In This Issue
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources? Roundtable ? an annual gathering of conservation partners to discuss fisheries, wildlife, and ecological and water resource topics and encourage partnership ? will again include an open registration opportunity.
The 2024 DNR Roundtable will be hosted Friday, Jan. 19. The opportunity to register for one of a limited number of free, first-come, first-served slots will open at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 6. At that time, a registration link will go live on the DNR?s Roundtable webpage (mndnr.gov/roundtable).
The 2024 Roundtable will include an opening plenary session, concurrent sessions, afternoon panel discussions, a closing plenary session, a reception and after-hours special conversation sessions. Featured speakers will include DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen and other leaders from the DNR and conservation community.
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As the snowmobile riding season draws near, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds riders of important dates, safety tips and registration requirements. The current lack of snow cover means that Minnesota?s snowmobile trails will not be usable by the official opening date of Dec. 1. Several conditions must be met before trails are open, groomed and ready for travel:
- The ground must be frozen. Where trails cross wetlands, 15 inches of ice are needed to support the weight of trail groomers.
- Adequate snow cover of about 12 inches must be on the ground to allow for trail packing and grooming.
- Trails must be cleared of fallen trees, signs put in place and gates opened.
While snowmobilers await the arrival of snow and groomed trails, now is a good time to make sure registrations are current and snowmobiles are in good operating order, review safety training, and check local trail maps for route changes or new trails.
Registrations for new snowmobiles must be purchased in person at a deputy registrar of motor vehicles or at the DNR License Bureau in St. Paul. Renewals of registrations and out-of-state trail stickers can be handled in person or on the DNR?s licenses and vehicle registrations website (mndnr.gov/licenses).
Local trail conditions are often posted online by tourism associations, chambers of commerce and volunteer snowmobile clubs. To find the nearest club, visit the Minnesota United Snowmobiler?s Association website (mnsnowmobiler.org).
Important snowmobile riding safety tips include:
- Be weather aware and don't ride in adverse weather conditions.
- Check the DNR snow depth and groomed trail conditions webpage (mndnr.gov/snow) before leaving home.
- Measure ice depth before riding on lakes and rivers. The DNR recommends a minimum of 5 to 7 inches of new, clear ice for snowmobiles.
- Always stay on designated snowmobile trails. Venturing off trails can result in accidents.
- Don't drink alcohol and ride. Alcohol is a factor in more than 60% of fatal accidents in Minnesota.
- Always wear a quality DOT-approved helmet and facemask.
An interactive snowmobile trail map can be found on the DNR?s snowmobiling website (mndnr.gov/snowmobiling). Paper trail maps can be requested from the DNR Information Center. Email?[email protected]?or call 888-646-6367 from 8?a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources State Forest Nursery is looking for people to collect black spruce cones this winter in northern Minnesota. The seeds found inside the cones are needed to reforest nearly 3,000 acres of black spruce forest each year.
?Over the last few years, the number of collectors has decreased and we are in critical need of black spruce cones? said Sarah Ebert, State Forest Nursery manager. "We pay people $100 per bushel, which is about nine gallons of cones. Collecting black spruce now is a great way to earn some cash before the holidays.?
People interested in collecting black spruce cones should first contact one of the DNR?s seed drop-off stations to get information and instructions on collecting, handling and labeling the cones. The DNR Forestry seed drop-off stations that are buying black spruce cones are: Baudette, Bemidji, Cloquet, Deer River, Hibbing, Littlefork, Orr, Tower, Two Harbors, Warroad, and the Minnesota State Forest Nursery (near Akeley). Visit the DNR?s seed and cone collection webpage (mndnr.gov/forestry/nursery/cone-seed-collection.html) for drop-off location addresses and phone numbers.
Only high-quality, ripe, closed black spruce cones free of stems and debris are eligible for purchase. Colorado blue, white, or Norway spruce cones are not accepted. The window to collect and sell viable black spruce cones is open now through February 2024.
If people are not sure where to find cones, a DNR forester from a drop-off station can provide advice.
To learn more, visit the DNR?s seed and cone collection webpage (mndnr.gov/forestry/nursery/cone-seed-collection.html).
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