Keystone WMA – Your Input Needed
Keystone WMA – Your Input Needed Today
Help Protect our Grassland Birds –
Keystone Woods WMA offers a unique opportunity to safeguard one of our state’s most rare habitats: grasslands. The state recently purchased this 1,820-acre property in Washington County, which opened to the public in September last year. It has already proven to be a rich birding area, with over 169 species reported on e-bird, including Short-Eared Owls, Bobolinks, Meadowlarks, Dickcessel, Rough-Legged hawks, and many varieties of sparrows, shorebirds, and waterbirds.
We are coordinating numerous conservation organizations to provide input and resources to support Keystone. The DNR staff has been welcoming of input and suggestions. However, dog training groups have asked the DNR for an accommodation to allow dogs to run off-leash in areas of the property during the bird breeding season (April 15 – July 15).This activity was allowed when the land was under private ownership, but it should not continue now that it is public land, and this accommodation does not align with the DNR’s standard practices. Here is a link to an article that provides more background.
Action Requested – Take 5 Minutes to Respond to the DNR Survey
The Saint Paul Bird Alliance, Land of Lakes Bird Alliance, Urban Bird Collective, and Sustainable Stillwater/Bird City encourage people who care about protecting habitats and birds to take the DNR’s online survey and express their opinion about the future use of Keystone Woods WMA. The survey closes on March 2, 2025.
Want to Help Even More?
We are planning spring surveys and habitat conservation activities. If you want to be considered for our teams, please email us at contact@saintpaulbirdalliance.org.
Additional Information:
Star Tribune article about Keystone
Our Organization’s Response to the DNR
Short-eared owls at Keystone Woods WMA. (Greg Seitz/St. Croix 360)
