Highlighted Project #1

This project is located in Hancock Township and consists of a 13.5 acre wetland restoration (Pool area) and 16.3 acre native tallgrass prairie buffer.  A 240’ earthen berm with a control structure was constructed to maintain a 3’ water depth. You can see the earthen berm in the distance on the first photo.  Funds for this project were primarily through CRP, with Carver PF contributing towards the tallgrass prairie expense.

Highlighted Project #2

This project is located in Young America Township just a mile and a half from the Perbix WMA.  The project consisted of a 2.0 acre wetland restoration and 3.5 acres of upland native tallgrass prairie buffer.  Wetland restoration work consisted of disabling a small drain tile that used to drain this portion of the cropland.  Funds for this project were primarily through CRP, with Carver PF contributing towards the tallgrass prairie expense.

This project is located in Camden Township and consisted of a 5 acre wetland restoration and 15 acres of upland native tallgrass prairie buffer.  Wetland restoration work consisted of disabling a small drain tile that used to drain this portion of the cropland.  Funds for this project were primarily through CRP, with Carver PF contributing towards the tallgrass prairie expense.

This site is in Camden township again.  This site has 5 different wetland basins scattered throughout 15 acres of upland native tallgrass prairie.  The 5 wetlands consist of 5 total acres.  Again, funds for the project were primarily through CRP with Carver PF contributing towards the tallgrass prairie expense.   Wetland restoration work consisted of ditch plugs and small earthen berm construction.

This site is in Camden township again.  This site has 5 different wetland basins scattered throughout 15 acres of upland native tallgrass prairie.  The 5 wetlands consist of 5 total acres.  Again, funds for the project were primarily through CRP with Carver PF contributing towards the tallgrass prairie expense.   Wetland restoration work consisted of ditch plugs and small earthen berm construction.

        A broad partnership including Pheasants Forever, Hamburg Hunting and Fishing Club, Conservation Partners of America, Minnesota Waterfowl Association, Minnesota DNR, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) have worked together overthe past 3 years to acquire 278 acres of wildlife habitat in western Carver County. This incredible wildlife complex is located on the shores of Tiger Lake, which is a DNR-designated "Wildlife Lake". The complex consists of 3 tracts, with two of the tracts being managed as by the Minnesota DNR as state Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and the other tract being managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as a federal Waterfowl Production Area (WPA). All tracts were acquired by Pheasants Forever through grants received from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC). The LSOHC was established by the MN legislature with the responsibility of providing annual funding recommendations to the legislature from the Outdoor Heritage Fund. The Outdoor Heritage Fund was one of four funds created by the voter approved "Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment" in 2008.

        To date, 18 wetlands totaling 35 acres and 105 acres of grass land habitat have been restored on the Tiger Lake Northand Tiger Lake South WMAs. Work on Tiger Lake WPA will commence in 2017, wrth‘ approximately 20 wetlands being restored and there maining uplands being seeded to a diverse mix of prairie grasses and forbs. All restoration work within the Tiger Lake Complex has been coordinated by FWS Biologist Mike Malling and Minnesota Waterfowl Biologist Matt Stasica. The pastand future restoration work will provide valuable breeding habitat for waterfowl, pheasants, and grassland songbirds such as bobolinks and sedge wrens.
        The Carver County Chapter of Pheasants Forever has invested considerable funds, raised at past banquets, in the establishment of the Tiger Lake Complex including donating $25,000 in 2017. This donation helped secure the purchase of the newest tract, Tiger Lake WPA. The Hamburg Hunting and Fishing Club and Conservation Partners of America also stepped up by contributing $15,000 and $10,000, respectively, making this purchase a reality!

        A new 100 acre tract on the west side of the complex was secured in December 2020. Restoration planning has already started which will include native plantings abd wetland restoration. This tract will become a future WMA and brings the total size of the complex to nearly 600 acres!
        A portion of the proceeds raised at the annual banquets will be used toward continued habitat restoration efforts within the Tiger Lake Complex. Thank you for your support of the Carver County Chapter of Pheasants Forever and helping to restore wildlife habitat inyour own backyard! Most importantly, the Tiger Lake Complex is open for public hunting with parking lots for hunter access being developed in conjunction with the habitat restoration work!

        For more information on the project, please contact FWS Biologist Mike Malling by phone at (952)-361 4519 or by email at mike_malling@fws.gov