Description
The Nature Conservancy protected a more than 250-acre property in the Ordway Glacial Lakes area of Stearns County. The property includes a mix of grasslands, wetlands, forests and agricultural land, much of which will be restored to native landscapes for the benefit of local wildlife.
The property contains more than a mile of shoreline on the southern edge of Crow Lake, which provides high-quality nesting habitat for waterfowl and wetland-dependent birds. The tract is expected to be a stronghold for biodiversity as Minnesota’s climate continues to warm.
This area was determined to be a high-priority conservation area for the Prairie Forest Border Ecoregional Plan, a multi-agency partnership that provides recommendations for protecting, enhancing and restoring Minnesota’s prairie heritage.
Funding for the property was provided by the Outdoor Heritage Fund, which was created under the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, through an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.
As part of the Norman T. Dahlman Wildlife Management Area (WMA), this site will be open to the public for activities including hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, bird watching, nature photography and hiking in accordance with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Management Areas rules.
