Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF)
The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund began in 1988 after voter approval.
The fund protects, conserves, preserves, and enhances air, water, land, fish, wildlife and other natural resources. The funds come from the Minnesota State Lottery and investment income.
The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources recommends projects to the legislature. The commission is made of state senators, state representatives, and citizens. The Governor, Senate and House of Representatives appoint its members. Since 1991, the fund has provided about $500 million to about 1,000 projects around the state.
The county received funds for the Farmland and Natural Area Protection Plan and guidelines and Vermillion River Corridor Plan. To date, the county has received $1,830,807 for projects. See a list of projects.
Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program/Agricultural Land Easement Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides financial incentives and technical help to put wetlands, agricultural lands, grasslands and forests into long-term protection. This is through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),
The NRCS also managed the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP). This provided 50 percent matching funds to get permanent agricultural conservation easements. This kept productive farm and ranch land in agricultural use.
The county worked with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to develop a statewide farmland protection plan. This state plan allowed the county to be eligible for FRPP funding.
In 2024, the federal government ended FRPP and created the Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) program. This changed several evaluation criteria and the funding formula.
A total of $12.6 million of FRPP funds were used. The funds helped acquire 64 of 71 agricultural easements between 2005 and 2020. It protected a total of 7,812 acres.
The county provided $11,567,00 and staff time to complete these projects. Landowners donated more than $4.9 million in easement value. Recent changes to this federal funding could provide options in the future.
See a list of projects.
Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF)
Minnesota voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Constitutional Amendment in 2008. This allocates a three-eighths of one percent sales tax to habitat, clean water, parks and trails, and arts and culture for 35 years.
The Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF) receives one-third of these sales taxes. It restores, protects and enhances wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game and other wildlife. It also prevents forest fragmentation, encourages forest consolidation, and expands restored native prairie.
The legislature established the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC) to provide recommendations for use of the OHF. The council has:
- Two state senators
- Two state representatives
- Two citizens appointed by the Senate
- Two citizens appointed by the House of Representatives
- Four citizens appointed by the governor.
As of June 2024, the county has received more than $24.2 million of OHF and provided more than $11.38 million of its own funds to protect 4,234 acres. An additional $132,100 of OHF was combined with $77,545 of county funds to restore/enhance 215 acres of habitat.
These figures do not reflect $1.9 million of landowner donations and other costs, such as:
- Title search and closing costs
- Years of county staff time
- Easement document preparation costs
- Ongoing monitoring and management costs.
With annual funding allocated by the county board, the county will continue to leverage non-county funding. See a list of projects.