Shoreland Habitat Restoration Grant Program

Program Summary: To expand the diversity and abundance of native aquatic and shoreland plants; to improve and protect the quality of aquatic habitat; enhance and protect water quality; raise awareness of the value of native shoreline and aquatic vegetation. Shoreland and Aquatic Habitat Block Grants are to provide cost share funding to counties, cities, watershed districts, other local units of government, conservation groups and lake associations to conduct shoreline and watershed enhancement projects with native plants, with the goal of improving aquatic habitat and water quality for fish and wildlife.

Grant Details: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is making available cost share dollars for to restoring native shoreline vegetation and improve aquatic habitat on lakes, streams and rivers across the state. A total of $325,000 dollars will be available to complete shoreland and watershed enhancement projects and associated workshops, to conduct habitat mapping as part of a shoreland management plan or research that increases the ability to restore native vegetation along shorelines and within watersheds or increases our knowledge about the value of habitat to fish and wildlife. To apply for these funds, fill out the grant application located at the link below, and please see the last page of the grant application for submission details. For more specific information on the program and grant requirements please refer to the links below:

 Preferred Projects will be: 

  1. A project in which the desired goal is to reestablish or enhance native vegetation on disturbed shorelines or within targeted areas of a watershed, to provide improved habitat for fish and wildlife and improved water quality for fish and aquatic life. 
  2. A project that is part of a long term plan to improve habitat and water quality for fish and aquatic life.
  3. A project on a system that is on the MNPCA impaired water list
  4. Where appropriate and based on local conditions and to the ecoregion it is contained in, a project that incorporates aquatic plants and native woody vegetation (shrubs and trees) in the project design

Projects whose primary goals are to address erosion or water quality issues that are not focused on using native vegetation as a buffer or filter but primarily utilizing constructed storm ponds or hard armoring will not be consider for this application.

Locations of Existing Shoreland Habitat Projects

Further Information:
John Hiebert, Shoreland Habitat Coordinator
Minnesota DNR
500 Lafayette Road, Box 20
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: (651) 259-5212
E-mail: john.hiebert@state.mn.us