Conservation easements are a critical component of the state’s efforts to improve water quality by reducing soil erosion, phosphorus and nitrogen loading, and improving wildlife habitat and flood attenuation on private lands. Easements protect the state’s water and soil resources by permanently restoring wetlands, adjacent native grassland wildlife habitat complexes and permanent riparian buffers. In cooperation with county Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), BWSR's programs compensate landowners for granting conservation easements and establishing native vegetation habitat on economically marginal, flood-prone, environmentally sensitive or highly erodible lands.
More information can be found throughout this web site and in our Conservation Easement Fact Sheet.
Minnesota CREP
Minnesota's CREP program will focus on 54 counties in southern and western Minnesota. This program intends to leverage Federal funds to enroll 60,000 acres of buffer strips, wetland restorations, and wellhead protection areas.
Click here to go to the Minnesota CREP page.
Click here to go to the SWCD guidance materials.
Click here to go to the MN CREP Marketing and Communication Resources page.
Master Joint Powers Agreement (MJPA) Information
BWSR has historically provided payments to SWCDs for easement acquisition costs ($2000/easement) and site inspection costs ($40-$50/easement) through a grant process. We are changing the process to improve accountability and tracking. We will now be utilizing a Master Joint Powers Agreement between each SWCD and BWSR instead of through the previous grant process.
Click here to go to the MJPA page.
Outside Request Easements Policy
This policy is to direct the use of the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve easement program for entities wishing to pursue RIM conservation easement initiatives with funds from sources other than available BWSR easement programs. The RIM Reserve Program was established in 1986 and provides a unique opportunity for entities, such as SWCDs, to accomplish important conservation projects on private lands. To sustain the high quality of the RIM Reserve Program, insure uses are consistent with enabling legislation and requirements, accommodate future stewardship obligations, and efficiently process easements, BWSR has developed this guidance for other organizations interested in utilizing RIM as a vehicle to secure long term protection of the state’s natural resources.
Program Documentaton:
This guidance documentation outlines the criteria and conditions that govern this conservation easement program. This guidance should be considered additive to existing RIM policy and procedure.
General Information
Click here to go to the Handbook page.
- Conservation Lands Summary
(acres enrolled by county and program - posted August 21st, 2018)
- RIM Easements and Property Tax Valuation
(May 21, 2014)
- RIM Reserve Quality Assurance 2010
(Jan. 12, 2011)
- RIM Reserve Long‐Term Land Management Analysis
(Jan. 12, 2011)
- General Conservation Easement Fact Sheet
- Landowner Fact Sheet
- Estimated Cultivated Acres in Riparian Areas
(estimated data used to identify possible locations for voluntary conservation practices)
- Vegetative Management and Enhancement of Conservation Easement Lands
(March 27, 2017)
- Vegetative Enhancement Haying and Grazing Agreement
(March 27, 2017)
- RIM Haying & Grazing Fact Sheet
(Mar. 5, 2014)
- Vegetative Enhancement Haying and Grazing Agreement
- BWSR Board Policy on Easement Alterations
- SWCD Reference Number Index
- Payment Schedule for SWCD Services for Wetland Restorations
and instructions
- USFWS Easements and RIM
- Tax Forfeit Land Sales
and Notice to Prospective Purchasers/Owners of State Land
Training Materials
Click here to go to the Training page.
The latest:
- RIM Buffers, Wellhead and Grasslands training was on May 21st, 2014
- RIM Updates & Opportunities
- Title Basics and Mapping
- Advanced Title Work
- Conservation Plan, Voucher, PIRF, Revision Request Preparation
- Easement Boundary Creation and RIM Spatial Data
- How to Submit Shapefiles
- RIM 101
- Handbook & Forms
Main Menu
- RIM Wild Rice Conservation Easements
- RIM Riparian Buffer Strips
- RIM Wetlands
- RIM Grassland Reserve
- RIM Groundwater Protection
- RIM-WRP Partnership
- Flood Response
- Outside Requests Easement Policy
- General Information
- Handbook & Forms
- Training Materials
Maps & GIS Data
- PDF Map
(Updated February 2019)
- Shapefile
(Updated February 2019)
- Web Map
(Updated on rolling basis)
Related Links
- Statutes
- Minnesota Rules Chapter 8400
(Link to Revisor of Statutes Office - see sections 8400.3000 - 8400.3930)
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- USDA Farm Service Agency
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- Pheasants Forever
- Ducks Unlimited
- University of Minnesota Land Economics
(to determine estimated land values)