RIM Reserve

Background

In 1986, the Reinvest in Minnesota Resources Act was enacted to restore certain marginal and environmental sensitive agricultural land to protect soil and water quality and support fish and wildlife habitat. To date, over $200 million state dollars has resulted in over 6,000 easements covering more than 250,000 acres. The program currently focuses on permanent wetland restoration, adjacent native grassland wildlife habitat complexes and permanent riparian buffers.

BWSR’s Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve program is a critical component of the state’s efforts to improve water quality by reducing soil erosion, and phosphorus and nitrogen loading, and improving wildlife habitat and flood attenuation on private lands. RIM Reserve is implemented in cooperation with county SWCDs. The RIM Reserve program compensates landowners for granting conservation easements and establishing native vegetation habitat on economically marginal, flood-prone, environmentally sensitive or highly erodible lands. The program protects the state’s water and soil resources by permanently restoring wetlands, adjacent native grassland wildlife habitat complexes and permanent riparian buffers.

How it works

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) acquires, on behalf of the state, conservation easements to permanently protect, restore and manage critical natural resources without owning the land outright. The land remains in private ownership and the landowner retains responsibility for maintenance and paying applicable real estate taxes and assessments. BWSR provides statewide program coordination and administration and implementation at the local level is done by county Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs).

Who is involved

The RIM Reserve program is the primary land acquisition program for state held conservation easements and restoration of wetlands and native grasslands on privately owned land in Minnesota. This program partners with public and private landowners, state, federal and local government entities, non-profit organization and the citizens of Minnesota. 

(Credit: BWSR)

RIM Critical Shorelands (select watersheds ONLY)

Overview

The purpose of the RIM Critical Shorelines program is to protect riparian areas along the mainstem of the Mississippi and major tributaries upstream of the Twin Cities to help preserve water quality and source water for communities that draw their drinking water from the Mississippi River. Additional benefits include wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and scenic beauty preservation.

This program is available in all or parts of the following counties:

• Aitkin
• Anoka
• Becker
• Benton
• Cass
• Chisago
• Clearwater
• Crow Wing
• Ottertail
• Hubbard
• Isanti
• Kanabec
• Mille Lacs
• Morrison
• Sherburne
• Todd
• Wadena

Program Details

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be at least 20 acres
• Must be riparian
• Must be in the Crow Wing River, Mississippi River – Brainerd, Pine River or Rum River watersheds

RIM Critical Shorelands Program Easement Application Materials

(Credit: BWSR)