The evolution of Minnesota's WMA's

1940s

State and federal farm policies were initiated, encouraging landowners to drain wetlands to boost crop production. These policies affected vital wildlife habitat and the land’s ability to filter runoff and reduce flooding. Conservationists, concerned about the devastating loss of wetlands occurring in Minnesota, began to raise awareness of the issues on the landscape.

1951

Minnesota created the Save the Wetlands program, which would evolve to include all types of habitats and become the WMA program we recognize today. It allowed the state to purchase wetlands from willing sellers using state and federal funds (Pittman-Robertson federal excise tax) to permanently protect them and open them for public use. This program was led by Richard J. Dorer, then supervisor of the state’s Bureau of Game and one of Minnesota’s great conservationists. The original goal was to protect 250,000 acres of habitat.

1954

R.J. Dorer set up a fund in which private donations could be used to finance state wetland purchases. From 1954-1956, the project raised $9,784 from private donations and spread awareness about the drainage of wetlands and the importance of saving them.

1957

Legislature required a $1 surcharge be added to each small game hunting license to speed up wetland acquisition. Through 1970, the Legislature appropriated $342,000 in additional funding for acquisition of WMAs. Additionally, from 1957-1963, about $200,000 per year of Pittman-Robinson funds were available for acquisition.

1964

131,402 acres of habitat had been acquired or optioned for purchase throughout the state, in 73 of Minnesota’s 87 counties. By the 1960s, the program had expanded to include upland habitat.

1971

Rising land prices and continued drainage prompted the Legislature to raise the surcharge to $2 and increase the annual appropriation for WMAs to $550,000.

1975

Approximately 450,000 acres of WMA lands had been acquired, and the annual appropriation was increased to $615,000 per year. The long-range WMA acquisition plan was developed under Resource 2000, a program authorized by Minnesota Legislature to accelerate natural resource land acquisition. The goal established in the plan was to acquire 1 million acres of wildlife habitat by the year 2000.

1981

Legislature recognized the urgency of saving wildlife habitat and appropriated $4.5 million under the Resource 2000 program for the 1981-1983 biennium to acquire WMAs. They also increased the surcharge on small game hunting licenses from $2 to $4, providing about $1.3 million annually for acquisition and restoration of wildlife lands.

1983

By this time, the WMA program had evolved well beyond wetlands. From the fields and marshlands of southern Minnesota to the forests of the north, the WMA program was supporting habitats for all types of Minnesota wildlife, including nongame species. In all, 520,000 acres had been acquired, with 950 WMAs in 84 of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

2001

By the 50th anniversary of the WMA program, 1.1 million acres of land had been added to Minnesota’s public land base, focused on wildlife habitat protection and public hunting, fishing and trapping — making it one of the best and largest WMA systems in the country. The lands made up 1,355 WMAs across 86 of Minnesota’s 87 counties. Seven of these WMAs are known as “major units” and total more than 228,000 acres, averaging 32,000 acres each, compared to the 1,348 WMAs that average 400 acres in size each.

2008

Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which increased the state sales tax by 3/8 of 1% beginning on July 1, 2009 through 2034. Thirty-three percent of the additional sales tax revenue is routed through the Outdoor Heritage Fund, which must be spent to restore, protect and enhance habitat for fish, game and wildlife. The OHF has allowed for an increase in restoration, enhancement and protection of wildlife habitat, including WMAs. Since 2009, over 50,000 acres of land have been added to the WMA system with use of OHF.

2026

Today, marking the 75th anniversary of Minnesota’s WMA program, the DNR manages more than 1,500 WMAs across the state, encompassing almost 1.4 million acres of public land. Through this program, we are proud to:

• Protect wildlife habitat for future generations.
• Provide opportunities for hunting, fishing and wildlife watching.
• Promote important wildlife-based tourism in the state.

Continued management efforts on existing WMA lands and acquisition of new parcels will be critical to maintaining quality wildlife habitat in Minnesota. The DNR’s Adopt-A-WMA program and other programs like it, partnerships with local conservation clubs, and efforts like the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment all play a role in sharing these important resources with the people of Minnesota and visitors alike.

To be able to manage and maintain these units and continue to make acquisitions across the state, DNR staff enjoy partnering with individuals, groups, organizations and agencies. We reflect on our history of successful partnerships as we begin our next round of long-range planning and set new goals. If our past is any indication, we know that together, we will exceed our expectations.