Points North

DNR changing rules for habitat plate spending

By Shawn Perich

Minnesota’s critical habitat license plates are familiar sights when you drive the state’s roadways. The colorful plates feature familiar Minnesota critters, including loons, moose, white-tailed deer, pheasant and, most recently, a bumblebee. Created in 1995, the plates cost an additional $30 above the vehicle license fee and the money goes to the Re-invest in Minnesota (RIM) Critical Habitat account, which is dedicated to acquiring and protecting wild lands considered especially important wildlife habitat and plant communities. A portion of the license plate revenue goes to the Minnesota DNR’s Nongame Wildlife program, matching its primary funding source—the Chickadee Check-Off on the state income tax form.

For habitat acquisition, the license plate revenues are matched with private donations of land or money, allowing the Minnesota DNR to permanently protect thousands of acres of wild lands that would otherwise be lost to development. Unfortunately, critical habitat acquisitions have lost momentum during the last six years. One reason is available revenues have exceeded matching donations, which by statute must be matched on a 1:1 basis. The statute also limits the annual Nongame Wildlife match to $985,000. The license plates presently generate about $5 million annually, up from a previous average of about $3 million per year. Money held in the Critical Habitat account has swollen to about $25 million.

Since no pot of money goes unnoticed in the political realm, some state legislators unsuccessfully attempted to raid the account last year to fund an unrelated program overseen by the Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR). This year, there is legislation to siphon funds raised with the new pollinator (bumblebee) plate to fund yet another unrelated BWSR program.

But the big news has been the DNR’s attempt to divert some of the license plate money to uses beyond the intent of the original statute. This year the DNR included a proposal in the Governor’s budget to rewrite the original statute and to change how license plate funds are matched and spent. The proposal prompted most of the state’s conservation organizations, large and small, to say, “Hey, wait a minute.” Simply put, there is a reason this money is statutorily dedicated to habitat acquisition: to prevent politicians and bureaucrats from spending it for other purposes.

At this writing, the DNR is holding ongoing meetings with the conservationists and is close to finding common ground. Not all of what the DNR has proposed is controversial. The agency wants to change the critical habitat match from 1:1 to 1:2, meaning that every dollar donated can be matched with two dollars in critical habitat monies. This will better ensure that money raised for habitat protection will be spent for on-the-ground projects in a timely fashion. The agency and groups are dickering over increasing the cap for the Nongame Wildlife match from $985,000 to $1.5 million (conservationists) or 2 million (DNR). Some nongame advocates would like the cap to be even higher.

The controversy centers on the portion of the proposal that would divert license plate money to work that is presently funded by other sources, such biological monitoring and evaluations. A case can be made that more of this work is necessary to guide decisions and management strategies for habitat protection and restoration, especially for nongame species and plant communities. Critics within the conservation want to ensure that if license plate dollars are used are spent for new work rather than supplanting present funding. They have reasons to be wary.

The DNR’s critical habitat funding proposal is playing out against a backdrop where some of the agency’s recent habitat management decisions have raised the eyebrows of conservationists. Over a year ago, the agency announced that forests on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAS), lands purchased with hunting license surcharge monies to provide wildlife habitat and be open to public hunting, would be commercially logged to meet a newly increased statewide timber harvest quota. More recently, the agency announced a plan to begin recreational development on some WMAs located near urban areas, again straying from the intended purpose of providing wildlife habitat.

An additional reality is that the agency is worried about future funding. The state legislature, which controls the purse strings, has significantly reduced spending on conservation over time. Hunting and fishing license revenues, which support the DNR’s fish and wildlife management programs, are projected to decline as aging Baby Boomers hang up their shotguns and fishing rods. The DNR is already quietly shuttering its Wildlife field offices across the state as a cost-cutting measure. A local example was the closure of the Grand Marais Wildlife office a couple of years ago. The nearest Wildlife office is now in Two Harbors. This means any boots-on-ground wildlife work occurring in Cook County requires a two- to three-hour one-way drive from the office. Such a drive takes a bite out of a typical eight-hour work day.

DNR officials say there will be adequate sideboards in place to ensure the diverted funding will be spent on critical habitat projects. If the law is rewritten so license plate monies may be spent in new ways, it should include an annual public reporting requirement for all fund expenditures. Doing so would generate positive publicity for the Critical Habitat license plates, perhaps encouraging more people to purchase them when they see the money is put to good use.

Critical habitat can be defined as the best of the last. On our increasingly developed landscape, we are not making more of it. Without protection, critical habitat may become just another drained and tiled former wetland planted to corn or bulldozed to build a cul de sac surrounded by trophy homes. The Critical Habitat license plates allow all Minnesotans to contribute to the protection of our wild places. Changes to the program should not be taken lightly.

Shawn Perich’s POINTS NORTH

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With bears emerging from hibernation in the coming weeks, homeowners are

reminded to bear-proof their property. | STOCK

How to prevent conflicts with bears this spring

ST. PAUL—With bears emerging from hibernation in the coming weeks, the Minnesota DNR reminds homeowners to check their property for food sources that could attract bears.

“To avoid season-long problems, take the time now to remove or secure anything that could attract a bear,” said Eric Nelson, wildlife damage program supervisor for the DNR. “Prevention is key. Once a bear finds a food source, it will likely return.”

As bears emerge from hibernation, their metabolism gradually ramps up and they will begin looking for food at a time when berries and green vegetation are scarce. Home and cabin owners should remove or secure attractants such as birdseed, garbage, livestock feed, or compost to reduce potential conflict.

Black bears are the only bear species that live in the wild in Minnesota. Bears are more common in the forested region of northern Minnesota, but can live anywhere in the state if they find an area of suitable habitat. They usually are shy and flee when encountered. Never approach or try to pet a bear. Injury to people is rare, but bears are potentially dangerous because of their size, strength and speed.

AVOID BEAR CONFLICTS BY FOLLOWING THESE TIPS:

AROUND THE YARD

• Any time you feed birds, you risk attracting bears. Avoid feeding birds from April 1 to Nov. 15. • If you still wish to feed birds, hang birdfeeders 10 feet up and 4 feet out from the nearest trees. Use a rope and pulley system to refill birdfeeders and clean up spilled seeds. • Do not put out feed for wildlife (like corn, oats, pellets or molasses blocks). • Replace hummingbird feeders with hanging flower baskets, which are also attractive to hummingbirds. • Do not leave food from barbeques and picnics outdoors, especially overnight.

Standard coolers are not bear-proof. • Clean and store barbeque grills after each use. Store them in a secure shed or garage away from windows and doors. • Elevate bee hives on bear-proof platforms or erect properly designed electric fences. • Pick any fruit left on trees from last fall and collect any fallen fruit promptly. • Cover all compost material added during the winter by turning the piles or covering with leaves, shavings, manure or other compostable material.

If you compost household food scraps, consider securing it with an electric fence. • Harvest garden produce as it matures.

Locate gardens away from forests and shrubs that bears may use for cover. • Use native plants in landscaping whenever possible. • Store pet food inside and feed pets inside. If pets must be fed outdoors, feed them only as much as they will eat.

GARBAGE

• Store garbage in bear-resistant garbage cans or dumpsters. Standard rubber or plastic garbage cans are not bear-proof. • Keep garbage inside a secure building until the morning of pickup. • Properly rinse all recyclable containers with hot water to remove all remaining product. • Store recyclable containers, such as pop cans, inside.

MORE BEAR INFORMATION

People should be cautious around bears and give them space. If bear problems persist after cleaning up food sources, contact a DNR area wildlife office for advice. For the name of the local wildlife manager, contact the DNR Information Center at (651) 2966157 or (888) 646-6367, or find wildlife area office contact information on the DNR website.

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