The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), in conjunction with the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment,  has released a report recommending environmental and natural resource planning strategies for the state. The report, titled the Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan (SCPP), was funded by Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.  

“The Statewide Conservation and Preservation Plan project teams aimed to create a blueprint for preserving our quality of life and economic vitality across the state,” said Deb Swackhamer, interim director of the Institute on the Environment and SCPP principal investigator. “The recommendations in this report will serve as a foundation for Minnesota’s environment going forward.”

The final recommendations are organized along the following lines:

• Integrated Planning: improving inter-agency and community-level coordination of related conservation efforts, such as water protection and mercury contamination reduction; and investing in the tools needed to support land use and conservation decisions.

• Critical Land Protection: identifying, prioritizing and protecting critical land and aquatic habitat, forest land and shorelands; increasing public understanding of how land and water interact at larger scales; and improving connectivity and access to outdoor recreation throughout the state.

• Land and Water Restoration: restoring habitat, wetlands and watersheds; reducing streambank and soil erosion; and improving our understanding of groundwater resources.

• Sustainable Practices: renewable energy sources, practices and adoption strategies; expanding the involvement of individuals and communities in energy conservation and carbon reduction efforts; and the expansion of sustainable forestry.

• Economic Incentives for Sustainability: developing and providing incentives for investment in and adoption of renewable energy practices.