Conservation projects aim to restore Devils Lake property to natural wetlands

Grand Forks Herald
·2 min read

Jun. 17—DEVILS LAKE, N.D. — In a visit earlier this month to an easement outside Devils Lake, state Natural Resources Conservation Service staff praised efforts to restore the land's natural wetlands.

The 523-acre Wetland Reserve Easement, owned by Paula Ramsey, includes 126.8 acres dedicated to wetland wildlife habitat management. The land has been the focus of several conservation projects since 2018, especially to enhance the local ecosystem by planting native grasses and flowers, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"We have a lot of variety of grasses and native flowers, which the birds, bees and butterflies love," Ramsey said in a statement. "NRCS was able to help us with the program, and we are still able to maintain the land for future generations."

In 2018, NRCS staff collected more than 1,200 prairie cordgrass plugs, 150 slough sedge plants and 500 big bluestem plugs from the NRCS Plants Materials Center in Bismarck. With help from Devils Lake High School biology students, the plugs were planted in a zigzag pattern in anticipation of fluctuating water levels and undesirable species, the release said.

Ramsey has also made her land available to local organizations such as the Lake Region Sportsman Club, Pheasants Forever and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The property is enrolled in the Game and Fish Department's Lands Open to Sportsmen program, allowing public access for activities such as the Youth Only Pheasant Hunting weekend.

"Paula has been great to work with," said Dustin Brodina, Devils Lake NRCS conservation delivery unit supervisor, in a statement. "She has allowed the easement to be used for educational opportunities and conservation efforts, ensuring the integrity of the easement and controlling undesirable species."

Ultimately, though, the goal is to preserve and enhance the property, Brodina said.

"The benefits are significant," Brodina said. "We have created wildlife habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, furbearers and other wetland-dependent flora and fauna, provided flood storage and implemented programs to control undesired plant species by promoting desired ones. This is a prime example of how our programs can benefit both the environment and the community."