In Stearns County, more than half of the original wetlands have been lost because they have been drained or filled, according to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources.  

The Board, along with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, announced that 7,504 acres of wetlands and grasslands in Minnesota will be restored through the program.

Restoration of wetlands goes hand-in-hand with Minnesota’s Wetland Conservation Act, which was enacted to achieve "no net loss" of wetlands. The Wetland Conservation Act addresses the draining, filling and excavation in wetland areas in Stearns County.