The challenge cost share grant titled ?Restoration of remnant native prairie on private land in proximity to USFWS lands? was awarded to the Scientific & Natural Areas Program of the Minnesota DNR Windom office. A total of nine approved Prescribed Burn Plans were written by the DNR and reviewed by the Service. The project funds allowed a competitively bid contract to be awarded to a professional prescribed fire service vendor for the completion of eight prescribed burns. These burn units were on privately owned remnant native prairie sites totaling 313 acres located throughout southwest Minnesota.

Unusually wet spring weather resulted in unfavorable burning conditions causing an additional burn to be delayed. A total of $10,000 was provided by the Service with matching funds, and/or in-kind services from the Minnesota DNR and private landowners, to complete the contracted burn projects in 2005. The project areas burned through the challenge cost share grant potentially harbor some of the highest concentrations of many rare plant and animal species such as Prairie Bush Clover, Dakota Skippers, and Western Prairie Fringed Orchids. A majority of these burn sites are also protected by private land programs such as the Minnesota DNR's Prairie Bank Easement Program.

?The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service matching funds has allowed us to actually implement our ?plans? and make them an on the ground reality," said Jason Garms Minneosta DNR prairie specialist. "Landowners receiving services from this collaboration are now able to apply prescribed fire as an ecological management tool on their unique lands. Many of these sites had not seen a fire since the pre-settlement era.? This completed the fourth consecutive year of the partnership with the Minnesota DNR. The partnership has now applied fire to 1,013 native prairie acres on 26 project areas.