State Forest Acquisitions Phase III

Working in collaboration with conservation partners, local government units, and ecological and wildlife professionals throughout the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Forestry staff identified strategic opportunities for acquiring priority additions to our State Forest system.  Parcels were selected from area land asset management plans, with priority given to those that improved public access to state lands, consolidated fragmented ownership boundaries, and provided protection of critical forest habitats.

In this third phase of the State Forest Acquisition project, we were able to successfully meet all our intended objectives of protecting 340 acres of high quality forested habitat, using only 80% of requested funds.  In total four new State Forest additions were completed, providing a variety of benefits as described in breif below:

Watopa 1, Wabasha Co. – Protected 182 acres of high quality upland hardwood forest and vulnerable dry bedrock bluff prairie adjacent to existing state forest lands in the Snake Creek Unit of the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest.  Acquisition of this parcel protects an important tributary critical to maintaining water quality from adjacent agricultural lands before emptying one mile downstream into Snake Creek, a designated trout stream.

Savanna 1, Aitkin Co. – Acquired a high priority 80 acre inholding in the Savanna State Forest that had been completely surrounded by existing state lands.  Management boundaries were reduced by almost 8,000 feet, greatly improving our ability to manage these lands cost effectively, preventing future development fragmentation, and enhancing wildlife habitat continuity. 

Crooked Creek 1, Houston Co. – Protection of these 37 acres allows for the restoration of 1,400 feet of sensitive shoreline along Crooked Creek trout stream just above where it enters into the Mississippi River.  Land had been heavily grazed pasture, and is being actively restored to native hardwood bottomland forests.  Protection and restoration of this previously degraded site will significantly reduce runoff erosion, improve water quality, and enhance critical riparian and riverine wildlife habitat along an important corridor adjacent to the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  In addition this acquisition provides better public and management access to adjacent state forest lands, allowing for more hunting, fishing and other recreational opportunities.

Steamboat 1, Hubbard Co. - Acquisition of this critical 40 acre inholding in the Paul Bunyan State Forest significantly reduces management boundaries by over 5,000 feet, greatly reducing management costs and fragmentation.  This parcel was being divested by a large forest industry landholder (Potlatch), and was at risk of deforestation due to potential private acquisition and subsequent development to other land uses.  Protection of this tract ensures it will remain permanently forested, improving the overall habitat value of the landscape by providing for large, continuous intact native forest communities.