North Shore Browse Protection

The transition of Northeast Minnesota forests from dominance by conifers to dominance by short lived aspen and birch has resulted in a simplification and degradation of forest habitats and diminished habitat quality for many Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and other elements of biodiversity. This loss of diversity leaves our forests more vulnerable to stress from climate change, invasive species, and outbreaks of native pests and pathogens. This problem and the related issue of simplified age class distribution are two of the most widely recognized forest ecology problems in the nation and we have struggled with addressing both in Minnesota since the early 1990s. The issue of species diversity loss has been dealt with in all Northern Minnesota county, state, and federal land management plans since that time and in both versions of the MN Forest Resources Council?s Northeast Landscape Plans (2003 and 2014). Through previous CPL and other funding The Nature Conservancy has worked with Lake County, St. Louis County, DNR, and USFS to restore species diversity through tree planting, and follow up treatments of browse protection and release. This project aims to provide additional browse protection treatments to ensure the plantings continue grow out of reach of deer and competing vegetation. The sites are on upland native plant communities in a variety of settings on public land that offer a diverse range of habitats for many SGCN. Most sites are along the North Shore of Lake Superior. All sites have been planted with tree species that require browse protection including white pine, white cedar, yellow birch, and red oak.