How did MN increase the protection and management of more prairie throughout the state?
Learn about a successful model that can be adapted and emulated for leveraging partnerships to increase prairie protection.
The Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan is a model for public-private collaboration in conservation and is a national model that can be adapted and emulated. Hosted in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR), this workshop was designed specifically for on-the-ground practitioners and statewide coordinators. Learn from active projects working to solve everyday grassland management questions. Many great MN prairie treasures will be visited including Chippewa Prairie Preserve, Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area, Hastad and Randall Waterfowl Production Areas, Lake Johanna Esker Preserve, Ordway Prairie Preserve and several native prairie bank conservation easements.
Field presentations were filmed during an in-person event in Southwestern MN during July 2022.
Time (EST) | Session |
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm | Welcome and Opening Remarks: Lisa Smith, Executive Director, Natural Areas Association |
12:10 pm - 12:35 pm | Fragmented Prairies & Grasslands: Reconnecting Habitats through Collaborative Partnerships Judy Schulte, Statewide Scientific & Natural Areas (SNA) Supervisor, Minnesota Department of Natural Areas (MN DNR) Steve Chaplin, Prairie Conservation Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy (MN-ND-SD Chapter) |
12:35 pm - 1:10 pm | Ordway Prairie - Restoration, Seed Collection & Collaboration, and Adaptive Management Field Presenters: Angela Miner, Prairie Recovery Specialist, The Nature Conservancy (MN-ND-SD Chapter) Ben Carlson, Botanist, The Nature Conservancy (MN-ND-SD Chapter) Sara Vacek, Refuge Biologist, Morris Wetland Management District, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
1:10 pm - 1:55 pm | Lake Johanna Esker Preserve - Restoration Strategies Field Presenter: Angela Miner, Prairie Recovery Specialist, The Nature Conservancy (MN-ND-SD Chapter) |
1:55 pm - 2:05 pm | Break |
2:05 pm - 2:15 pm | Randall Waterfowl Production Area - Restoration Strategies Field Presenter: Scott Glup, Project Leader, Litchfield Wetland and Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
2:15 pm - 2:35 pm | Lac qui Parle Native Prairie Bank Brome Control Study in Partnership with a Private Land Owner Field Presenters: Brad Bolduan, Regional Scientific and Natural Areas Specialist, Southern MN, MN Department of Natural Resources Rhett Johnson, Prairie Private Lands Specialist, MN Department of Natural Resources Dustin Graham, Plant Ecologist/Botanist, MN Department of Natural Resources |
2:35 pm - 2:50 pm | Chippewa Prairie (The Nature Conservancy Preserve) & Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area (DNR) - Working with a Private Land Owner Using Grazing as a Management Tool Field Presenters: Fred Harris, Plant Biologist, MN Biological Survey Walt Gessler, Lac qui Parle Wildlife Area Manager, MN Department of Natural Resources Joe Blastik, Prairie Coteau Conservation Manager, The Nature Conservancy Dave Trauba, Southern Region Wildlife Manager, MN Department of Natural Resources Ben Gery, Field Steward, The Nature Conservancy (MN-ND-SD Chapter) |
2:50 pm - 3:00 pm | Hasted/Hegland Waterfowl Production Area - Preserving a High Quality Prairie Field Presenters: Bruce Freske, Manager, Morris Wetland Management District (WMD), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Sara Vacek, Refuge Biologist, Morris Wetland Management District, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm | Concluding Panel with the MN Prairie Conservation Plan Partners A facilitated discussion based upon questions from the audience and essential learning points if you would like to replicate/adapt this model in your region. |
3:30 pm | Conclusion |
Join the people who protect and manage our natural areas.