Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust Inc

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO UNDERTAKE ACTIVITIES THAT FURTHER THE OBJECTIVES OF THE MINNESOTA VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (REFUGE) OF THE USFWS, INCLUDING ACQUISITION, RESTORATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF LAND FOR THE REFUGE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF REFUGE OPERATIONS.

IN KEEPING WITH ITS STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 2019 - 2023, THE MINNESOTA VALLEY TRUST (MVT) HAD THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021:1. MVT INVESTED IN STRATEGIC LAND ACQUISITION FOR THE MINNESOTA VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX. MVT COMPLETED ONE ACQUISITION IN 2021, ADDING A 20-ACRE PARCEL TO THE JESSENLAND UNIT OF THE REFUGE. IT CONTINUED WORKING WITH LANDOWNERS ON ACQUISITION OF PARCELS TO EXPAND AND COMPLETE SEVERAL OTHER REFUGE UNITS. 2. MVT INVESTED IN STRATEGIC HABITAT RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT ON THE REFUGE COMPLEX. IN 2021, MVT: * EMPLOYED A FULL-TIME HABITAT BIOLOGIST TO DESIGN, PLAN AND MANAGE HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS ON MVT LANDS, COORDINATE THE CONSERVATION CORPS MN-IA (CCMI) CREW, AND ASSIST WITH REFUGE PROJECTS. * CONTRACTED FOR AND COORDINATED A CCMI CREW THAT COMPLETED HABITAT ENHANCEMENT WORK OVER 450 ACRES AT 13 SITES ON THE REFUGE COMPLEX, INCLUDING REMOVAL AND TREATMENT OF INVASIVE SPECIES, NATIVE PRAIRIE SEEDING AND PRESCRIBED BURNS. * CONTINUED THE RAPIDS LAKE PHASE 2 OAK SAVANNA, PRAIRIE AND WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT STARTED IN 2020. WORK OVER 152 ACRES INCLUDED TREATMENT OF INVASIVE SPECIES, WOODY REMOVAL, WETLAND RESTORATION, NATIVE SEEDING HERBICIDE APPLICATIONS, RAKING OF PRAIRIE REMNANTS, MOWING, DISCING AND ROTOTILLING. * CONTINUED THE RAPIDS LAKE PHASE 3 OAK SAVANNA AND PRAIRIE RESTORATION PROJECT STARTED IN 2020. WORK OVER THE 77-ACRE SITE INCLUDED INVASIVES TREATMENT IN THE OAK SAVANNA, DECONSTRUCTION AND FINAL DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING SITE, PREPARATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL FIELD FOR NATIVE SEEDING, EXPANSION OF A WETLAND AND ENGINEERING DESIGN OF A SOLUTION TO WATER RUNOFF AND RAVINE EROSION. * COMPLETED THE INITIAL PRAIRIE AND WETLAND RESTORATION OF THE 36-ACRE AGRICULTURAL FIELD AT THE RECENTLY-ACQUIRED BELTER TRACT IN THE SAN FRANCISCO UNIT. 3. MVT SUPPORTED SPECIAL PROJECTS AND INVESTMENTS TO PROVIDE A POSITIVE, INSPIRING EXPERIENCE ON THE REFUGE FOR A DIVERSITY OF VISITORS. IN 2021, MVT:* FUNDED THE OPERATIONS OF THE RAPIDS LAKE EDUCATION AND VISITOR CENTER (EVC), INTERN BUNKHOUSE AND PUBLIC WIFI AT THE BLOOMINGTON EVC.* FUNDED ONE REFUGE MAINTENANCE POSITION.* EMPLOYED A GIS SPECIALIST & SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER WHO PRODUCED HIGH-QUALITY REFUGE MAPS FOR VISITOR AND STAFF USE, DEVELOPED A MODEL THAT REPORTED THROUGHOUT THE 2021 FLOODING OF IMPACTS TO REFUGE UNITS AND TRAILS, MANAGED PROJECTS FOR MVT AND IT FOR THE REFUGE. 4. THE MINNESOTA VALLEY TRUST INVESTED IN CONNECTING MORE PEOPLE AND A DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE WITH THE REFUGE. IN 2021, MVT:* PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE MINNESOTA VALLEY REFUGE FRIENDS FOR ITS POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SUPPORT TO THE FRIENDS REGARDING FINANCES, FUNDRAISING, MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS. * FUNDED THREE PARK RANGER POSITIONS IN VISITOR SERVICES ON THE REFUGE.* EMPLOYED TWO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EE) TEACHING INTERNS FOR THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR TO SERVE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REFUGE'S EE TEAM, DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING CONTENT TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON.* LAUNCHED AN EXPANDED INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP INITIATIVE WITH THE REFUGE - "MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS" - AFTER BEING AWARDED A $500,000 GRANT FROM MINNESOTA'S ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND. EMPLOYED 4 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TEACHING INTERNS IN FULL-TIME ONE-YEAR POSITIONS STARTING FALL 2021. ACTIVELY RECRUITED AND HIRED 4 APPRENTICES TO WORK FULL-TIME TWO-YEAR POSITIONS ON THE REFUGE STARTING JANUARY 2022. * CREATED A NEW FULL-TIME PERMANENT POSITION OF INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR TO ENSURE ALL INTERNS AND APPRENTICES ON THE REFUGE HAVE A HIGH-QUALITY EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS TO LEAD AN EXPANDED HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE REFUGE. 5. MVT LEVERAGED ITS ASSETS. IN 2021, MVT WAS AWARDED MULTIPLE NEW GRANTS:* THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATED $675,000 TO MVT, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE LSOHC FOR METRO BIG RIVERS PHASE 11 FOR LAND ACQUISITION ON THE REFUGE.* THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATED $500,000 TO MVT, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE LCCMR FOR "MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS." * THE US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AWARDED MVT A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $88,348 TO MVT TO SUPPORT THE INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR POSITION.