Board certifies USFWS wetland easement for Green Lake Township property

The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 7 voted to certify a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetland easement covering just under 10 acres in Sections 29 and 30 of Green Lake Township.

Blake Nisley, a realty specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told the board the easement protects wetlands from being drained, filled, leveled or burned and that the property will remain in private ownership. “They can graze it. They can farm it. This property is not open to the public,” Nisley said while describing the proposal and the difference between a wetland easement and a habitat easement that covers uplands.

The easement packet was distributed to the board in advance. Commissioner Mabek moved to approve the certification; Commissioner Dwayne Anderson seconded the motion. After brief questions about location relative to Eagle Lake and the nearby Glacier Lakes Trail, the board voted in favor, with the chair instructing staff to provide the signed certification for Nisley to take with him or send electronically.

Why it matters: Wetland easements preserve functional basins that provide flood storage, wildlife habitat and water-quality benefits while allowing the landowner to retain the parcel and continue certain uses. This certification is a formal local acknowledgement used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of its easement recordkeeping.

Implementation and next steps: Nisley left a written form for the chair’s signature and indicated he would accept an electronic copy from county staff. The easement will remain privately owned, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service retains responsibility for monitoring compliance with the easement terms.

No board member suggested conditions or amendments to the easement language during the meeting.