On one hand, it's a good problem to have: How should the state spend more than $75 million to benefit fish, wildlife and their habitat?
On the other hand, the decisions have to be made by April 1, and Mike Kilgore knows his group, the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council, has its work cut out for it.
"It's a steep learning curve," said Kilgore, an associate professor in forest resources at the University of Minnesota and interim chairman of the council.
An estimated $78 million will be available for fiscal year 2010, the result of Minnesotans passing the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment on Nov. 4. The amendment increased the state sales tax 3/8 of 1 percent starting July 1, raising about $235 million per year for 25 years for the outdoors, clean water initiatives and arts resources.
The Lessard council will make recommendations to the Legislature about how to spend one-third of that money, which goes to fish, wildlife and habitat. It remains unclear what group or groups will recommend how to spend money dedicated to clean-water efforts and the arts. The Legislature has final authority to appropriate money generated by the sales tax increase.
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A few members of the 12-member Lessard council met with outdoors stakeholders Thursday in the Twin Cities. The purpose of the gathering was to hear short- and long-range priorities for forests, fisheries, pheasants, ducks and wildlife management areas. About 120 conservation stakeholders attended the meeting.
The April 1 deadline for the Lessard council to make its recommendations was set up in the legislation that created the council. While the council wants to take a long-range approach to conservation, Kilgore said this year's recommendations will necessarily have to be made quickly.
"The thought is that we'll rely the first time around on shovel-ready projects that will be identified by stakeholders from interest groups to individuals," he said.
The Lessard council will meet every other Monday from now through April 1 to set up its organizational procedures and, ultimately, consider projects.
"The answer, in the short run, is to have some real, live projects you can get your arms around," said Garry Leaf, executive director of Sportsmen for Change, a group that lobbied for passage of the constitutional amendment. Leaf is not on the Lessard council.
Such projects might include wetland restoration, forest easements to protect habitat and Wildlife Management Area acquisitions, he said. Much of the first year's spending will be on projects that are part of existing conservation plans, said Duluth conservationist Dave Zentner. Those plans include the Department of Natural Resources' Ducks Recovery Plan, the Shallow Lakes Plan and wetland restoration, he said.
The Lessard council hopes to hold "listening sessions" with the general public in future years, but there won't be much time for that between now and April 1, Kilgore said.
The Lessard council, named for former International Falls state senator Bob Lessard, is made up of eight citizen volunteers and four legislators. The 12 were appointed by the governor and the Legislature.
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Kilgore is impressed with the group.
"We have people who have done major conservation deals and people who have put trees in the ground," he said. "These people are all really passionate about the outdoors. That's what gives me optimism."
