The Windom Wetland Management District acquires and manages Waterfowl Production Areas, enforces

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

easement An easement is a nonpossessory right to use and/or enter onto the real property of another without possessing it. It is "best typified in the right of way which one landowner, A, may enjoy over the land of another, B". An easement is a propert ...

s, and provides conservation assistance to landowners in 12 southwestern

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

counties (

Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model used ...

, Cottonwood, Faribault,

Freeborn "Freeborn" is a term associated with political agitator John Lilburne (1614–1657), a member of the Levellers, a 17th-century English political party. As a word, "freeborn" means born free, rather than in slavery or bondage or vassalage. Lilbur ...

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Q ...

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...

Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust * D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian who ...

Nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...

, Pipestone,

Redwood Sequoioideae, popularly known as redwoods, is a subfamily of coniferous trees within the family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affini ...

Rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

and Watonwan). The landscape is dominated by intense, row-crop agriculture, which has led to the drainage of most wetlands and widespread water quality problems. Deteriorating

drainage tile Tile drainage is a form of agricultural drainage system that removes excess sub-surface water from fields to allow sufficient air space within the soil, proper cultivation, and access by heavy machinery to tend and harvest crops. While surface wate ...

systems and the abundance of historic wetland basins provide unlimited opportunities for wetland restorations. Heron Lake in Jackson County is a , shallow,

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

lake suffering from over-enrichment due to agricultural run-off; high populations of

rough fish Rough fish (or the slang trash fish or dirt fish) is a term used by some United States state agencies and anglers to describe fish that are less desirable to sport anglers within a defined region. The term usually refers to larger game fish species ...

; and loss of aquatic vegetation; all symptoms typical to area lakes. Heron Lake is the focus of a multi-partner effort to restore the lake and its watershed. The District is an active partner in this effort. District staff work closely with private landowners to restore and protect degraded and critical habitat. Between 1990 and 2006, the District restored 690 wetlands, covering on both public and private owned lands in the twelve counties it manages. During this same period, of prairie remnants and native

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

s on 73 sites were restored or protected.

Hunters Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, et ...

and wildlife enthusiasts can visit one of 65 Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) encompassing nearly for permitted recreational activities. Construction of a 3/4 mile walking trail was completed in 2006 and is located adjacent to the headquarters and interpretive center at Wolf Lake WPA. The facility provides many opportunities for environmental education and interpretation opportunities with local schools and the visiting public. The Windom Wetland Management District also manages the first fee title tract of the

Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge was established to provide a means of working with individuals, groups, private organizations, and government entities to permanently preserve a portion of the remaining remnant tracts of northe ...

. Touch the Sky Prairie is a nearly unit of the refuge dedicated to helping preserve native tallgrass prairie. Less than one-tenth of one percent of the original Tallgrass Prairie remains. Touch the Sky Prairie is located north and west of the city of Luverne in

Rock County, Minnesota Rock County is a County (United States), county at the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 9,704. Its county seat is Luverne, Minnesota, Luverne. History The c ...

References