Land and Water Legacy Program

Washington County began its land protection efforts with the launch of its Purchase of Development Rights Program in 2000, after receiving a grant from the State of Minnesota to preserve corridors of green space in the county. After the passage of a $20 million voter approved bond referendum in 2006, for the preservation of water quality, woodlands, and other natural areas, the program was rebranded the Washington County Land and Water Legacy Program (LWLP).

The county and its partners have completed over 40 projects on over 1,300 acres of high-quality natural lands. This has resulted in over $42 million invested in land protection, with over 19 million in county contributions and over 23 million in partnership contributions.

2021 marked the Land and Water Legacy program's 15th anniversary. View the program's 15-year anniversary brochure (PDF) for more details.

2040 Comprehensive Plan

The Land and Water Legacy Program is a key part of the Washington County 2040 Comprehensive Plan and helps with land protection in these important ways:

Goal: Protect, restore, enhance and provide access to natural areas – land, water, and open space – and wildlife.

• Policy: Prioritize investment in the protection and stewardship of high-quality natural areas and open space.
• Policy: Steward natural areas by implementing sustainable practices that promote biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

2024-2029 Strategic Plan

The Land and Water Legacy Program is aligned with the Washington County 2024 - 2029 Strategic Plan, which guides program planning efforts in the following ways:

Strategic Priority: Strong and Sustainable Environment

Goal: Enhance and maintain investments in the built and natural environment to encourage growth, accessibility, and resilient communities.

• Objective B: Plan, build, and maintain spaces that promote livability such as parks, libraries, and open spaces to increase access and enhance community well-being
  • Performance Measure 5: Increase acres of natural resources protected annually with Land and Water Legacy Program conservation easements.
  • Performance Measure 9: Establish priorities for maintenance and stewardship of county parks and conservation easements through the development of a Natural Resource Protection and Stewardship System Framework.

Partnerships with nonprofits, other government agencies, and landowners are a critical part of every project to support land protection in Washington County. The county thanks the partners who have made this protection possible:

• Belwin Conservancy
• Carpenter Nature Center
• Friends of the Mississippi River
• Metropolitan Council
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Minnesota Land Trust
• Private landowners
• Saint Croix River Association
• Science Museum of Minnesota
• Trust for Public Land
• Washington County Cities and Townships
• Washington Conservation District
• Watershed Districts

Land and Water Legacy Program projects have also received support through the Lessard-Sam’s Outdoor Heritage Fund.

Washington County habitat protection and restoration partnership

In 2022, the Lessard Sam’s Outdoor Heritage Fund awarded grant funding to a partnership between Washington County’s Land and Water Legacy Program and the Minnesota Land Trust for the following:

• Land protection in collaboration with the Minnesota Land Trust.
  Washington County frequently partners with the Minnesota Land Trust to co-own conservation easement projects. Through this grant award, a total of 340 acres of collaborative protection is anticipated to be completed by mid-2026.
• The restoration and enhancement of protected land within Washington County.
  Washington County is conducting restoration and enhancement work in collaboration with the City of Woodbury on three City of Woodbury parks protected by county conservation easements:
  • Prairie Ridge Park – This project involves the restoration of woodland understory, and the enhancement of prairie and wetland areas. This park is expected to experience closures to facilitate the removal of invasive trees/brush.
  • Valley Creek Park – This project involves the restoration of savanna, woodland understory, and prairie ecosystems.
  • La Lake Park – This project involves the enhancement woodlands, prairie, and shoreline areas. For more information regarding these activities, including anticipated park closures, please see Woodbury/Washington County Land and Water Legacy (LWLP) Restoration Project 2025.

Washington County St. Croix River Land Protection Project – 2015 Carpenter Nature Center Conservation Easement

In 2015, the Lessard Sam’s Outdoor Heritage Fund awarded grant funding for a county-owned conservation easement over a portion of Carpenter Nature Center. This 85-acre conservation easement permanently protects roughly 3,000 feet of St. Croix River frontage as well as high quality woodlands, savanna and prairie. The property contains winding paved hiking trails and is open to the public during Carpenter Nature Center’s designated hours.