Contact: Mary Juhl; mary.juhl@state.mn.us, 612-358-5733
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) awarded $3.4 million for Habitat Enhancement Landscape Program (HELP) grants to 12 organizations and governments.
HELP supports efforts to restore and enhance strategically located diverse native habitat found in Minnesota’s natural areas, conservation lands and open spaces to benefit declining populations of bees, butterflies, dragonflies, birds and other wildlife species that are essential for ecosystems and food production. HELP prioritizes large-scale initiatives on the landscape that support these declining populations, with an emphasis on protecting pollinators. The program also provides co-benefits via carbon sequestration, soil health, water quality improvements and increased landscape and climate resiliency.
“Groups receiving HELP grants will enhance hundreds of acres of native habitat to benefit pollinators and other wildlife,” said BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke. “These projects will also serve as demonstration sites for the public to see and learn about pollinators in their own communities.”
Grant work will include grassland management approaches that mimic natural disturbances, such as prescribed burns followed by inter-seeding native species. Other planned work includes converting turf grasses to native grasses and forbs on public lands, such as city parks.
2024 HELP grants were awarded to the following organizations:
- Arcola Mills Historic Foundation
- Anoka Conservation District
- Carlton Soil & Water Conservation District
- City of Mounds View
- Dakota County
- Friends of the Mississippi River
- Hennepin County
- Prairie Island Indian Community
- Native Resources Preservation
- Sharing Our Roots
- Stearns County Soil & Water Conservation District
- Washington Conservation District