Laurentian Forest - St. Louis County Habitat Project
Project Partners Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) and The Conservation Fund (TCF) worked to cooperatively with St. Louis County to protect 1,600 acres of forest habitat at risk of being converted to uses that would degrade critical habitat for wildlife in Minnesota's northeast forest landscape.
-On May 24, 2016, the St. Louis County Board unanimously endorsed the Laurentian Forest Project developed by the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) and The Conservation Fund (TCF), and supported full funding of the joint application to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council for this project.
-St. Louis County worked closely with TCF and MDHA to select private forest lands which were strategically important to St. Louis County's forest management program.
-MDHA purchased 1,600 acres of strategically selected forestlands on February 27, 2018.
-On October 22, 2019, the St. Louis County Board accepted a donation of 1,600 acres of land from the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) in cooperation with The Conservation Fund to be managed for forestry, wildlife habitat, water quality and recreational purposes. These strategically located private forest lands were acquired by MDHA to manage and preserve forest habitat, protect water resources, and provide public hunting and recreational opportunities on lands that may not have remained open to the public.
-MDHA's and TCF's goals for purchasing 1,600 acres of private forest land in St. Louis County were seamlessly consistent with the St. Louis County's own resource management goals, which include improving forest health and productivity, protecting wildlife habitat and water quality, providing raw materials for local industry, and providing opportunities for tourism and recreation. Furthermore, the Laurentian Forest Project provided opportunities to consolidate public land ownership and expand the county's working forest land base which supports the County's traditional logger workforce and rural community economies.
$2,400,000 in the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association in cooperation with The Conservation Fund and St. Louis County to acquire land in fee to be transferred to St. Louis County for wildlife habitat purposes for agreements as follows: $2,292,000 to Minnesota Deer Hunter Association; $108,000 to Conservation Fund. A list of proposed land acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
In addition to game species such as white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, woodcock and black bear, the project area contains numerous songbirds and species that are endangered, threatened, or of special concern including moose, gray wolf, Canadian lynx, bald eagle, boreal owl, northern goshawk, northern long-eared bat, big brown bat, tricolored bat, red-shouldered hawk, and peregrine falcon. The parcels selected for this project will help to retain intact forest landscapes that will benefit all of these species.
White Lake Parcel - This 40 acre parcel located in southeastern St. Louis County is a mixture of younger aspen and red pine forest accessed via surrounding state tax forfeited lands. This parcel adds additional habitat and acreage to an existing and sizable public land unit.
New Independence - The 223 acres in south central St. Louis County creates a significant public forest land holding with access to a public road. The area consists of young aspen and lowland forest habitat.
Side Lake - This 200 acres of productive forest land near the western edge of St. Louis County further consolidates a large public land holding in the area. It is a nice addition of quality forest land habitat.
North Ban Lake - The 720 contiguous acres in northern St. Louis County further consolidates and provides access to a large block of forest habitat. The mixture of young upland and lowland forests combined with the existing forest road, makes this a vital acquisition for future forest management, wildlife habitat and public access opportunities.
South Winchester Lake - This 417 acres in north central St. Louis County both consolidates and provides access to adjacent public forest habitat. The county has invested time and money for improvements to the Holms Forest Management Road which crosses the lands acquired. The land consists mainly of productive upland forests of various ages and adds vital forest habitat in an area targeted by both the county and state for public forest land acquisition.