Pheasants Forever is pleased to announce a new habitat expansion in Blue Earth and Brown counties in central Minnesota. Strom Lake Waterfowl Production Area sits due west of Mankato and now provides 139 acres of public access to prime upland and waterfowl habitat.
“We’re really excited and proud of the work that went into the Strom Lake project,” said Eran Sandquist, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Minnesota state coordinator. “This property adds a significant piece of cover to the southern Minnesota habitat corridor, and will now be open to hunters for generations to come.”
The Strom lake addition features upland and wetland habitat, and is home to pheasants, waterfowl and numerous non-game species. The majority of the parcel has been restored to native grasses and forbs. Wetlands will be restored to their full extent to create excellent outdoor recreation opportunities with a mixture of prairie and wetlands.
“Both Blue Earth and Brown County Pheasants Forever have a long history of working strategically to not only protect important tracts like Strom Lake, but restore them to their full habitat potential and open them up for the public to enjoy,” Sandquist said. “We also thank the Outdoor Heritage Fund and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for helping to make this project a reality. The power of partnerships is on full display as we strive to put the habitat puzzle pieces back together across Minnesota’s pheasant range.”
The property was previously owned by Minnesota residents John and Diana Benson. As avid sportsmen and conservationists, the Benson’s worked with local Pheasants Forever team members to facilitate the sale, as well as volunteers from the Blue Earth and Brown County chapters of Pheasants Forever.
“Both Pheasants Forever team members and volunteers worked very hard to keep the sale rolling and to make it as easy as possible,” said John Benson. “Diana and I are really pleased that we did our part for public hunting and the environment.”
About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make up the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 567,500 habitat projects benefiting 22 million acres.
