Natural Resources * Minnesota Land Trust * Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund * Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust, Inc. * National Wild Turkey Federation * Pheasants Forever * Red Lake Band of Chippewa * The Nature Conservancy * Trust for Public Land * U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service * U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Matt Holland, (320) 354-4377 mholland@pheasantsforever.org

Pheasants Forever is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasants, quail and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness and education. Such efforts benefit landowners and wildlife alike.