Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Trust Inc

Programs: The minnesota valley national wildlife refuge trust, inc. Completed fee title acquisition of two parcels of land totaling 25 acres for the minnesota valley national wildlife refuge (mvnwr). Of those, 20. 5 acres were acquired for the rapids lake unit and 4. 5 acres were acquired for the san francisco unit of the mvnwr. The properties were transferred to minnesota valley lands, inc. , a subsidiary of the trust, for management and habitat restoration and enhancement. The lands will be donated to the usfws after the habitat work is complete. The trust continued funding the staffing and operations of the rapids lake education and visitors center on the mvnwr. Total grant contribution for this purpose in fy17 was 275,690. In fiscal year 2017 trust grants of 1,103,822 were made to the usfws as follows: -support the staffing and operations of the rapids lake education and visitor center - 275,690. -employed a professional to provide geographic information systems services for the minnesota valley national wildlife refuge (mvnwr) and trust - 72,329. -completed the project that replaced the boardwalk on the long meadow lake unit of the mvnwr - 28,492. -contracted for habitat restoration and enhancement work on various units of the mvnwr - 477,224. -contracted with discover nature apps for development of web-based applications for the public's use, including game and virtual signage modules on three units of the mvnwr - 132,500. -funded marketing and events activities to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the mvnwr - 117,587. In addition, the trust made grants of 196,650 to other nonprofit organizations for activities related to the refuge: -challenge grant payments to refuge friends, inc. To support the blue goose bus fund of 18,100. Through this program, schools are provided support for environmental education programming on the mvnwr, including free busing for school districts. -grants to refuge friends, inc. To support environmental education and urban wildlife refuge outreach activities on the refuge of 105,000. -grant to the minnesota waterfowl association for a biologist position that coordinates habitat restoration and enhancement activities on lands owned and managed by the refuge and minnesota valley lands, inc. Of 73,550.