Minnesota RIM Wetlands & Peatlands Easements (RIM Wetlands)

Perpetual state conservation easements that pay landowners to restore previously drained wetlands and adjacent native grassland on agricultural land, statewide, funded by Minnesota's Outdoor Heritage Fund and Clean Water Fund. A peatland-restoration sub-program accepts applications on histosol soils at any time. Landowners apply through their local Soil and Water Conservation District; BWSR pays restoration costs and a lump-sum easement payment while the land stays in private ownership.

Wetland restoration area(s) must have wetlands that were legally drained and are restorable. The drained wetland must have been sufficiently altered to render the basin suitable for agricultural production. Adjacent land without qualifying crop history cannot exceed one acre for each acre of wetland to be restored (1:1); adjacent lands with qualifying crop history cannot exceed eight acres per acre of wetland restored (8:1). General RIM eligibility (RIM Handbook pp. 1-7): landowner for at least one year with marketable title; partnerships/corporations must be certified as a farm corporation with MDA.

Perpetual easement; land remains private; landowner keeps taxes/maintenance; restored wetlands cannot be used to mitigate other wetland losses; payment at township-average rate after closing; restoration follows a conservation plan at no cost to landowner.

Published amounts: Payment Rate Type: Township average (per-acre RIM easement payment set by township rate schedule; see Conservation Easement Financial Worksheet). Any survey costs exceeding $5,000 will be deducted from the RIM easement payment (no out-of-pocket cost for landowners).

Contact your local SWCD (https://www.maswcd.org/find-your-swcd); the SWCD assembles the application package (Conservation Easement Application, Area Assessment Form, RIM Wetlands Application Workbook, Financial Worksheet, Crop History Worksheet, W-9) and submits to BWSR during the batching period. 2026-funded applications follow the RIM Refresh pilot process and require the landowner to sign a RIM Refresh Landowner Acknowledgment.

Deadline text on the page: Easement Programs page: 'Application Type: Batch; July 1, 2026 - August 14, 2026; peatlands eligible apps can be submitted any time.' Program page: 'Funding decisions will be made quarterly when adequate funding is available.' Funding Status: Available.