Pope Soil & Water

Providing Quality Conservation Resources since 1949

Providing Quality Conservation Resources Since 1949

LANDOWNERS HAVE NEW OPTIONS TO HELP WITH BUFFER LAW

Today, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources announced two additional resources for landowners working to come into compliance with the state’s buffer law. The law, which was passed with bipartisan support in 2015 and signed into law by Governor Dayton, requires the implementation of a buffer strip on public waters by November 1, 2017 and a buffer on public drainage ditches by November 1, 2018.  

These additional resources, both financial and found online, are designed to help landowners be successful in complying with the law.” explained John Jaschke, Executive Director BWSR.  “Local SWCDs and landowners have been working together over the past 18 months and, we are making great progress with 64 counties already 60-100% compliant.”

COST-SHARE PROGRAM

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources has approved a new buffer cost-share program, allocating almost $5 million dollars to support landowners in meeting the requirements of the state buffer law. 

The funds will be distributed to soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) and are to be used for cost-sharing contracts with landowners or their authorized agents to implement riparian buffers or alternative practices on public waters and public drainage ditches.

These Clean Water Funds, passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Dayton at the end of the 2017 legislative session, provide important support to the Governor’s Buffer Initiative. 

The 2017 legislation also recognizes that some landowners may have hardships (such as weather) in meeting the public waters deadline. The added language allows for an eight-month extension for implementation when a landowner or authorized agent has filed a riparian protection “compliance plan” with their local SWCD by November 1, 2017. Compliance waivers offer a buffer deadline extension until July 1, 2018.  

NEW ONE-STOP WEBSITE

Minnesota landowners with questions about compliance waivers and other buffer topics also have another option available today with the launching of a new one-stop website for information and tips to implement the buffer law. The new site, mn.gov/buffer-law, is a user-friendly and convenient resource for landowners and the public to learn about the law, find answers about alternative practices, and get information about financial and technical assistance and more.

The new buffer site, launched by the State of Minnesota is found at https://mn.gov/portal/natural-resources/buffer-law/ For more information on the buffer law, including the cost-share program, contact your local soil and water conservation district.

COMPLIANCE

Soil and Water Conservation Districts have been hard at work with landowners statewide and progress toward compliance is being made. 64 of Minnesota’s 87 counties are 60 – 100 percent in compliance with the buffer law. Statewide, preliminary compliance with the buffer law is 89%.

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BWSR is the state soil and water conservation agency, and it administers programs that prevent sediment and nutrients from entering our lakes, rivers, and streams; enhance fish and wildlife habitat; and protect wetlands. The 20-member board consists of representatives of local and state government agencies and citizens. BWSR’s mission is to improve and protect Minnesota’s water and soil resources by working in partnership with local organizations and private landowners.

Buffer Progress in Pope County

As we kick off the New Year, we tend to look back on our previous year’s achievements. One of those achievements is the continued work done by the state, local agencies, counties, and landowners in regards to the 2015 Minnesota Buffer and Soil Loss Law. This past year has been filled with progress. The Department of Natural Resources released the official Buffer Map and the Board of Water and Soil Resources have been creating tools and guidance documents for local agencies such as Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) and Watershed Districts for effective and consistent implementation.

Here at our Pope SWCD office, we have completed a county wide desktop analysis. Each parcel that is requiring a buffer was reviewed in order to find initial compliance based on aerial maps. The next steps are to meet with landowners about their parcels, provide technical assistance such as field verification and staking, and compliance validation checks.  We will be sending waves of letters to landowners who have parcels that need further review or assistance.  This past week letters were sent to the following townships: Nora, New Prairie, Walden, and Hoff.  Please schedule an appointment to meet with me if you receive a letter. If you do not receive a letter but would still like to check on your buffer requirements we will ask that you also schedule an appointment.

Going through the initial desktop analysis and data review, we found that, with some margin of error, Pope County is sitting quite well. Most landowners when they have come in to visit about buffers realize that they already have the majority of the required buffer width and only need to add a small acreage. Many of these sites are less than an acre that is to be added for full compliance. Overall, Pope County is 93 percent compliant. With roughly only 300 parcels to review, a possible 6 percent may be falling short of the buffer requirement. The state of Minnesota, based on initial review, is 80 percent compliant. We, as Minnesotans, have been doing great conservation work and are already good stewards of the land. There is just a little bit of last minute work to fully button up the buffer initiative for improving water quality and enhancing habitat.  Please contact our office by calling 320-634-5327, ask for Jessica.

Pope SWCD Recognized Chamber Business of the Month

chamberbusinessofthemonth2017

Front row: Kay Blaurert, Dean Peterson, Tom Talle, Holly Kovarik, Nicole Brede, Kelly EricksonBack row: Scott Formo, Randy Pederson, D. Gary Reents, Mike Billehus, Keith Nygaard, and Jessica Oldkowski

Photo credit: Pope County Tribune/Marta Johnson

 

Pope SWCD Recognized as 2016 SWCD of the Year

Pope SWCD 2016 MASWCD District of the Year Paul and Barb Koubsky 2016 Pope SWCD Conservationists of the Year

Pope SWCD board and staff attended the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation District Annual Conference December 4-6 in Bloomington, Minnesota.  Pope SWCD nominated Paul and Barb Koubsky as this year’s Outstanding Conservationist for Pope County.  They were recognized at the convention during a luncheon on Tuesday, December 6th.

Pope SWCD was also named as the 2016 District of the Year.  This award is given to only one SWCD in the state that has shown leadership and has gone above and beyond in its programs and activities.