May 4, 2023



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*Minnesota DNR News
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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

May 4, 2023




*For more information:*
Contact the DNR Information Center
by?email <[email protected]>?or call 888-646-6367.





In This Issue

* DNR receives additional land donation along St. Croix River [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* DNR seeks input on Appleton OHV Park expansion [ #link_1491411977526 ]
* Counties added to spring burning restrictions [ #link_1491412003165 ]

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DNR receives additional land donation along St. Croix River

Expansion of Chengwatana State Forest will offer recreational opportunities, provide water quality benefits

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has received a 241-acre land donation from the Trust for Public Land. The donated land, located within the Chengwatana State Forest along the St. Croix River, will be managed by the DNR as part of the state forest.

This transfer completes a two-phase donation from TPL totaling more than 700 acres. The DNR is grateful to TPL for this donation, and to Chisago County for its support for adding this land into public ownership as a working forest.

?Not only does this parcel?s high biodiversity and location along the St. Croix River make it an important piece to protect, it will provide recreational opportunities to many,? said DNR Forestry Division Director Patty Thielen. ?Managing these 241 acres as part of the Chengwatana State Forest for public benefit is a perfect fit for the DNR.?

The donated land includes portions in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a federally protected 252-mile system of riverways located in eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

?Protecting this segment of the St. Croix watershed is critical not only for providing residents and visitors with public access to hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing, but for ensuring water quality benefits for surrounding communities,? said Bob McGillivray, land protection director for TPL. ?Trust for Public Land is thrilled to continue to work with the DNR and our partners to ensure more people can get outdoors and enjoy the benefits of nature.?

The TPL led the effort to purchase the land, previously owned by Xcel Energy, using a grant funded by the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund [ [link removed] ] (legacy.mn.gov/outdoor-heritage-fund). More information about TPL and their mission can be found on their website [ [link removed] ]?(tpl.org).

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DNR seeks input on Appleton OHV Park expansion

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites public review and written comments on a proposal by Swift County to obtain grant-in-aid funding for an expansion of the Appleton Off-Highway Vehicle Park.

Grant-in-aid is a cost sharing program between the DNR, a local government sponsor, and often a local club. The program funds development and maintenance of OHV trails.

The proposed expansion would add a skills area designed for off-highway motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and off-road vehicle use, as well as a circle track designed for OHM use. The facilities are proposed to be constructed on separate parcels near the existing Appleton OHV Park.

The DNR will accept written comments until 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 5. Comments can be submitted:


* Via email to [email protected]
* Via mail to Kristy Rice, Acquisition and Development Specialist, Parks and Trails Division, 20596 Highway 7, Hutchison, MN 55350

A map of the proposed trail segments can be found on the DNR?s Appleton OHV Park webpage [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/input/mgmtplans/ohv/plans/appleton-ohv-park.html). For more information, contact Kristy Rice at [email protected] or 320-753-0326.

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Counties added to spring burning restrictions

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has expanded the area subject to open burning restrictions as warm and dry weather spreads throughout the state.

Beginning Friday, May 5, additional counties in which burning restrictions apply are:

Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin

Restrictions remain in place in the following counties:

Anoka, Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Hennepin, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Ramsey, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Washington, Wright

The DNR will not issue permits for the open burning of brush or yard waste in these counties until restrictions are lifted.

?Wildfire danger is especially high in spring because dormant or dead vegetation from the previous year has dried out and there is no snow protection,? said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist. ?Once the landscape ?greens up,? fire danger goes down ? but until then, burning restrictions reduce the potential for wildfires.?

If people need to dispose of vegetation or yard waste, Harrison said composting, chipping, or taking brush to a collection site are all good options. For more information, visit the composting for woodland owners page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/wildfire/prevention/debris-composting.html).

People cause 90% of wildfires in Minnesota. If a fire rekindles or escapes, the person who set it is liable for any damage caused, as well as for wildfire suppression costs.

Burning restrictions will be adjusted as conditions change. For more information and daily updates on current fire risk and open burning restrictions, visit the statewide fire danger and burning restrictions page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/burnrestrictions).

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