Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan

In 2006, the LCCMR awarded a contract to the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment to produce a Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan (Plan) with funds from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The intent was to create an integrated inventory and assessment of Minnesota's environment and natural resources that could guide decision-makers on future short and long term planning, policy, and funding investment.

The completed Plan consists of two parts: a Preliminary Plan (released July 2007) and a Final Plan (released July 2008). The Preliminary Plan was a preparatory document for the Final Plan that identified critical issues and trends having impacts or implications for Minnesota's environment and natural resources. The Final Plan provides a series of recommendations for addressing the issues and trends identified. The recommendations included in the Final Plan will prove useful to a wide variety of public and private entities, but in particular, they will be used to help guide expenditures from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Final Plan - Phase II
A draft of the Final Plan was completed on June 30, 2008 and was presented to the LCCMR on July 8, 9, and 17 (see "Additional Background & Information" below to download presentations). The Final Plan underwent final copyediting and layout and a final version of the Final Plan was completed and posted here in November 2008.

Preliminary Plan - Phase I

The Preliminary Plan of the Minnesota Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan was completed on June 30, 2007 and presented to the LCCMR on July 17, 2007 (Presentation: pps file or ppt file). It is available for download and/or viewing by following the above link.

See the Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan's website for additional information and ongoing efforts: www.MnConservationPlan.net

Public comments and input are welcome. Click here to provide written comments.

Additional Background & Information

On July 8, 9, and 17, the Final Plan was presented to the LCCMR. PDF versions of the PowerPoint presentations are available:

On March 4, 2008 two presentation on the connection between sustainable energy production and sustainable water management were presented by Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan Team members to the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division Groundwater Overview (pdf) and The Future of Energy and Minnesota's Water Resources (pdf)

On February 18, 2008 an update on the Statewide Plan was presented to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. February, 18 Presentation (pdf) - Overview of effort to date and next steps

On February 7, 2008 an update on the progress of Phase II of the plan was presented to the Commission members. February 7 Presentation (pdf)

On December 20, 2006, the LCCMR unanimously recommended the proposal from the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment/Bonestroo/DSU and CR Planning.

A hard copy of the proposal is available for your review in the Legislative Reference Library in the State Office Building located at 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 645 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155.