In This Issue
Achievements include significant progress in conservation and natural resources management, connecting more people to the outdoors, and climate adaptation and mitigation
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has released a summary of some of its major accomplishments in 2022. From major milestones in habitat restoration that were decades in the making, to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, to ensuring Minnesota’s unparalleled outdoor opportunities are accessible to more people, the DNR made significant progress on the goals and priorities in its strategic plan (files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/reports/conservationagenda/dnr_strategic_plan.pdf).
“I am deeply proud of all that my colleagues at the DNR accomplished this year alongside our partners and the Minnesotans we work with and serve,” DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said. “We’ve made incredible progress this year and witnessed our collective efforts pay off with inspiring conservation successes. Our natural places are critical to the health of our environment, economy, and people, and key to what make this state an incredible place to live. I look forward to what the DNR and its partners can do together in the coming year and beyond.”
Among the many conservation and habitat restoration successes in 2022 is the first verified lake sturgeon spawning event in the Red River Basin in more than 100 years. In 1997 the Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, White Earth Nation, Red Lake DNR, Rainy River First Nations, North Dakota Game and Fish Department and Canadian partner agencies began reintroducing lake sturgeon, which had been extirpated by overfishing, habitat fragmentation, and declines in habitat quality. The spawning event marks a major milestone as the DNR and partner agencies work toward the final restoration goal of reestablishing self-sustaining lake sturgeon populations in the Red River Basin.
Within the St. Louis River Area of Concern, located in and around the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin, habitat restoration projects led to the removal of an impairment designation related to the health of fish and wildlife populations. Successfully addressing this impairment involved collaboration with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Wisconsin DNR and significant engagement with stakeholders and the public.
In the area of connecting more people to the outdoors, the DNR made a number of improvements to Minnesota’s outdoor recreation assets to better represent and serve people of different cultural perspectives and abilities. Updates to the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, Shipwreck Creek Campground, and Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area all include new accessible features. All-terrain track chairs are also now available at five state parks. St. Croix State Park features a new exhibit that was developed in collaboration with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and others to incorporate more inclusive stories. The exhibit is also designed to be accessible to people with cognitive, physical, visual and hearing disabilities.
The DNR also contributed data and expertise to complete the Minnesota Climate Action Framework (pca.state.mn.us/climate-action-framework), which was released in 2022. The Framework includes strategies for how we can collectively manage natural and working lands to address climate change by absorbing and storing carbon, reducing emissions, and sustaining resilient landscapes.
The successes identified above and larger list available online highlight key accomplishments in several priority areas outlined in the DNR’s strategic plan: address critical natural resource issues proactively; connect people to the outdoors; expand diversity, equity and inclusion; mitigate and adapt to climate change; manage natural resources responsibility for economic and community benefit; and ensure the DNR’s financial vitality. These examples illustrate some of the many ways in which the DNR works with Minnesotans to fulfill the agency’s mission.
You can stay up to date on the DNR’s work by signing up for one of our topic-specific email lists (public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDNR/subscriber/qualify), exploring opportunities on our Engage with DNR (engage.dnr.state.mn.us) public engagement platform, or by following us on Facebook (facebook.com/MinnesotaDNR), Twitter (twitter.com/mndnr), and Instagram (Instagram.com/minnesotadnr).
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First Day Hikes will take place at 11 Minnesota state parks on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, as part of a nationwide effort to connect people with the outdoors.
In an initiative spearheaded by the America’s State Parks organization, people in all 50 states will have an opportunity to take guided walks on New Year’s Day.
The specifics for Minnesota’s First Day Hike events vary among the participating state parks. For example, First Day Hikes at Wild River, Mille Lacs Kathio and Lake Bemidji state parks will be snowshoe hikes, while Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park will offer a First Day Hike candlelight event. At Whitewater State Park, visitors can celebrate the first day of the year with a winter mindfulness walk. For a list of all First Day Hike events in state parks, visit the First Day Hikes page on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/firstdayhike).
Hikers are advised to wear boots and dress in layers, such as a non-cotton shirt under a sweater plus a jacket, hat, gloves or mittens. As hikers get moving and warm up, they might want to shed some of those layers.
Park naturalists encourage anyone unable to attend a guided hike to get out with friends and family on New Year’s Day for their own self-guided hike. Recommended routes can be found online using the DNR’s HikeFinder (mndnr.gov/hikefinder).
First Day Hikes are free but a vehicle permit ($7 for a one-day permit or $35 for an annual permit) is required to enter Minnesota state parks. Permits can be purchased at the park or visitors can save time and purchase permits online in advance on the DNR’s permits page (mndnr.gov/permit). Please note that registration is required for some First Day Hikes.
For a complete schedule of the First Day Hikes at Minnesota state parks, including applicable registration requirements, visit the First Day Hikes page on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/firstdayhike) or contact the DNR Information Center at [email protected] or 888-646-6367 (8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday).
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