April 22, 2024



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*Minnesota DNR News
*




*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

April 22, 2024




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





In This Issue

* DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* Minnesota DNR volunteers celebrated during National Volunteer Week [ #link_1491411977526 ]

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DNR Fish and Wildlife Almanac

"A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management."

Report fish die-offs to help DNR, others respond as needed

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages Minnesotans to contact the state duty officer if they see evidence of a fish die-off in a lake or stream. Fish die-offs can result from a variety of natural and human causes.

To report fish die-offs, people should call the Minnesota duty officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 (the duty officer line is staffed 24 hours per day, seven days a week). An early report facilitates timely water and fish sampling or other response actions, if needed. It’s especially helpful to know what sizes and types of fish people see in a fish die-off.

More information on fish die-offs is available on the Minnesota DNR website [ [link removed] ]_ _(mndnr.gov/fisheries/fishkills.html).

Minnesota DNR webinars focus on spring warbler migration and record fish program

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to check out the spring program schedule for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series.

In a webinar on Wednesday, April 24, Amy Simso Dean, an expert Minnesota birder, will share some basic tips on how to identify and where to find warblers this spring. She will also share some suggestions on how to introduce kids to birding. Dozens of species of warblers and millions of individual birds will be winging their way north through Minnesota over the next few weeks as part of their travels from tropical locales to their breeding grounds in Minnesota and points north. Spring is a great time of the year to see some of these original “snowbirds” up close and personal.

In a webinar on Wednesday, May 1, Mandy Erickson, DNR fisheries expert, will discuss the record fish program. This year, the DNR enhanced the program in a few ways, most notably by adding 18 species in the catch-and-release category beyond the four current species that were previously recognized. During the discussion, Erickson will talk about the enhancements to the program, what people should do if they catch a potential record fish, and how to properly measure and document catches.

The Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series webinars are free and offered year-round, though registration is required. Visit the Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webpage of the Minnesota DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/discover) for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.

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Minnesota DNR volunteers celebrated during National Volunteer Week

More than 14,400 volunteers helped the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources do everything from monitoring rainfall levels to clearing trails, according to the new 2023 annual DNR volunteer report. The report is being released as part of the celebration of National Volunteer Week (April 21-27) when organizations across the country honor volunteers and recognize the impact of their time and talents.

“Minnesotans are known for their giving spirits and commitment to our natural resources, and Minnesota DNR sees that reflected in the immense contributions of our volunteers each year,” DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said. “I can’t overstate how grateful we are for their service and the valuable contributions they make to conservation and outdoor recreation across the state.”

The DNR’s volunteer program is one of the largest among Minnesota state agencies and, according to the report [ [link removed] ] (files.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteering/2023-annual-DNR-volunteer-report.pdf), the estimated value of volunteer services in 2023 totaled $8.3 million. Volunteers help the DNR with a wide variety of activities, including teaching firearms safety, improving wildlife habitat, hosting state park campgrounds, planting trees, tagging fish, assisting at outdoor candlelight hike events, and monitoring precipitation. For the fifth consecutive year, Minnesota led the nation in the number of volunteers recruited for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network to measure and gather data about precipitation across the state.

The DNR established a department-wide volunteer program in 1988. Over the past 35 years, Minnesotans have contributed more than 12.9 million hours of volunteer service to help manage our state’s natural resources. The value of this service is estimated at more than $252 million.

*One shining example of a DNR volunteer is *Bruce Gravelle. Gravelle recycles candles from the many candlelight events the DNR holds each year by melting down the used candles, then reshaping the wax into new candles to be used again. He provides as many as 1,000 to 1,500 candles each year. If people see a colored ice luminary on DNR managed trails or lands, Gravelle most likely made it. Candlelight events are one of many opportunities made possible by volunteer assistance that enable the public to access unique outdoor recreational experiences on public lands.

Read about some of the DNR’s other outstanding volunteers on the Meet Our Volunteers [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/volunteering/meet.html) webpage. To become a volunteer or for more information, visit the volunteer webpage of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/volunteering). 

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minnesota department of natural resources [ [link removed] ]

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