Dakota County has been awarded a $560,000 grant to fund the cost of safely reintroducing a herd of 15 American Plains bison at Spring Lake Park Reserve in Rosemount. Starting in 2022, the bison will play a key role in prairie and oak savanna restoration and management on over 100 acres in the reserve. The grant funding will be used to construct protective fenced paddocks that direct grazing and enable safe public viewing. According to County Commissioner Joe Atkins, bison viewing and education will occur at several locations along Dakota County’s Mississippi River Greenway, which runs through the park reserve. State Rep. Rick Hansen led the efforts to secure this state LCCMR grant. These grants are funded from the voter-approved constitutional amendment that created the state lottery and dedicated proceeds to environmental projects like this one.