Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation: Member Spotlight

Since being founded in 1995, the Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation has completed 43 land conservation projects conserving over 30 miles of shoreland and preserving more than 2,500 acres of land. We service Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard and Aitkin counties providing conservation support to landowners, government entities and lake associations. In September 2017, we officially moved our offices from Hackensack to 615 Minnesota Ave. (Hwy. 371) in Walker.

Currently, we are working with Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council and the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment to protect 31 Tullibee Refuge lakes in North Central Minnesota. This program, “Clean Water, Critical Habitat”, is focused on protecting high priority critical fish habitat and the surrounding watersheds by securing permanent conservation easements and fee title acquisitions. Tullibee are the “canary in the coal mine” fish species in cold-water lakes due to their sensitivity to even slight changes in water temperature and oxygen levels. Forest land plays a key role in ensuring quality habitat, acting like a sponge to absorb and hold rainfall and reduce runoff to the surface waters of lakes and streams. So, this program also benefits habitat for may wildlife and water fowl species!

We project to preserve 1,664 acres and 18,330 feet of shoreline in 2018. LLAWF can help you find the right conservation easement programs for you! Call us today at (218)547-4510.

The Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce presents Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation as the Member of The Week! Each week a new business will be featured as a “thank you” for being a part of our membership. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, please give us a call at 218-547-1313 and we will be happy to give you some more information!