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2003 Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Accomplishments

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is the Nation’s premier Wetlands restoration program. It is a voluntary program that offers landowners the opportunity and means to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on their property. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) manages the program, and provides technical and financial support to help landowners who participate in WRP.

Accomplishments

  • In Federal fiscal year 2003, 108 WRP easements were funded on 13,700 acres. These are located in 24 counties across the State. A total of $21 million was obligated for these 108 easements.
  • An 1,800 acre $2.1 million wetland/prairie project near the town of Uhlen in Clay and Norman Counties in NW Minnesota was funded. The 10 landowners in this project will restore a nearly 3 mile corridor that, in addition to wildlife habitat, will provide water quality and flood prevention benefits.
  • Three Carver County landowners in the Minnesota River floodplain will restore 275 acres of riparian woodland and grassland habitat. This area will link two existing US Fish and Wildlife Service units and will ultimately be a part of the Minnesota Valley Refuge system.
  • Fourteen Marshall County easements were funded for $1.6 million.  These easements continue the effort to link 1750 acres along a 6 mile corridor of the Snake River near its confluence with the Red River.  This project provides benefits to migratory bird species, other wildlife species as well as water quality and flood control benefits.
  • 44 previously funded easements were recorded in fiscal year 2003 on over 4,000 acres.
  • In addition, thousand’s of acres of wetlands and associated uplands were restored to their pre-conversion condition. This included restoring hydrology, grass, forbs and shrub vegetation.
  • NRCS continues to be a full partner in the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR) Funded Wildlife Habitat Corridors Project. Ducks Unlimited has contracted with Wetland Specialist and technicians to help implement WRP in these corridors.

Data

Easement Numbers and Costs

Map Showing Total Cost Per/Acre for Wetland Easement Acquisition and Restoration.