In This Issue
 The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently named Jim Fridstrom, of Cambridge, as 2024 volunteer firearms safety instructor of the year.
Fridstrom has been a firearms safety instructor since his initial certification in 1984. Each year, he instructs classes of about 25 students at the Isanti County Sportsmen’s Club, which Fridstrom has been active with since 1981. For Fridstrom, teaching firearms safety is a way to give back and pass along traditions that have been an integral part of his life.
“I’m honored to receive this award,” Fridstrom said. “I started hunting at a young age, and I’ve always been involved in shooting sports. I was fortunate to grow up in the 1960s. I had people to take me hunting and who showed me how to use and properly handle firearms.”
“Jim has been at this a long time, but his enthusiasm for setting students on a path to a lifetime of safety in the field hasn’t waned,” said Conservation Officer David Schottenbauer, DNR Enforcement regional training officer whose work area includes Isanti County. “The amount of time he’s volunteered so others can enjoy the outdoors safely is a testament to his character, and he’s very deserving of this recognition.” In addition to his work with the Isanti County Sportsmen’s Club, Fridstrom is involved in several other conservation groups, and has been a key player in local efforts to ensure future generations have spaces to enjoy the outdoors and grow up with a respect for the environment.
More than 4,000 volunteer instructors teach DNR firearms safety courses across the state. Since the firearms safety program began in 1955, more than 1.3 million students have been certified. DNR firearms safety certification is required of anyone born after Dec. 31, 1979, to buy a hunting license in Minnesota. Youth age 11 and older can attend a firearms safety certification course and receive their certificate, which becomes valid at age 12.
For more information on the dates and locations of available safety courses, and to sign up for alerts when new classes are added, see mndnr.gov/safety/firearms.
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has completed a 1.8-mile extension of the Minnesota Valley State Trail’s eastern segment in Bloomington, Minn., adding to a 1.7-mile segment completed in 2021.
The now 3.5-mile eastern segment is open for walking, biking and in-line skating. Proximity to the Minnesota River also makes this trail a popular location for shore fishing and birding.
The newest segment begins at the Minnesota River Bottoms Public Water Access parking lot off Lyndale Avenue and follows the Minnesota River to Cedar Avenue. The trail can also be accessed from Old Cedar Avenue, and additional parking is available there.
The 10-foot-wide, paved trail traverses generally level land along the Minnesota River, providing an accessible experience for people with mobility disabilities. The new trail segment also connects to Dakota County Regional trails on the other side of the river and the National Wildlife Refuge lands via a gravel trail.
“It’s exciting to open another accessible outdoor recreation opportunity right in the midst of the Twin Cities metro area,” said Rachel Henzen, DNR Parks and Trails area supervisor. “The Minnesota Valley State Trail already serves many users each year, and this extension will provide folks more opportunity to spend time outdoors, enjoying nature.”
Funding for the new trail segment came from the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund and a federal Recreational Trail Grant.
The completed trail segment is part of a larger 13.5-mile project that will eventually extend the trail west to the Bloomington Ferry Bridge. Planning is currently underway to complete the next segment, from Lyndale Avenue to Nine Mile Creek. Construction of this section is anticipated during 2026 or 2027.
For more information on the Minnesota Valley State Trail or a trail map, visit mndnr.gov/mnvalleytrail.
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