Almanac: Budget woes hit natural resources

Maintenance of paved state bike trails would be reduced, a program to take senior citizens fishing would be cut and fewer prairie wetlands would be restored.

Those are some of the impacts to natural resources from cuts proposed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty to deal with the state's budget shortfall. His proposal calls for a 4 percent cut in general fund dollars to the Department of Natural Resources -- or about $2.9 million in both 2009 and 2010.

Among the other impacts: The advanced hunter education program would be eliminated. Seven to eight full-time, temporary and seasonal positions, mostly from fisheries, would be cut. And officials will try to end a $100,000 yearly state subsidy of the Minnesota Shooting Sports and Education Center in Grand Rapids, a state-built shooting range.

Funding of the Prairie Wetland initiative, which issues grants to restore and develop wetland-grassland complexes, would be cut by $200,000 yearly. "That will result in about 600 acres less of wetland-grassland work,'' said Dave Schad, DNR fish and wildlife director. "We're starting to cut into the bone.''

The Let's Go Fishing program, which enables senior citizens to get out on the water, would be eliminated. Currently that nonprofit group gets $175,000 yearly in grants. Since the program was launched in 2002, some 15,000 seniors have participated.

The 18-hour advanced hunter education program, which hasn't been offered recently, would be cut. Turkey, bear and bow-hunter clinics wouldn't be affected.

The Legislature, of course, could alter the proposals.

RIM Reserve funding

Minnesota's RIM (Reinvest in Minnesota) Reserve program has restored about 190,000 acres of wetlands and grasslands on private lands over the past 21 years. Nearly all is in permanent easements.

The program protects and improves water quality, reduces soil erosion and enhances fish and wildlife habitat.

Just about everyone agrees the program is a winner. One reason: The state can leverage $1.4 federal dollars for every $1 it spends. The question is how much will the program get this year in the state's bonding bill? The House allocated $35 million, the Senate $15 million. The Pawlenty administration recommended $22 million.

Minnesota could capture $48 million in federal dollars if it allocates $35 million. It will get proportionately less if not fully funded.

Last year, the state sent $13 million back to Washington after the bonding bill was vetoed.

"We could restore 20,000 to 25,000 acres of wetlands [with full funding],'' said Kevin Lines of the state Board of Water and Soil Resources, which manages the program.

A House-Senate conference committee will decide how much the program gets.

Double-banded goose

Among the 21 light geese a group of us shot in South Dakota last weekend was a real rarity: a Ross' goose that had two bands, one on each leg. One was a traditional band with a number and a toll-free phone number to report it. The second band offered a $100 reward to do so.

Turns out the female goose was banded July 23, 2003, in Nunavat, Canada, by the Canadian Wildlife Service.

The reward bands encourage hunters to report banded birds, and they help officials estimate the overall band reporting rate. The regular bands are used to estimate hunter harvest. Hunters who shoot banded birds are urged to call a toll-free number (1-800-327-BAND) to report them, or they now can report them online at www.reportband.gov and learn immediately where and when the bird was banded.

Another Pheasant Fest

National Pheasant Fests -- held every other year by Pheasants Forever -- have been so successful, the Minnesota-based nonprofit conservation group has decided to hold them every year. Next year's Pheasant Fest will be in Madison, Wis. The event in January in St. Paul, celebrating the group's 25th anniversary, was the largest of four Pheasant Fests, attracting nearly 30,000 people. Previous Pheasant Fests were held in 2003 in Bloomington, 2005 in Omaha, 2007 in Des Moines. PF had hired a person to put on the shows but now will do that in-house.

Did you know?

• If you're interested in a canoe or kayak adventure to the far north, the Minnesota Canoe Association's Far North Symposium on Saturday is the place to go for ideas, information and advice. Travelers will give presentations on Far North river trips. The event is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul. For more information, see www.canoe-kayak.org.

• A 25th-anniversary celebration banquet for the Minnesota pheasant stamp program is set for April 15 at the Prom Center in Oakdale. Watch this space for more details.

Doug Smith • dsmith@startribune.com