For over 45 years, the Nongame Wildlife Program has led conservation of Minnesota’s rare and vulnerable wildlife. We’ve successfully restored many wildlife populations that were experiencing population declines and we continue to help at-risk wildlife with a variety of conservation projects.
Project Highlights
All project highlights are excerpts from “Stories from the Nongame Wildlife Program”, written by Laurie Allman with Cynthia Osmundson as Executive Editor and Tom Klein as Contributing Editor and responsible for design and production.
Engaging Volunteers in Frog and Toad ConservationFrom 1994 to 2017, dedicated volunteers searched our state for signs of frogs and toads as part of the Minnesota Frog and Toad Calling Survey. When the Nongame Wildlife Program created its Community Science Program in 2020, retooling and rebooting the survey was our first priority.Join the journey of bringing back this beloved community science project in the aptly named "It's Back!"
Conserving Critical Wildlife Habitat“The Driftless Area is celebrated in arts and literature as a magical place, and so it is. But it’s not easy magic. It’s earned through conscious decisions and actions.”Nestled in the southeast corner of the state, the Driftless Area is a gem of an ecosystem, home to many rare and vulnerable wildlife species. Learn how the Nongame Wildlife Program and other DNR staff sustain this cherished area in "Driftless Odyssey".
Researching the American GoshawkHigh in the canopies of Minnesota’s northern forests lives the American goshawk*. These charismatic raptors are a hallmark of Minnesota’s natural heritage, and our program has spent decades researching them. Find out what we’ve learned, and how we hope to preserve this Species in Greatest Conservation Need, in “Forest Dwellers”.*American goshawks were formerly called Northern goshawks and are referred to as Northern goshawks in the story.
Bringing Back the Topeka ShinerSmaller than a pinky finger, the Topeka shiner is a “blink and you miss it” kind of fish. This endangered minnow makes its home in prairie streams, oxbow lakes and even cattle ponds. Prairie restorations appear to be helping their population, but we still have a long way to go.Learn all about Topeka shiners and other prairie fish in “Prairie Lights”.
Supporting Rare and Vulnerable Wildlife SpeciesMinnesota is home to over 2,000 known wildlife species. Hundreds of them are Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). “Did You Say Siggen?” explains how an animal becomes a SCGN, and how the Nongame Wildlife Program is supporting these rare and vulnerable wildlife species.
Monitoring Prairie WildlifeBees, butterflies, birds, beautiful wildflowers and grasses; the prairie has it all. For over 16 years, DNR, USFWS and Nature Conservancy staff have been monitoring Minnesota’s prairies. The goal? To build a robust data set that will help us track changes in Minnesota’s prairies over time.Read “Tracking Prairie Vitals” to learn about this long term monitoring project and how we hope to help Minnesota’s prairies.
Researching Minnesota's Salamanders“You could walk right past them and never know they’re there.”Salamanders are small, but mighty members of Minnesota’s forests. “They Might Be Giants” dives deep into Minnesota’s salamanders and how staff have been researching and protecting these rare amphibians.
- Statewide projects
- Region projects
NorthwestStaff in the Northwest Region are monitoring rare species such as the red-shouldered hawk, northern goshawk, Blanding’s turtles and Richardson’s ground squirrel. They are also monitoring piping plover and common tern populations and more common nongame species like the common loon. Staff are conducting surveys for the endangered rusty patched bumblebee and assisting with other pollinator survey efforts.NortheastStaff in the Northeast Region are hard at work studying rare species like the American goshawk, four-toed salamander, red-shouldered hawk and Blanding's turtle. They are restoring habitat of threatened species like the common tern and wood turtle, as well as protecting their nests from predators. They’re also monitoring common loons.CentralNongame staff in the Central region focus on helping urban areas protect and understand their wildlife resources, connecting Minnesota’s diverse citizens and visitors with the outdoors and protecting our wildlife heritage for generations to come.Staff also monitor several state-listed species, like the timber rattlesnake, Blanding’s turtle, wood turtle and Leonard’s skippers. On both public and private land, habitat management is a component of the Central region’s work. Activities such as prescribed fire, grazing, invasives control and cedar/brush removal help maintain or enhance bluff prairie, oak savanna and oak woodland habitat for Species in Greatest Conservation Need. This area is also where our EagleCam and FalconCam are located!SouthProtecting and restoring prairie landscapes and its wildlife through diverse partnerships is vital to the South Region. Monitoring and adaptive management are part of their collective conservation efforts under the MN Wildlife Action Plan.Staff are monitoring grassland birds and pollinators (bumble bees and butterflies) to help assess effectiveness of prairie restorations in collaboration with land managers. They also survey for Richardson’s ground squirrels, Blanchard’s cricket frogs, lined snakes, and other Species in Greatest Conservation Need. Their many years of experience helps to maintain and restore wildlife populations and the habitats they need to survive and thrive.
- Past projects