Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources received a $298,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service under the Forest Health Protection program (CFDA 10.680) on February 11, 2026, with completion targeted for July 31, 2030. This award will support comprehensive forest health management activities across Minnesota, specifically focused on preserving small remnant black ash-dominated wet forests, establishing a black ash seed orchard, and managing priority invasive species on both public and private lands. The project represents a regional commitment to addressing forest health threats through integrated pest management, habitat restoration, and species recovery initiatives consistent with the program's objectives to reduce forest health threats from invasive plants and diseases while maintaining ecosystem integrity.

The project deliverables align with the Forest Health Protection program's emphasis on on-the-ground management activities and ecosystem restoration. By establishing seed orchard infrastructure and targeting invasive species management, the Minnesota DNR will advance both short-term forest health protection and long-term regeneration capacity for a species of ecological significance. The four-year project duration provides adequate timeframe for implementing landscape-scale restoration across multiple land ownerships, leveraging the DNR's established capacity as a state natural resources agency to coordinate forest stewardship activities and deliver conservation outcomes in Minnesota's diverse forest ecosystems.