Aug. 3, 2023



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*Minnesota DNR News
*




*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

Aug. 3, 2023




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





In This Issue

* Historic level of grant funding now available for urban and community forest management [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* Starry Stonewort confirmed in Blackduck Lake in Beltrami County [ #link_1491411977526 ]

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Historic level of grant funding now available for urban and community forest management
Two people planting a tree

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has more than $25 million available to grant to local units of government, tribal governments and non-profit organizations through June of 2027 for urban and community forest management, particularly to address Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This funding was an outcome of the 2023 Minnesota Legislative Session and will be awarded over a series of competitive grant application periods. The first application period opened on July 31, 2023 with $16 million in available grant funding.

There are two categories of grant funding available during this current application period: ReLeaf Grants and Shade Tree Program Bonding Grants. While the grant application period is starting at the same time for these two programs, the eligible applicants and activities, as well as the application due dates, differ. Below are key features of each of the grant programs.


* ReLeaf Grants (up to $6.9 million in available funding this round, with a similar amount to be offered next year) are available to tribal governments, local units of government (including cities, counties, regional authorities, joint powers boards, towns) and non-profit organizations with 501(c) status. Parks and recreation boards in cities of the first class are also eligible to apply. ReLeaf Grants cover an extensive range of activities to address EAB and other forest health issues. Eligible activities include tree inventories, management plans, tree stump removal, tree replacement and planting, education and outreach, chemical treatment of ash with injectable non-neonicotinoid insecticides, and several other activities. For the first time, community forestry activities conducted by staff or contractors on residential land that is owned by or serves low-income residents are also grant-eligible. Applications will be accepted for ReLeaf Grants through Monday, Sept. 18.
* Shade Tree Program Bonding Grants (up to $10.1 million available in total) are available to tribal governments and local units of government. Eligible activities include removal and replanting of shade trees to provide environmental benefits; replacement of trees lost to forest pests, disease, or storm; and tree plantings to establish a more diverse community forest better able to withstand disease and forest pests. These activities must be on public or tribal land. Applications for Shade Tree Bonding Grants will be accepted through Monday, Oct. 2.

Applicants to either program can request a maximum of $500,000 per program and can apply to one or both program(s). No minimum request or match is required. Applications are evaluated on a range of scoring criteria. These criteria focus on the strength of the proposal (e.g., purpose, budget, timeline, staffing) and the extent to which the proposal meets the grant priorities of benefiting underserved populations and areas of concern for environmental justice, and focusing on EAB, especially the removal and replacement of ash trees presenting notable safety risks. To encourage smaller communities to apply, projects that serve communities with a population of 20,000 or less will receive a small scoring incentive.

For more information on grant criteria, activities and the application process, please visit the Minnesota DNR community forestry webpage [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/communityforestry).

The Minnesota DNR is hosting several in-person, one-hour informational sessions to learn more about these grant programs, as follows:


* Thursday, Aug. 3: 1 p.m., Two Harbors Public Library, Two Harbors 320 Waterfront Dr., Two Harbors, MN 55616
* Friday, Aug. 4: 10 a.m., Bremer Room, Great River Regional Library, St. Cloud 1300 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud, MN 56301
* Tuesday, Aug. 8: 10 a.m., Room 104, City Hall, Rochester 201 4th St. SE, Rochester, MN 55904
* Thursday, Aug. 10: 10 a.m., DNR Office, Windom 175 Co. Rd. 26, Windom, MN 56101
* Tuesday, Aug. 15: 10 a.m., Bluepeak Room, Red Baron Arena, Marshall 1651 Victory Dr., Marshall MN 56258
* Wednesday, Aug. 16: 10 a.m., DNR Central Office, St. Paul 500 Lafayette Rd., St. Paul, MN 55155

In addition, on Aug. 2 the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee hosted an informational webinar about the grant programs that was recorded and will be made available on the DNR community forestry webpage [ [link removed] ]?(mndnr.gov/forestry/urban) for those unable to join an in-person informational session. Interested applicants can also reach out to [email protected] with any questions regarding these grant programs, and can also contact the DNR forester in their region [ [link removed] ]?(mndnr.gov/woodlands/cfm-map.html) for further assistance.

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Starry Stonewort confirmed in Blackduck Lake in Beltrami County

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of the invasive algae starry stonewort in Blackduck Lake, near the town of Blackduck in Beltrami County.?

Minnesota DNR staff found starry stonewort while conducting an LCCMR-funded aquatic plant survey with researchers from the New York Botanical Garden. Blackduck Lake is near three other lakes where starry stonewort was previously confirmed. Available treatment options could include hand pulling, herbicide applications or other methods as appropriate.

Starry stonewort has now been confirmed in 25 water bodies in Minnesota. It was first confirmed in Minnesota in 2015.

Starry stonewort has never been eradicated from any U.S. lake or river, but treatment or careful removal can help reduce the risk of spread and relieve associated nuisance impacts on water-related recreational activities. Early detection is key to effective management.

Starry stonewort is an algae that looks like some native aquatic plants. In late summer and early fall, starry stonewort?s small white star-shaped bulbils become more visible, making it easier to distinguish from other aquatic plants. Information on how to identify starry stonewort can be found on the?Minnesota DNR?s website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/invasives/aquaticplants/starrystonewort). If people think they?ve found starry stonewort or any other invasive species new to a lake or river, they should report it to the DNR by contacting their?area invasive species specialist [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html).

Starry stonewort can form dense mats, which can interfere with recreational uses of a lake and compete with native plants. It is most likely spread when fragments have not been properly cleaned from trailered boats, personal watercraft, docks, boat lifts, anchors or other water-related equipment.?

Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:


* *Clean*?watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
* *Drain*?all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
* *Dispose*?of unwanted bait in the trash.
* *Never release*?bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
* *Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days?*before moving them from one waterbody to another.

These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:


* *Decontaminate *watercraft and equipment ? find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/decon).
* *Spray* with high-pressure water or *rinse* with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
* *Dry* watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.

More information is available on the aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/ais).

Funding for the Blackduck Lake aquatic plant survey was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), Project 2021-055: Protecting Minnesota?s Beneficial Macroalgae ? All Stoneworts Aren?t Starry.

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