Policy Makes Conservation Possible

Minnesota has extensive clean water resources, but many lakes, rivers and wetlands are affected by pollution. The Nature Conservancy advocates for the protection and restoration of these critical resources, with a particular focus on the Mississippi River headwaters, which helps provide drinking water for roughly 2.5 million Minnesotans. We are also helping improve the health of Lake Superior by planting more than 16 million trees in northern forests and restoring habitat along its tributaries in partnership with conservation organizations and local communities. 

Established in 1988 by the voters of Minnesota, the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund provides funding for the state’s air, water, land, fish and wildlife through revenue generated by the Minnesota State Lottery. Since the early 1990s, this fund has provided around $1.3 billion to fund 1,800 conservation projects across Minnesota. Some of Minnesotans’ favorite conservation programs, like Lawns to Legumes and the Voyageurs Wolf Project, rely on funding from the ENRTF. In 2024, 77% of Minnesota voters opted to extend this dedicated funding through 2050, a strong sign of support for public funding for conservation.

In 2008, voters in Minnesota passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which continues to provide supplemental funding for clean water, healthy lands, parks and trails as well as the arts. The amendment includes the Outdoor Heritage Fund, which conservation groups across Minnesota have used to protect and restore more than 1 million acres in Minnesota.

Biodiversity is the foundation of a healthy planet. From clean air and water to food production and climate stability, our well-being depends on the rich variety of life that makes ecosystems function and thrive. Learn more about biodiversity.

Temperatures are rising, extreme weather is more frequent and unpredictable, fish and wildlife are under stress and communities are bracing for impact. Here’s how investing in nature can make a difference.

Natural climate solutions are actions that protect, restore and improve the management of natural areas to store more carbon and help people and nature adapt to climate change. Combined with clean energy, natural climate solutions offer some of our most effective tools to respond to climate change.

Minnesotans can help store carbon through nature with methods like reforestation, restoring wetlands and planting cover crops. Our farms, forests, grasslands and other ecosystems can help offset as much as 26 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. In addition to natural climate solutions, nature-based adaptation strategies like building rain gardens and planting trees to shade neighborhoods can also improve the resilience and quality of life for communities living near climate threats. Read more in this report.

Agriculture covers half of the state, and most operations are not managed with practices that regenerate the health of the soil. Regenerative practices like planting cover crops or reducing tilling help reduce soil erosion and runoff into rivers and lakes, lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve the land's ability to store carbon. By working with nature's systems, Minnesota's agricultural landscape can support productive farms while delivering benefits for water quality, wildlife and climate. Learn more about regenerative agriculture in Minnesota.

Soil health practices help protect microbial communities in the soil, store carbon, improve water infiltration and can improve farmers’ bottom lines. These practices include cover crops, reduced tillage, diversified crop rotation, improved nutrient management and edge-of-field strategies that help farmland more efficiently hold water and carbon.

Agriculture is a major driver of climate, water and biodiversity impacts. Globally, agriculture accounts for about 70% of freshwater withdrawals, and food and agriculture systems generate roughly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. And it is one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss due to the conversion of natural habitats to cropland and pasture. 

But agriculture is necessary to feed the world, and the broader food system sustains livelihoods for nearly half of the world’s population. A regenerative food system works with nature rather than against it. By restoring soil health, protecting water resources and strengthening biodiversity, it can help create a more resilient future for the people and communities who produce our food. Learn more about regenerative agriculture.