9,600 Acres Designated for Wetland Reserve Program in Western Minnesota

(WASHINGTON, DC) - U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson (D-7th Dist.) announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has designated 9600 acres in Minnesota’s Seventh District as eligible for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).

“Restoring and preserving wetlands is critical to the future of our migratory birds and a good way for landowners to voluntarily move towards wetlands restoration, especially in more flood-prone areas,” Peterson said.”

WRP compensates landowners with an easement payment for the willingness to restore wetlands and associated uplands back to their naturally occurring condition, while focusing on conditions for migratory birds.

42 landowners in 10 counties in western Minnesota will be contacted with offers to purchase an easement. The allocations include:

· Becker County, five allocations, 549 acres, $950,000

· Big Stone County, two allocations, 425 acres, $750,000

· Clay County, six allocations, 1425 acres, $2 million

· Grant County, one allocation, 149 acres, $300,000

· Lincoln County, one allocation, 87 acres, $180,000

· Mahnomen County, four allocations, 3487 acres, $3.6 million

· Norman County, four allocations, 919 acres, $200,000

· Polk County, two allocations, 184 acres, $1.2 million

· Pope County, three allocations, 272 acres, $500,000

· Stevens County, 14 allocations 2041 acres, $4 million

-30-