Kinni featured on YouTube

October 27, 2009

Check out the “Kinni Comeback” segment on the television show Minnesota Bound:

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust Earns Charities Review Council “Meets All Standards” Smartgivers Seal

October 22, 2009

RIVER FALLS, WI October 22, 2009 — The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust announces that it has been awarded the Charities Review Council “Meets All Standards” Seal indicating that it meets all sixteen of its Accountability Standards.

Nonprofit organizations such as the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust earn the Seal by voluntarily participating in the Council’s online Accountability Wizard. The Accountability Wizard is available to all nonprofit organizations soliciting in Minnesota and addresses a nonprofit organization’s performance in four critical areas: Public Disclosure, Governance, Financial Activity and Fundraising. By participating in the Accountability Wizard, nonprofit organizations can demonstrate responsibility, integrity and transparency to their constituents.

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust is now listed as a reviewed organization on the online Giving Guide of the Council’s Smart Givers Network, www.smartgivers.org and the Council’s Smart Giver newsletter distributed to more than 18,000 subscribers in Minnesota. The listings help a nonprofit organization demonstrate its commitment to accountable ethical practices to the public and that it is a trustworthy organization. The Council’s Smart Givers Network is the source of unbiased information where smart givers come for help and resources on responsible giving. The giving public can investigate an organization’s mission statement and programs, so they can be sure of what their money supports and determine whether it meets widely accepted standards.

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust is a community-based non-profit organization with over 600 individual and business members. Since 1993 the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust has protected over 2,400 acres of land and 8 miles of stream bank in the Kinnickinnic River Watershed. View our most recent annual report at FY2007-2008 Annual Report.

You can make an online donation at DONATE NOW.

KRLT to Receive Wisconsin Land Trust of the Year Award

September 14, 2009

[River Falls, WI]  At the first annual Kinni River Barn Dance, A Kinni River Ramble Event, Mike Strigel, Executive Director of Gathering Waters Conservancy formally announced that the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust will be receiving the 2009 Wisconsin Land Trust of the Year Award on October 1st in Madison at their 2009 Land Conservation Leadership Awards Celebration.

In making the announcement before more than 150 donors and friends assembled at the barn dance, Strigel said, “For the past 15 years the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust has worked to protect nearly 2,100 acres of critical lands within the Kinnickinnic River Watershed in pursuit of their mission to preserve the health and beauty of this western Wisconsin river. This year, KRLT became the first land trust in Wisconsin to be accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.  The accreditation application and review process is no small task for an organization with just three paid staff.  Staff and board also made time last year to close key land conservation deals. Our hats are off and glasses raised to the “Kinni River” crew!”

In accepting the recognition, Board Chair Dan Wilkening indicated that “we are both thrilled and humbled to receive this award and look forward to continuing our efforts to keep the Kinni cold, clean and clear.”

Gathering Waters Conservancy is a state-wide organization whose mission is to help land trusts, landowners and communities protect the places that make Wisconsin special.  Information about Gathering Waters Conservancy can be found at http://www.gatheringwaters.org.

The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust is a community land trust whose mission is to work with the community to protect the natural resources and scenic beauty of the Kinnickinnic River Watershed.

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust Receives Private Land Stewardship Grant from Xcel Energy Foundation

July 6, 2009

[RIVER FALLS, WI] The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, Inc. (KRLT), received a grant of $1,000 from Xcel Energy Foundation for its Kinni Watershed Private Landowner and Preserve Stewardship program activities.

Trudy Popenhagen, Xcel Energy Community Relations Director, said “We are thrilled to support the efforts of the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust to with more than a dozen private landowners in the watershed to enhance the natural resources of the Kinnickinnic River Watershed, improve water quality of the Kinnickinnic River and make an investment to protect this community asset.”

According to KRLT Executive Director Nelson French, “This wonderful donation from Xcel Energy Foundation will help us in our work with private landowner partners in efforts to improve water quality through watershed improvements in the South Fork subwatershed of the Kinnickinnic River and improve quality of native plant communities on private lands within the Lower Kinnickinnic River subwatershed.”

In addition to private landowners, KRLT is working with volunteers and local, state and federal government agencies to achieve greater protection of the river resources. Public partners include Pierce County and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Water quality and quantity measurements will be monitored by public agencies as part of the Kinnickinnic River Priority Watershed Project. KRLT will measure actual acres controlled for invasive species and restored to natural vegetation.

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust receives national accreditation!

June 19, 2009

The KRLT is the first Wisconsin land trust to be awarded national accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission (LTAC).  KRLT, incorporated in 1993 as a non-profit community-based land trust, announced this significant achievement at its annual meeting at its Kelly Creek Preserve on Saturday, May 30, 2009.  On May 27, LTAC informed KRLT and 5 other land trusts nationwide that they had joined the ranks of 53 other such accredted land trusts to earn the coveted accredtation seal.

LTAC, an independent program of the Land Trust  Alliance, conducted an extensive review of KRLT’s policies and programs.  The LTAC reviewers thoroughly assessed how KRLT is managed and how well it adheres to nationally accepted land trust standards and practices. These standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust.

KRLT is proud to be recognized for the excellence of its programs and policies.  “This is truly a watershed achievement for our organization.   It is the result of hard work and dedication of past and current leaders of the organization and will serve us well as work with landowners in the future to insure that the Kinnickinic River Watershed is healthy and provides for a cold, clean and clear flowing river for all to enjoy, ” said Nelson  French, KRLT Executive Director.  French also commended the board and staff for a job well done in the rigorous accreditation process.

Hudson Star Observer article regarding KRLT Accreditation.

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust and Partners Announce Acquisition of Prime Wildlife Habitat in Erin Prairie

June 11, 2009

[RIVER FALLS, WI] The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, Inc. (KRLT), along with its partners the WI- Department of Natural Resources, Ducks Unlimited, the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the Indianhead, Kinni and Racine Chapters of Pheasants Forever, and Pheasants Forever Build A Wildlife Area Program, today announced the purchase of a 204-acre parcel of restored wetlands and adjacent upland grasslands in St. Croix County, WI from Vern and Becky Nagel.

According to Vern Nagel, “Becky and I have worked extremely hard over the last 15 years to restore the landscape surrounding our home to native grasses and wildlife habitat. This work has truly been a labor of love for us and we are so pleased that through this transaction our vision that this land be conserved for the enjoyment of future generations will be realized.” The private parcel was sold to the KRLT at a bargain price by the Nagel family. KRLT intends to donate the property to the WI-DNR for inclusion in the Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area as the Nagel Wildlife Management Area. KRLT will present this request to the WI Natural Resources Board for approval later this year.

“This property on the headwaters of the Kinnickinnic River contains beautifully restored wetlands and prairie grasslands and provides an important building block within the Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area,” noted Harvey Halvorsen, local DNR wildlife biologist. “The wide open spaces provided by the surrounding farmland coupled with the Nagel grassland is what’s needed to provide habitat for pheasants, bobolinks, and other grassland related wildlife species.”

According to Ducks Unlimited Regional Biologist and project partner Jason Hill, “The permanent protection and future management of this property will ensure that critical production and migration habitat is available for a diversity of waterfowl, and a variety of other wetland and upland dependent wildlife, including many threatened or endangered species.”

“The acquisition and permanent protection of the Nagel property is an outstanding conservation achievement that Pheasants Forever (PF) and our partners are very proud of,” said David Lackey, Land Acquisition Coordinator for the local Kinni Chapter of PF. “This project was so important that three chapters teamed up with the national office to support the acquisition of this property as part of the KRLT Protect the Kinni Campaign.”

“This project represents the first Build a Wildlife Area campaign project for Wisconsin,” said Joe Duggan, Pheasants Forever Vice President of Corporate Relations and Marketing. “The Build A Wildlife Area campaign received funds from Enbridge Energy Partners to provide support for this project and we extend our thanks to Enbridge. Because of their vision, Wisconsin residents will soon have new wildlife management area to hunt and enjoy the great outdoors.”

KRLT Executive Director Nelson French stated, “This project exemplifies the value of conservation partnerships and shows what can be done when we all work together towards a common goal. We commend the Nagel’s for their stewardship of this magnificent prairie restoration and their desire to see it protected forever.”

Acquisition of the Nagel property was completed with resources made available by the Nagel family and funding from the WI Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, the WI Northwest Pothole Habitat Initiative Phase IV Project managed by Ducks Unlimited, local PF Chapters, and the PF Build A Wildlife Area campaign.

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust Announces New Board Members

June 3, 2009

The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, Inc. (KRLT) today announced the election of two new Board members to its Board of Directors at its recent annual meeting. According to incoming Board President Dan Wilkening, “I am pleased to announce that River Falls business and community leaders Dale Jorgenson and Joel Larsen were elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. We look forward to their service on the Board and the special skills and expertise they will bring to our organization.”

Dale Jorgenson is a life-long resident of River Falls, is the owner of Riverland Laser, Inc., a successful local small business. Joel Larsen is Vice President and Commercial Lender at the First National Bank of River Falls, and has lived in River Falls for twenty years.

Also elected to a second three year term on the board were River Falls resident Michelle Bredahl, Vice President, Business Banking, First State Bank and Trust, Oak Park Heights, MN; and Kent Johnson, Manager, Environmental Monitoring Section, Metropolitan Council of St. Paul, MN.

The KRLT also recognized the excellent service of retiring board members President Jack Kenefick, River Falls; Bill Garrard, Minneapolis; and Jan Zoerb, River Falls. Retiring board members were presented with a plaque of appreciation of their service to the organization.

Annual Report Now Available

May 19, 2009

Thanks to all our members and supporters who have made our land protection success possible!  The 2007 and 2008 KRLT ANNUAL REPORT highlights our activities, successes, and our generous supporters.

Thank you!

Tom Johnson Family Farm Permanently Protected

January 25, 2009

As part of its Protect the Kinni Campaign, the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust (KRLT) announced that Tom Johnson and his family have decided to permanently protect 127-acres of their family farm through the sale of the land’s development rights to the KRLT through a conservation easement. The Johnsons retain ownership of the farm and will continue to farm the agricultural land as their family has for decades. The family sold the rights to ever develop the land and will retain all other rights of private property ownership including the right to control access across their land.

The KRLT has been working with the Johnson family for many years to find the best method to achieve long term river protection and farmland preservation. “I protected my land with KRLT because my family and I wanted to keep our farmland and the Kinni River just as I remembered it all my life. By protecting our land, my kids and grandkids can know it just as I did,” said Tom Johnson.

The KRLT received a major private lead grant to its Protect the Kinni Campaign from The Conservation Fund, in partnership with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and a major grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund to pay for the acquisition of the conservation easement.

“Protecting the Johnson farm is a very important conservation project in the history of the KRLT,” said Nelson T. French, Executive Director. “In addition to helping the Johnson’s continue farming the land as they have for generations, the community has gained the guaranty of long term protection of a portion of the lower Kinnickinnic River that is filled with valuable natural resources. This is a win-win project where the landowners get to keep their land and manage it as a family farm and the citizens of Wisconsin have an amazing river that they will always be able to enjoy in its natural state.”

Karen Blodget, Community Service Specialist of the West Central Region for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, noted, “This outstanding project recently ranked number one in Wisconsin for the Knowles-Nelson Fund Acquisition of Development Rights Program. Limiting development and ensuring best management practices on the agricultural land will forever protect the natural resources and water quality of this great river. The easement also provides for public access along the river and will ensure that the scenic views the public enjoy while recreating on the river will always remain wild.”

“We praise the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust’s vision to preserve the river’s many resources in a way that benefits private landowners and the community,” said The Conservation Fund’s Upper Midwest Director, Tom Duffus.  “We hope the protection of the Johnson family farm inspires others to get involved in the effort.”

The Kinnickinnic River flows through the southern part of the farm as does Mann Valley Creek. In addition to the waterways, this project protects many other natural resources including prime agricultural soils, river bluffs, coulees, rare and threatened plant species, and diverse plant and animal habitats. The farm is owned by the Dwayne W. and Lois K. Johnson Family Trust, located in the Town of River Falls, Pierce County, Wisconsin, and is within the Kinnickinnic River Gorge Conservation Opportunity Area which was identified as a conservation priority in the recently completed Wisconsin State Wildlife Action Plan. This project shows how local landowner decisions can help achieve statewide conservation priorities.

The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1993. The mission of the KRLT is to work with the community to protect the natural resources and scenic beauty of the Kinnickinnic River Watershed. KRLT has permanently protected over 2,000 acres of land through donated conservation easements and land acquisitions and, through its Protect the Kinni Campaign, is seeking raise the resources to protect an additional 1,000 acres.

To find out how you can help the Protect the Kinni Campaign, or for more information about the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, please contact the staff at 715.425.5738 or visit the KRLT web site at www.kinniriver.org.

The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America’s land and water legacy.  With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home.  Since 1985, we have helped protect more than 6 million acres, sustaining wild havens, working lands and vibrant communities.  The Conservation Fund is a top-ranked conservation organization, effective and efficient.  http://www.conservationfund.org

© 2006 Kinnickinnic River Land Trust
Prairie Mill Building | 421 N. Main Street | P.O. Box 87 | River Falls, WI 54022
phone: (715) 425-5738 | fax: (715) 425-5771 | kinni@kinniriver.org