HF3879

Purpose

This bill redirects money from Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund to fund a two-year, onetime set of natural resources programs for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It extends and adjusts existing outdoor heritage appropriations to support land acquisition, permanent conservation easements, and habitat restoration/enhancement across prairies, forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitats, with many projects carried out through partnerships.

Main provisions and what the bill seeks to accomplish

• Funding scope and duration
  • Provides onetime Outdoor Heritage Fund appropriations for the 2026–2027 biennium (fiscal years 2026 and 2027) for a wide range of habitat and land-protection activities.
• Focus areas and activities
  • Prairies: acquire and protect native prairie lands and permanent conservation easements; restore and enhance wildlife habitat; prioritize lands eligible for the native prairie bank.
  • Forests: acquire priority forest lands and restore/enhance forest habitats; support conservation and habitat work in mosaic forest areas.
  • Wetlands: acquire land or permanent easements to protect wetland habitat; restore and enhance wetlands and associated habitats; support waterfowl production areas and related priorities.
  • Habitats and buffers: restore and enhance riparian buffers, shallow lakes, wetlands, and other key wildlife habitats; support habitat restoration in scientific and natural areas, wildlife management areas, and other protected landscapes.
  • Specific programs and partnerships (examples): acquisitions and improvements through agreements with Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, Red River Valley groups, and other conservation partners; some projects involve land acquisition in fee title, others involve permanent conservation easements.
• Land protection and habitat work
  • A substantial portion funds land acquisition (in fee) and/or permanent conservation easements to protect wildlife habitat and native prairies.
  • Restoration and enhancement activities accompany acquisitions to improve habitat quality for wildlife across prairies, wetlands, forests, and riparian areas.
• Prioritization and standards
  • Priority given to lands eligible for the native prairie bank (Minnesota Statutes section 84.96) or lands adjacent to protected native prairie.
  • Subject to evaluation criteria set out in Minnesota Rules part 6136.0900 to guide project selection and prioritization.
• Accountability and reporting
  • Requires annual income statements and balance sheets for land acquired and held by certain nonstate partners (e.g., The Nature Conservancy) and to be submitted to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council within 180 days after each organization’s fiscal year closes.
  • Requires a final report listing all permanent conservation easements established under the appropriation.
  • Applies a set of monitoring and enforcement fund provisions (up to specified amounts) to support oversight and compliance for certain projects, in line with the accomplishment plan and statutory provisions (including 97A.056, subd. 17).
• Administrative and legal framework
  • Reiterates that the appropriations are onetime and specifies the first year as 2026 and the second year as 2027.
  • Aligns with the accomplishment plan and applicable statutes/regulations, including the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council’s oversight.

Significant changes to existing law

• Funding structure
  • Establishes a broad, two-year, onetime batch of Outdoor Heritage Fund appropriations for a wide array of habitat and land-protection activities, extending and modifying prior allocations.
• Expanded scope and partnerships
  • Significantly widens the set of programs, geographies, and partner organizations involved (including federal partners like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in some agreements, and multiple nonstate conservation organizations).
• Reporting and accountability
  • Introduces or strengthens specific reporting requirements to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (e.g., annual financial statements for certain partners) and requirements to document permanent conservation easements.
• Monitoring and enforcement
  • Creates or expands dedicated monitoring/enforcement funding tied to several projects to ensure compliance with the accomplishment plan and statutory guidelines.
• Land protection tools
  • Increases use of permanent conservation easements and fee-title acquisitions, with explicit prioritization for lands connected to native prairie and prairie resources.

Terminology and concepts to know (key terms from the bill)

• Outdoor Heritage Fund
• One-time appropriations; fiscal years 2026 and 2027; biennium 2026–2027
• Land acquisition in fee (fee title)
• Permanent conservation easements
• Restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat
• Native prairie bank (Minn. Stat. 84.96)
• Prairie, Forests, Wetlands, Habitats (broad program categories)
• riparian buffers / RIM Buffers for Wildlife and Water
• Habitat acquisition and enhancement programs (Phase designations)
• Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council
• Accomplishment plan
• Monitoring and enforcement fund (and related limits)
• Minnesota Statutes references: 84.96; 86A.05; 97A.056(17); 103F.515; 6136.0900
• Partners and entities: Ducks Unlimited; Pheasants Forever; The Nature Conservancy; Minnesota Land Trust; Trust for Public Land; Rajala Woods Foundation; Wild Rivers Conservancy; Clean Water Fund programs; Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR)
• Final report requirements; annual financial statements; income statements and balance sheets
• Agreements to acquire in fee or easements; scientific and natural areas; wildlife management areas

Relevant Terms - Outdoor Heritage Fund - One-time appropriations - Fiscal years 2026 and 2027 - Land acquisition in fee title (fee) - Permanent conservation easements - Restoration and enhancement - Native prairie bank - Prairie, Forests, Wetlands, Habitats (program areas) - RIM Buffers for Wildlife and Water - Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council - Accomplishment plan - Monitoring and enforcement fund - Minnesota Statutes: 84.96; 86A.05; 97A.056; 103F.515; 6136.0900 - Partners: Ducks Unlimited; Pheasants Forever; The Nature Conservancy; Minnesota Land Trust; Trust for Public Land; Red River Watershed Board; and others - Final report - Agreement to acquire in fee and/or permanent conservation easements - Wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement - Native prairie adjacent lands - Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR)