June 12, 2009 - TOP STORIES
Canoe trip to feature paddles painted by inmates
Virginia man dies in Cascade River
Cause of Mississippi River diesel spill unknown
Minn. cities could lose many trees to beetle
Neighborly bears popping up in Minnesota communities
Belle Plaine couple is first to finish Minnesota State Parks’ Geocaching Wildlife Safari
Commercial walleye netting returns to Red Lake
Secretary Salazar Announces Boating Grants to Help Keep Waterways Clean, More Than $1.3 Million to Midwest States
Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced that nearly $1.3 million in federal funds will be awarded to support eight inland and coastal projects in six Midwestern states under the Clean Vessel Act grant program in 2009. The grants will be matched by more than $440,000 in partner funds and will be used in Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio to fund the construction and installation of sewage pumpout facilities and floating restrooms, to purchase pumpout boats and provide educational programs for recreational boaters.
The Secretary announced more than $14 million will be awarded to 28 states across the nation. “Clean Vessel Act funds support construction of facilities in communities that depend on recreational boating for their economy, and depend on clean water for their health,” said Salazar. “These grants provide immediate funding for construction of infrastructure that will provide lasting value for recreational boaters, and everyone who relies on clean waters.”
A listing of grant awards for states in the Midwest include:
Illinois: $112,500 – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources plans to install up to five sewage pumpout stations throughout the state, dependent upon the needs of the state’s marina operators.
Indiana: $495,482 – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management plans to install eight sewage pumpout stations and one floating restroom and to continue efforts to inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal.
Michigan: $100,000 – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources plans to fund the installation of four sewage pumpout facilities on coastal waters and continue its education and awareness efforts for proper sewage disposal.
Minnesota: $337,500 – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources plans to install five sewage pumpout stations at marinas throughout the state and to educate boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal and its importance to the environment. Two floating restrooms will be placed between the St. Croix Boomsite Landing and the Sioux Line High Bridge. The floating restrooms will provide an innovative way to serve boaters a high quality recreation experience and reduce impacts to water quality on the lower Saint Croix River.
Missouri: $48,000 – The Missouri Department of Conservation plans to install new or replacement sewage pumpout facilities at three or four marinas in the state’s waters as needed.
Ohio: $248,625 – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft, plans to install sewage pumpout facilities at five locations throughout the state.
“Grant programs like these help ensure our waters, one of our most precious resources, are kept clean,” said Tom Melius, Midwest Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The same projects that will benefit our recreational boaters and anglers will also improve our drinking water and the aquatic resources that depend on healthy waterways to survive.”
Since the program’s inception in the early 1990s, the program – administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – has awarded more than $163 million to states to install thousands of sewage pumpout stations. In addition, many states now rely upon mobile sewage pumpout boats to make the sewage collection process more efficient and convenient. A number of states also have begun installing floating restrooms and pumpout stations in high use areas of lakes and coastal waters.
Funding for the CVA program comes from the Sport Fishing and Boating Trust Fund, formerly known as the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes levied on certain fishing and boating equipment and boat fuels.
Federal and non federal shares to support projects in the Midwest are listed below.
Federal Share Non Federal Match Total
Project
MO (Inland) $48,000 $16,000 $64,000
MN (Coastal) $337,500 $112,500 $450,000
MI (Coastal) $100,000 $33,333 $133,333
IL (Coastal) $112,500 $37,500 $150,000
IN (Coastal) $397,741 $132,580 $530,321
IN (Inland) $97,741 $32,580 $130,321
OH (Coastal) $110,850 $36,950 $147,800
OH (Inland) $137,775 $45,925 $183,700
$1,342,107 $447,368 $1,789,475
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
Upper Mississippi forest lands protected forever Conservation easement protects waters, habitat and public access regardless of potential land sale
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Blandin Paper Company (UPM) have signed a binding agreement for the purchase of a working forest conservation easement to forever protect 187,277 acres of Northwoods forests, wetlands and shoreline currently owned by UPM. The agreement includes a closing date in 2010 when Lessard Outdoor Heritage funds will be fully available for the project.
The agreement will provide public access and numerous land and water safeguards, regardless of who may own the forest lands in the future,
including:
Permanent public access to 187,277 acres of land in north-central Minnesota for hunting, fishing, birdwatching and other recreational activities.
Preservation of existing hiking, snowmobile and ATV trails.
Safeguards include:
No development permitted on any of the lands.
No dividing or subdividing of the lands for sale or other uses.
No altering of water channels, wetlands, streams or rivers.
No new or expanded roads or landings except as needed for sustainable forest management practices.
A requirement to follow internationally accepted sustainable forest management practices by being certified through the Forest Stewardship Council or Sustainable Forestry Initiative, with auditing by the DNR for compliance.
The agreement was signed today, 12 days after Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed into law the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment funding allocations, which included a two-year state appropriation of
$36 million for purchase of working forest conservation easements. The state funding will come from revenues generated by the additional sales tax authorized by the constitutional amendment.
In addition, private funding of $9 million is being provided to the state by The Conservation Fund. The sources of these funds include $7 million from the Blandin Foundation and $2 million from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, bringing the total easement investment to $45 million.
“We now have a binding agreement for the perpetual protection of some of the state’s largest public access recreational lands,” said DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten. “The size and scope of the Upper Mississippi Forest makes it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and an ideal use of legacy funding. The easement is a smart investment that will protect Minnesota’s Great Outdoors for our children and grandchildren.”
Mike Kilgore, chair of the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council, views the Upper Mississippi Forest as the signature project of the Outdoor Heritage Fund. “The Council embraced this project because it embodies everything that the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment stands for. The easement permanently protects important natural resources – forests, wetlands and shoreline – while guaranteeing public access for recreation at an unprecedented scale. Simply stated, this easement is a great buy for the citizens of Minnesota.”
The conservation easement will remain in place regardless of any possible sale of the forest lands. The timing of the easement agreement is critical for the protection of the lands, according to Tom Duffus, Upper Midwest Director of The Conservation Fund, who helped negotiate the easement. “The possibility of these lands being sold without easement protection was real. We now have in place an irrevocable promise that no matter who owns these lands, they will remain protected and open for public use.”
Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, said, “UPM has been a good steward of the land. And now, thanks to the wise investment by the state of Minnesota, regardless of ownership, we have an everlasting guarantee that they will be available for future generations, free from subdivision or development.”
“This easement is critical for the current and long-term needs of this community,” said Bud Stone, president of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. “Not only will we benefit from a guaranteed source of timber that will provide jobs for loggers and mill workers, we will also remain a recreational destination for those who wish to hunt, fish, hike and recreate on these lands.”
Patrick Radzak, secretary treasurer of Teamsters Local Union No. 346, echoed the sentiments expressed by Stone. “It is always positive when an employer and the union can work together to protect our lands and good jobs for the state of Minnesota.”
Clean Water, Land and Legacy funding for the easements will come from a
3/8 percent increase in the state sales tax, approved by Minnesota voters last November. The sales tax increase, which goes into effect on July 1, will also fund other land conservation measures, clean water initiatives, parks and trails projects, and arts education and cultural heritage. It is expected to take until mid to late 2010 before sufficient funds are collected to complete the conservation easement purchase. The easement purchase should be finalized before Dec. 31, 2010.
Canoe trip to feature paddles painted by inmates
By AMY BOWEN
St. Cloud Times
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - Chase Peyton feels nervous about his monthlong trip with Les Voyageurs.
The 16-year-old St. Cloud Cathedral High School student worries about being away from home for so long, he said. He won’t have access to a cell phone, and will be basically cut off from the outside world.
Comfort will come from an unlikely source - his canoe paddle.
Peyton is one of about 30 program participants who will have their canoe paddles painted by inmates at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud.
Les Voyageurs provides teenagers the opportunity to camp and canoe for a month in central Manitoba and Ontario. The leadership program was founded and is directed by Fred Rupp, a biology teacher at Cathedral High School.
Rupp has worked with the prison since 1984, providing inmates the opportunity to decorate paddles for students.
“These guys get very passionate about their work,’’ Rupp said. “They’re very, very good.’’
A handful of inmates paint the paddles for students who do not feel comfortable decorating their own paddles. The inmates and students never meet, Rupp said.
Inmates can take anywhere from days to weeks to finish a piece, Rupp said.
Prison officials declined to comment about the program.
Peyton’s paddle was the first one completed before this summer’s trips. Peyton, an avid hunter, chose an image of a black lab hunting ducks. It reminded him of his dog, Dakota, he said.
The inmates take great pride in their work, Rupp said. The inmate wasn’t happy with the dog in the painting, Rupp said. But Rupp and Peyton gave nothing but praise.
“It looks better than the picture I had,’’ Peyton said.
Mark Magelssen, 16 and a St. Cloud Cathedral High School student, also had his paddle painted by an inmate. Magelssen asked the inmate to recreate a picture he took of a loon.
“It’s phenomenal,’’ Magelssen said. “I think it’s good for (the inmates) to do something for the community and help.’’
Les Voyageurs started 39 summers ago, Rupp said. About 90 teenagers from around Central Minnesota will participate in one of two sessions, he said. The paddles play an important role in the program’s mission, he said.
“It’s a passion my wife and I share - to give young people a chance to learn more about themselves in a way only an extreme experience provides,’’ Rupp said.
The paddle is one of the only mementos the students bring back, along with a worn-out pair of boots and a choker necklace symbolizing teamwork, Rupp said.
The paddles can be found in offices and homes of former participants across the country, he said. He even heard of a former participant who has a paddle hanging up in her office on the West Coast.
“The paddles are very big deals,’’ Rupp said. “Everything on that paddle reminds them of the trip.’’
Virginia man dies in Cascade River
GRAND MARAIS, Minn. (AP) - A 20-year-old man from Minnesota’s Iron Range apparently drowned on the Cascade River just west of Grand Marais.
Cook County authorities say the body of Victor Torrel, of Virginia, was found early Sunday. He was reported missing Saturday night after he failed to return from a fishing trip.
Cook County Sheriff’s officials said Monday that it appears the incident was an accidental drowning. Officials are still investigating, but foul play is not suspected.
The Cascade River empties into Lake Superior near Grand Marais.
Cause of Mississippi River diesel spill unknown
WINONA, Minn. (AP) - Authorities are asking for tips on what might have caused a diesel spill last week that caused a 6-mile slick on the Mississippi River.
Inspectors in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been searching for clues on the spill, which happened between Dakota and Lock and Dam No. 7 near Dresbach on Minnesota’s southeastern border with Wisconsin. The slick was first noticed on Thursday.
Dave Morrison, emergency responder for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, says authorities haven’t found what caused the spill, which dumped about 1,000 gallons of fuel into the river.
the U.S. Coast Guard has said no commercial traffic was in the area at the time of the spill.
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The MPCA is asking anyone with information on the spill to call (507) 206-2644.
Minn. cities could lose many trees to beetle
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Several cities across Minnesota stand to lose more than half of their trees to the emerald ash borer.
According to a DNR tree survey from 2006, 60 percent of the trees in Alexandria and Sauk Centre are ash.
The ash killing beetle was discovered in Minnesota last month. It’s been concentrated to a neighborhood in St. Paul at this point, but officials expect it will eventually spread.
Ash trees make up half of the trees in Hibbing, International Falls, Luverne and Willmar. The Twin Cities have the most ash trees, but the overall percentage of ash trees in Minneapolis and St. Paul is much lower.
Many cities have planted ash trees over the years in response to Dutch elm disease.
Neighborly bears popping up in Minnesota communities
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Black bears are pushing into more urban areas and residing in northern Anoka and Washington counties, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials said.
DNR officials say they have had bear sightings and complaints from Anoka, Scandia, Forest Lake, Linwood and Hugo this spring, as well from communities farther south, such as Dellwood, Lakeland and Afton.
DNR Urban wildlife specialist Bryan Lueth said they don’t know how many bears are permanent residents of Anoka and Washington counties, but it’s probably no more than a handful of adults.
But when bears reproduce, they push yearling cubs out for the next generation and the young bears must roam on their own for food.
“It’s these teen bears that often end up in people’s back yards,’’ Lueth said.
Lueth says bears feed mostly on vegetation in the spring, but love finding food sources like bird feeders because they are full of protein.
“This time of year, bears’ natural foods are slow to develop, so the jackpot of all jackpots for them to find is a bird feeder,’’ Lueth said. “We have had a cold spring, which might influence the availability of their natural foods.’’
Lueth said he knows of one homeowner who sees the same bear once a year. The bear knocks down the bird feeder, eats the seed and moves on.
“It’s a really big bear,’’ Lueth said. “That tells us there are some really sly old bears around.’’
Wildlife officials say they won’t evict the bears from the neighborhoods.
“People should realize that we don’t live trap bears and relocate them,’’ DNR conservation officer Alex Gutierrez said. “If it becomes aggressive, we can put down a problem bear, but the best thing people can do is take down their bird feeders and lock their garages so bears aren’t attracted to food.’’
Belle Plaine couple is first to finish Minnesota State Parks’ Geocaching Wildlife Safari
DNR News
A couple from Belle Plaine, Minn., have become the first ones to complete the Geocaching Wildlife Safari by finding a hidden geocache at each of Minnesota’s 72 state parks and recreation areas.
Jason and Sarah Geisel completed this year’s event last weekend when they found their final cache at Zippel Bay State Park in northern Minnesota.
“We love being outdoors seeing animals, interesting plants, and all the beautiful sites Minnesota has to offer,” said Sarah. “It’s great exercise and a wonderful experience.”
The Geisel’s finished third in last year’s Geocaching History Challenge and were determined to improve on that finish this time around.
Tonight at 6:15 p.m. Courtland Nelson, director of the DNR’s Division of Parks and Trails, will congratulate the Geisels and recognize their accomplishment at Fort Snelling State Park.
The Geocaching Wildlife Safari, which began May 2, will offer three more years of treasure-hunting fun. All Minnesota’s state parks and recreation areas have its own geocache, also known as a Critter Cache.
The geographic coordinates indicating the specific location of each cache are posted at mnstateparks.info. When geocachers enter these coordinates into a GPS device, they can see which direction to go to find the cache.
Critter Caches contain Critter Cards featuring Minnesota mammals, fish, insects and other critters native to the state. Note: All caches were placed above the ground in relatively well-traveled areas, so there is no need to disturb natural features to find a cache.
Cachers have already logged more than 2,335 finds at geocaching.com.
Since many people geocache in groups, and not everyone logs their finds, this is likely only a portion of the participation in the program.
To help beginners learn the basics of geocaching, 25 Minnesota state parks have been designated as “GPS Demonstration Parks.” These state parks will loan out GPS units free of charge and offer periodic free “Geocaching 101” programs.
Upcoming “Geocaching 101” programs in the metro area include:
• 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20, at William O’Brien State Park
(participants are asked to register in advance by calling 651-433-0500).
• 10 a.m. Thursday, June 25, at Fort Snelling State Park.
For more dates and a map of all the GPS demonstration parks, visit mnsstateparks.info.
The Geocaching History Challenge, a special Sesquicentennial event, ended Dec. 31, 2008. Some 20,000 geocache finds were recorded last year.
Commercial walleye netting returns to Red LakeSafari
By CHRIS NISKANEN
St. Paul Pioneer Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The remarkable story of Red Lake's walleye recovery takes another turn this summer, one that will continue to test the management and resolve of the two sovereign nations that share the lake.
The two nations are the United States (and by proxy, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which oversees a portion of Upper Red Lake) and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, which controls all of Lower Red Lake and a part of Upper Red Lake.
This summer, the Red Lake band will begin commercial walleye netting on the lake for the first time since 1998, when the tribal council banned netting because the fishery was collapsing.
In 1999, the DNR stopped fishing in state waters of Upper Red Lake, and what followed was a massive restocking effort.
In 2006, the lake reopened to walleye fishing, far ahead of anyone's expectations. Today, the fishery is healthy; this spring, the DNR increased the daily limit for non-band anglers.
Pat Brown, tribal fisheries biologist for the band's Department of Natural Resources, said the band would begin netting this summer to keep the band's fishery plant in Redby running at full capacity.
Last year, the band harvested about 400,000 pounds of walleye, but it has a quota of 820,000 pounds. The Red Lake band has relied solely on a hook-and-line commercial fishery to operate the plant, paying members $1.75 a pound.
The fish are sold on the band's Web site and to wholesalers.
Some are consumed in Twin Cities restaurants.
Currently, band members who want to fish are issued a red cooler and can catch up to 100 walleyes per day with hook and line. They're issued a check once a week for their catch. But with high unemployment and irregular hook and line catches, ``we're looking at hiring two or three gillnetting crews during the summertime to supplement the commercial catch,'' Brown said.
``The council decided that if we can bring in 3,000 to 4,000 pounds a day with gillnet crews, it will keep a core group of fish processors and cutters employed down there (at the plant).''
``People have to realize this will be very controlled netting,'' Brown said, adding that nets will target small, non-breeding walleyes between 14 and 18 inches. Fish will be kept in the net until they are unloaded at the fish plant, where they will be carefully counted and weighed.
Brown said the netting would be nothing like ``in the past.''
It's the past that both sides don't want to repeat.
Red Lake's walleye population crashed because of uncontrolled band netting, widespread black market sales of walleyes and walleye poaching in both tribal and state waters. Today, the band and the DNR have agreed on a sustainable walleye quota for state and band waters, and careful assessment of the walleye populations.
Henry Drewes, DNR regional fisheries manager in Bemidji, said it makes sense the band would want to utilize more than the 53 percent of its quota.
``It's vastly different than 10 years ago,'' he said of the band's netting plans. ``Back then, people could bring their fish to the plant or not. You could have your own gillnet. Now, there is no personal netting allowed.''
Yet the black-market sales of walleyes continue to cause heartburn.
In February, during his annual address to the band, tribal chairman Floyd Jourdain Jr. directly addressed the problem of black-market sales by band members. ``The allure of quick cash is apparently too strong for some,'' he said. The black-market fish sales ``are hurting our business as well.''
He also rejected a return to full-scale commercial netting because ``it would most likely be the same as what caused the collapse of the lake in the first place.''
Kelly Petrowske, a third-generation resident of Waskish, and a non-band member, was asked how anglers were responding to the band's decision to resume limited commercial netting.
Petrowske, who moderates a Red Lake fishing forum, said he anticipated the announcement and posted the news, as well as Jourdain's comments, on the Internet. He said some of the comments about the band were ugly and bitter.
``The thing is, the Red Lake band members read this stuff, too,'' he said.
He said he wasn't worried that band netting would cause the lake to decline. ``If they keep it within the safe allowable harvest, I'm not too scared of it.''
``There is a lot of illegal fish out there,'' he added. ``The fish are being bootlegged all over.''
How much illegal selling has been occurring is a matter of opinion. ``I don't think it's very large scale,'' Brown said.
Drewes said there was no evidence of major operations, either.
``It's a different conservation ethic around Red Lake today,'' he said, adding that enforcement is being done by state and band officers. ``People are more knowledgeable about what is legal and what is not legal.''
In any black market, it takes a seller and a buyer, and Petrowske said more non-band members are likely to rat on someone buying black-market walleyes these days.
He noted, too, that ``it's usually the white people buying the fish.''
Petrowske said he had more pressing issues to worry about. The price recently dropped out of the wild rice market, so he was facing a hard decision about what to plant in his commercial wild-rice paddies.
``Barley,'' he said. ``And maybe wheat and soybeans.''
© 2009 Outdoors Weekly