Salvage logging happening at Hubbel Pond WMA

Part of North Country Trail closed temporarily

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is advising travelers and outdoor recreationists to be cautious of logging trucks and equipment on the road at Hubbel Pond Wildlife Management Area near Detroit Lakes. Salvage logging will be ongoing for the next several weeks.

In June 2022, an EF-2 tornado damaged 143 acres of hardwood trees on the WMA. A local logger is harvesting the blown down and damaged timber to facilitate forest regeneration, meet habitat management objectives, reduce the potential for wildfires and insect and disease outbreaks, and make use of the downed timber. ?The specific area of the salvage logging is adjacent to State Highway 34 stretching northwest to the Otter Tail River. During the salvage operation, the segment of the North Country Trail from the kiosk on Hubbel Pond Road south to State Highway 34 will be closed.

DNR forestry and wildlife staff inventoried the blow down area in July and August and developed a salvage plan for the most severely damaged areas. Timber on this site was sold at public auction in early September as part of that plan. Aspen, basswood and oak are the primary species in the blowdown area being harvested.

?Timber stands on Hubbel Pond WMA are managed by the DNR wildlife section to promote diverse wildlife habitat for a variety of both game and non-game wildlife species,? said Rob Baden, Detroit Lakes area wildlife supervisor. ?The tornado threw a little wrinkle into some of our long-term timber management planning on the WMA, but forests are resilient and the uprooted stumps, snapped limbs and trunks, and tree regeneration will provide diverse new habitats for wildlife.?

The logged areas will also provide fuelwood gathering opportunities for the public. Those interested in fuel wood for personal use can contact the Detroit Lakes Area Forestry Office at 218-846-8281 to obtain a DNR fuelwood permit.?

For more information on the timber harvest activities on Hubbel Pond WMA, contact Rob Baden ([email protected]), Detroit Lakes area wildlife supervisor, 218-846-8476.

###