Protect Critical Habitat & Natural Resources in Northern Minnesota While Maintaining Property Ownership
For more information see the program brochure.
Find Out if Your Property Could Qualify for a Conservation Easement
Grant-funded conservation opportunities are available for qualifying northern Minnesota properties, including residential, cabin, and hunting lands. Contact Conservation Program Manager Pat Collins at 218-221-7770, pcollins@mnland.org or submit a Landowner Request form to get started.
What is a conservation easement?
A conservation easement is a legal document that safeguards the natural features of a property through voluntary, legally binding, and permanent land use restrictions.
Lands protected by a conservation easement remain in the landowner’s private ownership. The easement is perpetual, meaning future owners of the property have to abide by its terms. Learn more about conservation easements by reviewing our Conservation Easement FAQ.
Why apply for a conservation easement?
- Protect Minnesota’s important wildlife habitat, water quality, and beautiful open spaces
- Preserve your family’s legacy on the land
- Receive tax incentives or other compensation
- Receive a free habitat management plan and possible financial and technical land management assistance
Do you qualify for a conservation easement?
For the Outstanding Lakes protection program, proposed conservation easements must be for properties at least 40 acres in size, and be located in all or a portion of one of the following counties: Aitkin, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis, and Wadena.
We Need You!
Over 70% of lands in Minnesota are privately owned. That’s why landowners like you play an essential role in protecting clean air and water, and promoting healthy habitat and species biodiversity that benefits all Minnesotans today and for future generations.
Join hundreds of other dedicated private land stewards across Minnesota who have put their land to work in support of environmental conservation.
Have conservation questions or want help completing the program application process? Contact Program Manager Pat Collins at 218-221-7770 or pcollins@mnland.org.
Completed Protection & Restoration Projects in Your Area
- Restoration Improves Forest Health, Mitigates Wildfire Risk in Northern Minnesota
The buzz of chainsaws is punctuated by a crack of wood. Though it may seem counterintuitive, even jarring, this is the sound of forest restoration—specifically, restoration of 115 acres in Lake County, Minnesota. The owners of the property, situated directly between Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls State Parks, acquired a conservation easement in 2019,… Read more: Restoration Improves Forest Health, Mitigates Wildfire Risk in Northern Minnesota - Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries
SAINT PAUL, Minn, April 26, 2023 — Together, the Minnesota Land Trust and the Northern Lights Council of the Boy Scouts of America have permanently protected a portion of Boy Scout Camp Wilderness, including over 3,600 feet of natural shoreline on Bad Axe Lake and 219 acres of land and water near Park Rapids, Minnesota. … Read more: Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries - Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters
The Minnesota Land Trust has protected beautiful, undeveloped Pancake Lake in Cass County, MN, and a portion of Boy River, which connects seven deep, tullibee-supporting cold water lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters region of Minnesota. Pancake Lake is surrounded by 222 acres of undeveloped hardwood forest and wetlands, including forested peatlands, bog, and wet meadows,… Read more: Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters - Restoring Habitat for a Threatened Species on Interstate Island
Big problems require a champion, someone with a specific mix of skills, connections, and vision, who can systematically and patiently work a process and stay connected to the larger purpose to bring the vision into reality. In 2019, Interstate Island and its Common Tern colony needed a champion. The 6-acre dredge spoil island in the… Read more: Restoring Habitat for a Threatened Species on Interstate Island - The Importance of Bogs
In the rugged landscape of northeastern Minnesota, a diverse range of habitats converge in one of the most popular recreational destinations in the state. Rocky shoreline, highlands, streams, and spruce bogs provide habitat for a multitude of species. Dick Haney, a native of Duluth and landowner in the area, has been a long-time observer and… Read more: The Importance of Bogs
Funding for this program is provided by the Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.
