BWSR - Easements

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 .

Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve

The RIM Reserve program is the primary land acquisition program for state-held conservation easements and restoration of wetlands and native grasslands on privately owned land in Minnesota. This program partners with public and private landowners, non-profit organizations and the citizens of Minnesota.

The latest:

Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve Partnership Easements (February, 2012)
2012 CWF/OHF Riparian Buffer Landowner Signup (Jan 31, 2012)

RIM-WRP Partnership

The RIM Reserve program has successfully partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) programs that are compatible with the RIM Reserve program to create the premier private lands wetland restoration program in the nation. Partnerships with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have resulted in over $260 million federal dollars leveraged into the State of Minnesota via the RIM Reserve program.

The latest:

2012 Landowner Signup (Jan 23, 2012)

Wellhead Protection

BWSR has received funding through the Clean Water Fund (from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment) for RIM Reserve easements in areas where the vulnerability of the drinking water supply management area is designated as high or very high by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Participating landowners receive a payment to permanently retire land in agricultural production, and to establish buffers of native vegetation.

The latest:

2012 Landowner Signup - Application materials and instructions (November 2011)
Guidance for SWCDs (February 2011)

Riparian Buffer Strips

BWSR has received funding through the Clean Water Fund (from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment) to establish and restore permanent conservation easements on riparian buffers adjacent to public waters, excluding wetlands, to keep water on the land in order to decrease sediment, pollutant and nutrient transport, reduce hydrologic impacts to surface waters and increase infiltration for groundwater recharge. Additionally, through an appropriation from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, buffers may be extended for wildlife habitat purposes.