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The Cass Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) received $110,000 of the Clean Water Legacy Fund to protect and enhance water quality of deep cold water lakes. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil (BWSR) are partnering with Cass SWCD to provide funding to private landowners to actively manage their forestland and maintain forested land cover within cold water tullibee lake watersheds. A watershed is the land area that drains into a specific lake.

DNR Fisheries Lakes Management Coordinator, Mike Duval of Brainerd stated, "DNR and researchers at the University of Minnesota collaborated on a study that identified tullibee lakes as high value resources to protect. Tullibee are the favorite food source for walleyes, muskies and northern pike. Tullibee require clean and cold water to survive. This project connects private forest land management with water quality protection to help ensure long-term quality sport fishing."

Kelly Condiff, Cass SWCD Environmental Resource Professional said, "This is a great deal for landowners! Landowners who own forested parcels of 20 acres and larger within a tullibee lake watershed are eligible for grant funds for forest stewardship plans. There are 14 watersheds in Cass County included in this project, and include lakes like Long, Ten Mile, May, Howard, Girl, Mann, Washburn and Whitefish This funding will provide low cost forest stewardship plans, technical assistance and funding for forest management practices such as forest stand improvement cutting, habitat management, trail improvement and tree planting. Additionally, landowners with the forest management plan can receive financial incentives for keeping their land in forest management."

Financial incentives include incentive payments under the Sustainable Forestry Incentive Act (SFIA) and the State of Minnesota Class 2c Managed Forest Land classification property tax relief. SFIA enrolled landowners can receive an annual incentive payment from the State of Minnesota. Land in property tax class 2c may be taxed at a lower rate by Cass County.

For more information, contact Kelly Condiff via e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 218/547-7246 or visit the MNDNR website at www.dnr.state.mn.us/tullibeelake.html .

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