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The Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation (LLAWF) and the Child, Girl, Woman Lake Property Owner's Association (CGWLPOA) have raised over $340,000 in the past two years to complete the final phase of the "Save Lantern Bay" Project. After five years and multiple conservation projects, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) owns 5,000 feet, almost a mile, of shoreline in Lantern Bay of Woman Lake.

The DNR will manage the now-public shorelands in Lantern Bay as an Aquatic Management Area (AMA) to permanently protect the unique natural resources of this 120-acre shallow bay. Lantern Bay is essential to good water quality in the Woman Lake chain, fish spawning, nesting for loons and other wildlife, a resting area for migrating waterfowl, and as a food producer for aquatic life throughout the lake. As public land, the majority of Lantern Bay can be enjoyed for a myriad of public recreational opportunities, including fishing, hunting, wildlife watching, hiking, and more.

The "Save Lantern Bay" project began five years ago when a large development of over 30 houses was proposed on the north side of the bay. Full development could have caused detrimental impacts to water quality and fish and wildlife habitat and use as a result of land disturbance and increased boating activity. After several legal challenges for proper assessment of environmental impacts, the developer eventually was willing to sell most of the proposed subdivision. The 2008 sale of 1,800 feet of shoreline in the subdivision to the DNR and theLeech Lake Area Watershed Foundation, along with the prior voluntary sale of land to the DNR by two other conservation-minded landowners in the bay, resulted in the permanent protection of 5,000 feet of shoreland and over 70 acres of adjacent land. Miracle Bible Camp also donated land to the DNR to generate land purchase credits used by the DNR.[[In-content Ad]]

"Completing this project will help insure the continued recreational enjoyment of the Woman Lake Chain and provide economic stability for our communities from the dollars generated by permanent and seasonal residents and visitors that are drawn to the enjoyment our area's beautiful natural resources," said Ray Payne, chairman of the Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation.

For the past two years, LLAWF and CGWLPOA have been actively raising $340,000 to repay a Conservation Fund loan that was used to purchase the subdivision land in 2008. The final donation of $20,000 to complete the fundraising came on December 31, 2010, via a wildlife habitat protection grant from The Conservation Fund in partnership with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and administered by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Working with the DNR, the Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation also facilitated the use of $135,000 from the new dedicated sales tax (Legacy Amendment) for the 2008 land purchases, significantly reducing the fundraising goal.

It is because of all the individuals; families; businesses; foundations; and community, regional and national organizations who supported the "Save Lantern Bay" Project for the benefit of fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, economic sustainability, and public recreational enjoyment of Lantern Bay for generations to come.



Paula West

Executive Director, Leech Lake Watershed Foundation

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