Dear Friend,
The Minnesota Land Trust celebrated our 30th anniversary in 2021, and while we’ve experienced a lot of change and growth during that time, some things have remained constant. First, we remain steadfastly dedicated to rebuilding Minnesota’s natural systems. Every day, we relentlessly protect the best remaining natural areas we have left, restore those we’ve lost, and engage the conservation leaders of tomorrow.
The year 2021 was a case study in focus and commitment. Thanks to our dedicated donors and public resources like the Outdoor Heritage Fund, we protected and restored more acres in 2021 than ever before! These projects spanned the state, conserving rare prairies, cold water trout streams, iconic lakes, and rich forests, and included our largest project ever at nearly 4,500 acres in St. Louis County. Projects like these benefit us all by sequestering carbon, cleaning our water, providing homes for iconic species like loons, moose, and wolves, and allowing Minnesotans to discover nature and find solace in the great outdoors.
The people behind these projects are incredibly inspirational and committed to making the Land Trust better in all respects, including building a conservation organization that is more representative of and responsive to the needs of all Minnesotans. Toward this end, we dedicated significant time and resources in 2021 to addressing how we can build a more just, inclusive, and diverse conservation community in Minnesota. We look forward to putting our planning into action in the coming year, because there is no doubt that while this work will continue to challenge us, it has never been more important.
One of our greatest strengths as a state lies in our diverse landscapes and people, and we’re all better off when we take care of our natural lands and one other.
I’d like to close by expressing my deepest gratitude and thanks for all that you do as a Minnesota Land Trust partner—it’s with your support that the work of protection and progress are made possible.
Warmest regards,
Kris Larson, Executive Director
PROTECT
Preserving the Minnesota places that matter most today and for future generations.
In 2021, we added 22 newly protected properties to bring the total number of acres preserved with protection easements to over 70,000, as well as over 400 miles of fragile shorelines.
RESTORE
Partnering with property owners and other conservation agencies to rehabilitate protected lands and water.
In 2021, we completed restoration on 2,463 acres of prairie and 132 acres of wetlands, which will help ground over 25,000 tons of carbon from the atmosphere and support important plant and wildlife populations including migratory waterfowl, pollinators, and prairie wildflowers.
ENGAGE
Building connections to nature…and each other.
In 2021, we piloted an exciting new program whose purpose is to nurture a conservation ethic across the state by connecting groups seeking outdoor experiences to property owners that have the natural spaces to facilitate them.
SELECTED 2021 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Bison & Native Prairie Thrive Together
Situated in Morrison County, Minnesota, this 552-acre protected property features rolling terrain with a mix of grasslands, forest, and wetlands. It is sustainably managed through an innovative conservation grazing plan in cooperation with bison, a species that was once prominent across the region.
This unique approach to conservation grazing restores a keystone species to its original land stewardship role after an approximately 200-year absence. And importantly, the habitat on this property is protected for future generations, ensuring that it will always be a viable natural space for bison and smaller prairie animals and pollinators.
Nature Connections Lead to Conservation
The Ambassador Lands program launched in 2021 to connect groups seeking meaningful outdoor experiences to conservation easement holders who have natural spaces to facilitate them. The pilot program, a small game hunt in East Indian Creek, Minnesota, was deemed a success by all who participated.
Today, most people live in cities and lack access to regular, meaningful nature experiences. Many people also face additional barriers that make it difficult to connect with nature. A critical part of our mission is helping people build connections with nature to deepen their appreciation for the environment and ultimately instill a conservation ethos.
Restoring Resilient Lands
On a Winona County property in the heart of Minnesota’s Blufflands, goats are helping battle buckthorn to protect wooded areas from becoming an invasive species monoculture, critical for maintaining native biodiversity that helps preserve the cool, clean river water for the region’s iconic cold-water trout streams.
The impact of restoration work in Minnesota’s Blufflands is amplified because of the unique karst topography that makes the region part of a formal network of Resilient Lands. With the spring-fed cold-water streams and waterfalls, underground caves and Algific talus slopes, this area is critical for climate change resiliency.
