Fisheries Habitat Protection on Strategic North Central Minnesota Lakes - Phase III
The Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation in partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust will protect high priority critical fish habitat and the surrounding watersheds on 38 tullibee "refuge" lakes by securing conservation easements. We will permanently protect approximately 400 acres. If a lake's watershed has less than 25% land disturbance the lake has a high probability to maintain clean water and healthy lake ecosystem. State of Minnesota reports indicate this region could see 64% population growth by 2030. Protecting key parcels will help sustain both recreational and sport fisheries in North Central Minnesota.
This project focused on fisheries habitat protection of “tullibee refuge lakes.” Tullibee require cold, well-
oxygenated waters—a condition most common in lakes with deep water and healthy watersheds. Thirty-eight (38)
of these refuge lakes are located in Hubbard, Crow Wing, Cass, and Aitkin counties.
Minnesota DNR Fisheries research recommends that 75% of a lake’s watershed be in permanent protection to
ensure sustained water quality. Tullibee refuge lakes near this threshold were the highest priority for protection.
In addition, the DNR’s Sensitive Shoreland data were used to help identify priority lakes where conservation
investments could be maximized. Landowner recruitment focused on parcels close to protected land and which
had a high potential to expand upland and aquatic habitat complexes. Landowner applications were evaluated
based on criteria established by the project’s technical team. To ensure the best conservation return on the state’s
investment, landowner willingness to donate a portion of the easement value was a key component of the parcel
evaluation. Best available data (state and county) was used to prioritize projects and maximize outcomes. The
2013 Minnesota DNR Fish Habitat Plan provided strategic guidance.
NWLT’s role in the program was focused on targeted landowner recruitment, creation of an interactive online GIS-
based Clean Water Critical Habitat map, facilitating the technical team, and administering the grant. MLT provided
technical support and worked with landowners to secure conservation easements.
Three properties were protected through conservation easements by MLT during this grant. The three are
described below. Each is more thoroughly described and illustrated in the Project Summary Sheets uploaded into
the final report:
Star Lake (United Methodist Church) – Crow Wing County: This spectacular 383-acre property protects over 4.5
miles of shoreline on Star Lake (a lake of outstanding biological significance and tullibee refuge lake), Little Star
Lake, Henry Lake, Duck Lake and a perennial stream. Uplands on the property contain high-quality Oak-Aspen
Forest, a native plant community considered “vulnerable to extirpation” in Minnesota. Numerous rare wildlife, fish,
and plant species have been observed on the property, including least darter, a Minnesota Species of Special
Concern.
Three Island Lake (Vogel-Knittle) – Cass County: This 347-acre property protects a sweeping landscape of
including mesic hardwood forest, pine and hardwood forest, several types of swamp (ash, alder, and tamarack),
wet meadow, and 1,214 feet of shoreline on Three Island Lake, a lake of high biological significance. These natural
communities provide habitat for a variety of SGCN. Surrounded by Cass County, Chippewa National Forest, and
tribal-administered lands, this property provides significant connectivity with surrounding natural lands. The
property protects a mosaic of native plant communities.
Cooper Lake (YMCA) – Cass County: This 39-acre property is part of a large complex of lands totaling 869 acres
that are protected by permanent conservation easements held by MLT and Cass County. This property protects
over 2,000 feet of natural shoreline on Cooper Lake, a lake of moderate biological significance and a tullibee refuge
lake. The property features a variety of native plant communities.
$1,716,000 in the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources to acquire land in permanent conservation easements to sustain healthy fish habitat on cold water lakes in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, and Hubbard Counties for agreements as follows: $113,000 to Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation; and $1,603,000 to Minnesota Land Trust, of which up to $120,000 to Minnesota Land Trust is for establishing a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of permanent conservation easements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
708 Habitat acres Protected in Easement.
Landowner Donations, Minnesota Land Trust