12 Months of Lottery Beneficiaries

As we wrap up 2024, we’re highlighting some of the lottery-funded environmental projects that are making a difference in communities across Minnesota.

Earlier this year, Minnesota voters overwhelmingly said I’MN to the constitutional amendment renewal to extend the 40 percent dedication of lottery proceeds to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) for the next 25 years.

Since 1991, the ENRTF has been used to fund more than 1,700 projects across Minnesota with impacts in all 87 counties.

Here’s a glimpse at how 12 recent ENRTF projects used lottery dollars to preserve and protect our state’s environment and natural resources and increase recreational opportunities so all Minnesotans can experience our great outdoors:

Veterans on the Lake in Ely

Veterans on the Lake is a resort and recreational facility for disabled American Veterans and their families in Ely near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The organization received a grant to improve accessibility for guests, including replacing two old cabins with new cabins that have wheelchair access and 38 percent more floor space, and repaving existing paths to make them safer.

In the land of 10,000 lakes and vast wetlands, you might be surprised to learn that we’re also home to a single population of native cacti. The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum used a grant to help preserve Minnesota’s only ball cactus population near Ortonville. Almost 500 plants in three new locations were planted over two years and nearly 80 percent had a first-year survival rate.

An existing trail at the senior living community of Woodcrest of Country Manor in St. Joseph was extended almost a half mile into an undeveloped area to allow community members and their families to safely walk the trail and gain an appreciation for native plants and wildlife. With a local elementary school within walking distance, the trail expansion is an opportunity to foster inter-generational activities on the trail with seniors and children in the future.

Renewing Access to an Iconic North Shore Vista

The Superior Hiking Trail Association is working to rebuild the trails and rejuvenate a campground along Bean and Bear Lakes, which is one of the most photographed locations along Lake Superior’s North Shore.

The Historic Bruce Mine has one of the last remaining headframes from the underground mining era on the Mesabi Iron Range. This former mine was preserved into an interpretive center in Chisolm and redeveloped into a trailhead for the popular Mesabi Trail so bicyclists and pedestrians can learn more about the area’s rich mining history.

White Earth Nation Community Solar for Community Action

Solar community gardens were installed on the White Earth Reservation in Bagley to provide energy resilience to the community while reducing greenhouse gas emissions for years to come. Furthermore, this project has increased economic development through environmental education and solar workforce training.

Over three years, the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center in Austin engaged over 4,500 local students and provided 50 percent more summer programming by supplementing summer teaching staff. The outdoor education curriculum was designed to foster environmental ethics and help contribute to the protection of Minnesota’s natural resources.

Development of Advanced Diagnostic Tests for Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal, contagious neurological disease affecting Minnesota’s deer population and poses a significant threat to deer-related industries across the state. A major limitation in the fight against CWD has been the lack of reliable rapid-response diagnostic tests. In recent years, the University of Minnesota has developed the world’s first portable 24-hour CWD test (Minnesota-QuIC) and a 4-hour microfluidic CWD test.

Reintroduction of Bison to Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings

Approximately 150 acres of prairie at the Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings is now home to a small herd of American Bison after being reintroduced by Dakota County. While less than 400,000 bison are currently in North America, tens of millions once roamed the plains and they remain sacred to many local tribal communities. Having grazed on prairies for thousands of years, bison play an important role in keeping our threatened prairie ecosystems protected.

New accessible fishing piers were installed in various locations around the state to improve fishing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Some of the new fishing pier locations include Cascade Lake in Olmsted County, Fish Lake in St. Louis County, and at Sauk River and Kraemer Lake in Stearns County.

The new Lyman P. White Park in Brainerd was constructed to provide better access to low-cost recreational opportunities for residents and visitors near the Mississippi River. The completed project included the implementation of the trailhead, a canoe/kayak launch, river overlook, natural playscape, and other facilities. The park’s natural habitats were preserved through stormwater treatment, pollinator-friendly plantings and landscapes, and riverbank restoration.

Restoration of Minnesota’s Only Endangered Tree Species

The Eastern Hemlock is Minnesota’s rarest and most threatened tree species. With just 50 trees remaining across the state, the Eastern Hemlock is the only endangered tree species in Minnesota. University of Minnesota researchers are using a grant to help with restoration efforts and to better understand what increases survival rate and growth of tree seedlings in hopes of boosting the population out of the endangered category.

To learn more about how lottery dollars benefit Minnesota, visit our Playing Our Part webpage.