New Public Lands in the Cannon River Watershed
This story was featured in the Faribault Daily News and Owatonna People’s Press.
Craig Koester speaking to event attendees at the Prairie Creek WMA Dedication event in June of 2023—taken by Alan Kraus.
When we think of public lands, the first terms that often come to mind are National or State Parks, where people can go camping, take nature hikes, or have a picnic. While these spaces are excellent and provide accessible areas for outdoor activities, there are times when we may seek a quieter and less crowded experience. Fortunately, due to hard work and advocacy, Minnesota has an impressive system of public lands known as Wildlife Management Areas, and you likely live within an hour's drive of one!
The distinction between a State Park and a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) lies in their primary focus. While state parks are created to provide recreational opportunities for the public with paved paths, camping areas, and designated trails, WMAs are primarily established to protect wildlife habitats. Much of the work in a wildlife management area includes reintroducing native plants, restoring wetlands, and regenerating forests. It would be difficult to hunt, fish, or observe wildlife (typically allowed in a WMA) without the necessary habitat for these creatures to thrive.
Clean River Partners, Trust for Public Land (TPL), and Great River Greening (GRG) have been partnering with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for years to acquire and restore land in the Cannon River Watershed so that it is protected and publicly accessible. The Cannon River Watershed is 97% private ownership, and protected WMAs will reverse habitat loss, help improve water quality, and provide much-needed public access for outdoor recreational opportunities within an hour’s drive for over half of the state’s population.
Although protecting natural habitats is crucial, having easy access to nature close to home can also significantly benefit our physical and mental health. Spending time in nature can enhance our cognitive abilities, such as thinking and reasoning. Engaging in outdoor activities like walking, biking, or kayaking can also improve our physical well-being. Additionally, being outdoors can reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of anger.
Since 2010, TPL has protected 3,110 acres in the watershed with the help of landowners and outreach assistance from Clean River Partners. During this time, GRG and the Minnesota DNR have restored and enhanced 498 acres of habitat in the watershed, and 452 acres of restoration are underway. Some recent conservation wins include the expansion of the Sakatah WMA in Morristown, MN, and the opening of the Faribault WMA - Medford Unit in Medford, MN.
Sakatah WMA offers important wetland, forest, and grassland habitats and will be open for hiking, fishing, hunting, and other outdoor pursuits. The Faribault WMA - Medford Unit protects thousands of feet of undeveloped shoreline along the Straight River and will provide visitors with recreational opportunities like fishing, hunting, hiking, and wildlife observation.
Join us this summer for two land dedication events. These events will provide an opportunity to learn more about our collaborative habitat protection and restoration efforts and to recognize the landowners for their contributions to land ethic and habitat. Funding for these events and the land acquisitions was provided from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature. The first event will take place on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at the Sakatah WMA, where Judith Altobell and her family will share their story and vision for their property in Rice County. The second event will be held on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the Faribault WMA - Medford Unit, where Don Redman will share his journey of realizing the natural legacy on his property. For more details about each event, please visit the Clean River Partners website at https://www.cleanriverpartners.org/events.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $93 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
About Clean River Partners
Clean River Partners, a member-based, nonprofit organization headquartered in Northfield, MN, envisions a community that creates and protects a watershed to achieve healthy soils; drinkable groundwater, and clean, fishable, and swimmable rivers, lakes, and streams. Learn more about and support Clean River Partners’ collaborative efforts with local communities, partner organizations, and farmers to promote sustainable practices and protect our waterways at www.cleanriverpartners.org.
About Great River Greening
Great River Greening has worked for more than 25 years, restoring land and water resources throughout Minnesota. With the help of local volunteers, Great River Greening has restored degraded forests and prairies and improved our outdoor recreation experiences, our economy, and our drinking water. Contact www.greatrivergreening.org to give your support or become a volunteer in restoring habitat.
