Wildlife Habitat:

Wildlife Habitat

Minnesota faces serious challenges in protecting fish and wildlife habitat for this and future generations. The fastest growing state in the Midwest, Minnesota added over 1 million people from 1970 to 2000 and will grow by an additional 1.2 million by 2030.

Because of decreases in household size and increases in acres per household, these 1.2 million people will convert over one million acres from natural areas or farmland to development in the next 25 years — a land area equivalent to four of Minnesota’s larger counties.

Some of the regions under greatest pressure are also among the most scenic and environmentally significant in Minnesota—including areas rich with lakes, rivers, fish, wildlife, wetlands, prairies, and forests.

Economic pressures are driving corporate landowners to sell and subdivide large tracts of forested and natural land, especially in northern Minnesota, fragmenting and endangering fish and wildlife habitat and closing access to the public.

Assuring the conservation and protection of Minnesota’s valuable fish and wildlife habitat is the purpose of outdoor heritage funding from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.

How are decisions made on how the fish and wildlife money is spent?

There are two major steps in the process.

The Legislature established the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council to provide recommendations to the legislature on how the funds should be used. The council will make recommendations on appropriations of money from the Outdoor Heritage Fund that are consistent with the Constitution and state law and that “take into consideration recommendations of the Minnesota Conservation and Preservation Plan that directly relate to the restoration, protection, and enhancement of wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife, and that prevent forest fragmentation, encourage forest consolidation, and expand restored native prairie.”

The Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council consists of 12 members, four each appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the State Senate. To learn about the Council, click here: http://www.lohc.state.mn.us/

To find out more about the Minnesota Conservation and Preservation Plan, click here: http://environment.umn.edu/scpp/

Taking into account the Council’s recommendations, the Governor will recommend an appropriation. The Legislature will consider the Governor’s recommendations and decides on how to spend the outdoor heritage funds before adjourning in May. Both the House and Senate have finance committees that will review the Governor’s recommendations and make preliminary decisions. The House and Senate will then vote as a whole on the recommendations before a final bill is sent to the Governor, who can sign or veto all or part of the bill.

Is anyone else involved?

You are! You can help make sure the fish and wildlife habitat funding delivers real results for Minnesota fishing and hunting recreation and for the support of our native fish and wildlife generally. We will provide regular updates on recommendations, initial decisions, and the final outcome – and help you communicate your views to the Governor and state legislators.

Comments (1) | Post a Comment

February 7, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Karry Kyllo:
This is precisely what I feared would happen with politicians and powerful special interest groups getting involved. In my opinion, Representative Hansen should immediately be dropped from the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council.
Betrayed? I don't think that even begins to describe my feelings about this.
Outraged would be a bit closer to how I feel.

Wildlife Habitat

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