All wetland banks and some project-specific wetland replacement (preservation projects, exceptional natural resource value projects) require a conservation easement to be recorded on the property where the project is located. The conservation easement is required to be made in favor of the state in a form provided by BWSR. The easement associated with wetland replacement is different from conservation easements for other BWSR programs such as Reinvest in Minnesota or "RIM".
The easement acquisition process requires a legal survey and issuance of title insurance. This page contains background information on the easement process, specific step-by-step instructions and the required forms and fees. Wetland bank plan applicants typically initiate the easement acquisition process after they have received approval of their wetland bank plan. However, applicants can initiate the process prior to receiving approval, but they do so at their own risk and BWSR will not complete the acquisition process until a mitigation plan has been approved by the local government unit.
Establishing a Wetland Bank Guidance (pdf)
Easement Acquisition Overview for Private Wetland Banks (pdf)
Easement Acquisition Checklist for Private Wetland Bank (pdf)
Easement Acquisition Checklist for Private Wetland Bank Word document (docx)
Easement Initiation Form (pdf)
Easement Initiation Form Word document (docx)
Easement Assessment Form (pdf)
Easement Assessment Form (docx)
Easement Legal Survey & Signage Requirements (pdf)
Easement Title Insurance Requirements (pdf)
Easement Title Insurance Procedures (pdf)
A wetland easement flowage agreement between adjacent landowners is sometimes required to implement a wetland bank project. BWSR provides an approved template for use in such agreements. It is important that these agreements be reviewed by BWSR during the easement acquisition process prior to their execution.
Easement Flowage Agreement Template Word document (docx)
If there has been a change of ownership of any property with a BWSR conservation easement on it, we request the completion and submission of the following form.
Easement Ownership Change Form (pdf)
Interactive Map
BWSR maintains an interactive map of all wetland bank easements here Interactive Map of Wetland Bank Easements. The following zip file is a geodatabase of wetland mitigation easement boundaries.
BWSR provides the following guide for landowners who have conservation easements on their property.