March 6, 2009 - TOP STORIES
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Deal would preserve northern MN land
Minn. bill proposes closing DNR fish hatcheries
Minn. DNR officer fired following drug charges
DNR seeks comments on area lake and stream plans
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Deal would preserve northern MN land
Would be the largest public-private land conservation project in recent state history
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A deal almost as big as Minnesota’s existing state park system would preserve almost 300 square miles of forest and wetlands in north-central Minnesota for hunting, hiking, snowmobiling and logging – but no development.
The state Department of Natural Resources is in talks with a subsidiary of Finnish paper and timber manufacturer UPM-Kymmene for a conservation easement covering 187,277 acres, concentrated around Grand Rapids and Hibbing but also dotted farther north.
It would be the largest public-private land conservation project in recent state history.
Pulling off the Upper Mississippi Forest project will require a hefty slice of the sales tax money that was constitutionally dedicated by voters last November for outdoors and arts programs. Dick Peterson, coordinator of the DNR’s forest legacy program, said the total cost is estimated at $50 million pending an appraisal.
With private donations covering a fifth of that, the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council – the panel appointed to divide the wildlife habitat portion of the sales tax money – is looking at a request for $40 million to $45 million, half or more of its first budget.
Minnesota’s sales tax is set to go up 3/8 of 1 percent in July to fund outdoors and arts programs. A third of the money goes to restoring and protecting wetlands, prairies, forests and wildlife habitats. Part of the mission is preventing the fragmentation of forests – exactly the idea behind the conservation deal, backers said.
“This is kind of project that I think the sportsmen and women that voted for the constitutional amendment this fall would think about. This is keeping the land in private ownership. They’re going to continue to get to log it and we’re going to have access to it,” Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, said at a Capitol news conference.
The Lessard Council will decide by April 1 whether to sink so much into one project.
Sen. Ellen Anderson, who serves on the council, said she is weighing whether the Upper Mississippi Forest conservation easement should come before other projects.
“We’re going to have to prioritize based on urgency,” said Anderson, DFL-St. Paul. “And I see in areas that are subject to development and growth, some of the metro areas, I’m really worried about losing the opportunity to save some parcels of land. The same thing may be true in this case. We need to really look closely at that.”
Anderson said the council is looking into the possibility of short-term borrowing to spread the cost of the Upper Mississippi Forest project over five or fewer years.
Supporters include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Nature Conservancy and the Deer Hunters Association.
DNR Reports
Minnesotans can harvest light geese (including white and blue phase lesser snow geese and Ross’ geese) from March 1 to April 30, under the terms of a federal conservation order. The order, which affects 24 states, allows hunters to harvest the geese after the traditional close of hunting seasons.
This is part of an international effort to reduce habitat damage to Arctic coastal regions and the Hudson Bay area by overly large populations of lesser snow geese. Minnesota has participated in the conservation order since 2000, with harvests varying dramatically from a few hundred geese to 6,000 birds depending on weather conditions.
“Minnesota is at the extreme eastern edge of the spring migration through the Midwest,” said Ray Norrgard, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wetland wildlife program leader. “March weather, particularly snow and ice conditions, can have a tremendous effect on the migration routes of light geese.”
Hunters must obtain a spring light goose permit, which is available at electronic license agents, online at http://mndnr.gov/licenses or via telephone at 888-665-4236. The permit is free but a $3.50 application fee is charged. No other license, stamp or permit is required to participate.
Most regulations that apply to fall goose-hunting seasons also apply during the spring light goose hunt, including non-toxic shot requirements and federal baiting regulations. In addition, all refuges closed to either duck or goose hunting during fall seasons also are closed during the spring hunt. Shooting hours will be one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset each day.
No daily or possession limits apply. Use of electronic calls and unplugged shotguns loaded with more than three rounds is allowed.
A summary of regulations is available from license vendors, DNR wildlife offices, online at http://mndnr.gov/hunting or by calling DNR Information Center at 888-MINNDNR (646-6367).
Hunters must obtain a spring light goose permit, which is available at electronic license agents, online at http://mndnr.gov/licenses or via telephone at 888-665-4236.
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Minn. bill proposes closing DNR fish hatcheries
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – A new bill proposes closing all the Department of Natural Resources fish hatcheries by 2014.
The DNR raises most of the fish it stocks, although it buys some from private hatcheries.
The bill authors are Rep. Denny McNamara, R-St. Paul, and Rep. David Dill, DFL-Crane Lake.
Dill says they introduced the bill to start a discussion on whether private producers can do it cheaper.
Ed Boggess is deputy director of the DNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife. He says the state operates five coldwater hatcheries and 12 warm-water hatcheries.
The bill proposes reducing production 20 percent from 2008 levels in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
It also calls for the DNR to close two of its three tree nurseries within two years and close the third by 2014.
Minn. DNR officer fired following drug charges
BIGFORK, Minn. (AP) – A 22-year officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been fired after he was charged this week with drug possession.
Forty-seven-year-old Brian Patrick Buria of Bigfork is charged with five counts of illegally possessing drugs, including Valium. Authorities say a search of his home turned up steroids, marijuana and oxycodone.
Ken Soring is the regional enforcement officer with the DNR in Grand Rapids. He says Buria had been suspended since August pending a separate investigation. He says the drug charges and previous investigation led to his dismissal.
Buria told the Duluth News Tribune he's innocent. He says all his medications were obtained through legal prescriptions for a medical condition he declined to specify.
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DNR seeks comments on area lake and stream plans
GRAND RAPIDS AREA
DNR News
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking comments on individual fisheries lake and stream management plans for 36 lakes and two streams in Itasca County and west-central St. Louis County. Fisheries managers use the plans to describe the past, present, and future conditions of the lake.
The plans identify goals and objectives for the fish community and identify specific management activities planned for the lake or stream in the next 10 to 20 years. The management plans available for review at this time are:
Lakes: Balsam, Big Dick, Big McCarthy, Bowstring, Busties, Clear (St. Louis County), Clear (near Wirt), Cottonwood, Crooked, Dinner Pail, East, Erskine, Floodwood, Gale, Grant Mine Pit, Haskell, Horseshoe, Johnson (N of Pughole), Kremer, Little Bowstring, Little Jay Gould, Little Bass (near Togo), Long (near Cohasset), Lost Moose, Moose (near Northome), No-ta-she-bun (Willow), North Twin, Nose, Owen, Poplar (near Togo), Scrapper, South Twin, Splithand, Trestle, Whitefish.
Streams: Dark River, Pickerel Creek
To comment, please contact the DNR Area Fisheries Office, 1201 East Highway 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744, 218-327-4430. Comments will be accepted until March 6, 2009.
FINLAND AREA
DNR News
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking comments on individual fisheries lake and stream management plans for several lakes in the Finland area.
Fisheries managers use the plans to describe the past, present, and future conditions of the lake. The plans identify goals and objectives for the fish community and identify specific management activities planned for the lake in the next 5 to 20 years.
The management plans available for review at this time are:
Cramer Homestead, Dyers, Fourmile, Fourth McDougal, Hare, Organ, Polly, Rat, South McDougal, Swallow, Tee, Trappers, Unnamed (Two Fifty-Four).
Current plans for these lakes and the most recent fish population assessments are available for review at the DNR Fisheries Office, 6686 Hwy 1, Finland. For information, stop in or call 218-353-7591 between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. M-F. Public comments will be taken through March 15.
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