Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

It’s looking spooky out there ... Including in this stand of oozing, dying spruce. To defend themselves against the native Armillaria fungi and bark beetle species attacking them, the trees produce massive amounts of resin, as you’ll see in the video. These spruce are growing on sandy soil, making them susceptible to drought stress which in turn makes them more susceptible to pests and diseases. The DNR’s forest health team routinely visits areas like this one, that was identified through aerial survey, to monitor and confirm the condition of Minnesota’s forests. Part of the “ground-truthing” in this woods involves peeling back the bark to find any tell-tale signs beneath, like the mycelial fans of Armillaria fungus they found here. Extra Halloween fact: Armillaria can glow in the dark!

Each year, the State Forest Nursery sells high-quality bare-root seedlings in bulk to landowners for wildlife habitat creation or simply to create a woodland oasis. With a minimum order of 300 seedlings – about enough to reforest an acre – you can start planning your spring planting project. Order your seedlings at https://lnkd.in/gven4Jdf

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park is looking for its next Interpretive Naturalist Supervisor! Work near the scenic shoreline of Lake Vermilion and develop interpretive programming that educates and informs visitors of the importance of preserving Minnesota’s natural resources and historical cultural landmarks like the Soudan Underground Mine. The Interpretive Naturalist Supervisor leads a team of interpretive staff to develop and implement educational programming at the park that is welcoming and inclusive to park visitors. The ideal candidate will have experience managing a complex interpretive operation, conflict resolution and inclusive design of programs and exhibits. Because the work environment also includes dim, damp underground passageways, the ideal candidate must also meet the physical requirements needed for the position. Learn more about being an Interpretive Naturalist Supervisor 2 and apply by November 11 on our website (job ID 79807): https://lnkd.in/g5rTezp

Exciting News! Seedling sales opened today at 9:30 a.m. at the State Forest Nursery! Use our online seedling form to place your order. Whether you want to attract more pollinators with our fruiting trees and shrubs, start a maple sugarbush or add some winter beauty to your woods with conifers – we have you covered! Explore our wide selection of native seedlings now. Order in the fall to get your trees in the spring. mndnr.gov/forestry/nursery

We are gearing up our spring 2025 tree ordering sales. Sales open Tuesday, October 15 at the Minnesota State Forest Nursery.🌱 🌲🌳With 5 million coniferous and deciduous seedlings available, the Nursery is excited to take your order! Looking to add a pollinator habitat? Consider ordering fruiting or flowering shrubs. 🌸 If you want to add more privacy around your property, consider choosing a mix of our conifers for a living fence. 🆕New this year – minimum order is now 300 seedlings! Nursery seedlings are designed to support our state’s amazing private woodlands and must be planted in Minnesota. Check out our inventory at https://lnkd.in/e6dvQ6Pw

The DNR is hiring a Forest Ecology & Policy Program Consultant to be a leader in the promotion of biodiversity conservation in forested ecosystems across the state. This highly collaborative position works with numerous natural resource professionals to develop policies that guide management on forested landscapes, coordinates both strategic and technical efforts related to forest ecology and policy, serves as a source of ecological expertise for forested ecosystems, and stewards data systems related to forest resources. We are looking forward to having someone with experience in forest ecology, policy, and biodiversity conservation join our team! For more information about this position, please click on the link below.   Applications are due October 22, 2024.   Learn more at https://lnkd.in/eFcYg-a (Job ID 80634)

Just a reminder that the DNR will conduct a webinar with a question-and-answer opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about the department’s project to update Minnesota’s Public Waters Inventory. The webinar will be held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Here is the link and phone option for joining the webinar: Join link (opens in a new browser tab): https://ow.ly/CT4J50TA7KT Webinar number: 2486 954 6512 Webinar password: PWIUpdate (79487328 when dialing from a phone or video system) Join by phone: o 1-415-655-0003 United States Toll o 1-855-282-6330 United States Toll Free Access code: 248 695 46512 More information is available on the project webpage, https://ow.ly/Pb5A50TA7KU

Native brook trout will soon benefit from improved habitat as the Buckingham Creek stream restoration project nears completion. Buckingham Creek has the coldest water of Duluth’s 16 trout streams and runs through the City’s Enger Park Municipal Golf Course. When the City of Duluth needed to make some improvements to the golf course irrigation system, they proposed a partnership with DNR and other resource management agencies to restore 3,000 feet of the trout stream at the same time. The project remeanders the stream out of a ditch and redirects it around ponds that were introducing warm water to the stream. The project replaced perched culverts that were migration barriers with bridges to restore fish passage, while enhancing playability of the golf course and greatly improving the ecological function and aesthetic beauty of Buckingham Creek. Prior to the start of construction, DNR fisheries crews relocated more than 150 trout from the construction area upstream to cold-water refuge. Funding for the project came from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Minnesota Legacy Amendment – Clean Water Legacy Partners Grant Program, and the City of Duluth.

Minnesota’s nearly 18 million acres of forests provide wildlife habitat, recreation, water quality, timber and other forests products—and are also a big part of the climate solution. Healthy forests absorb heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it in leaves, limbs, trunks, roots, soil, and harvested wood products. Together, forests across the state sequester enough carbon dioxide to balance about 12% of the state’s total greenhouse emissions. The DNR is responsible for protecting and managing forests so that they continue to provide these benefits to Minnesotans. The day-to-day work of the Division helps to keep forests as forest, grow more forests, and sustainably manage forests for multiple benefits. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggests that these are the key ingredients to enhancing the role of forests in the fight against climate change. The DNR is also dedicated to making forests in the state more resilient to climate change – and helping landowners and communities grow and maintain a healthy tree canopy, too. From ongoing efforts on public lands to increase forest diversity, promote tree growth, and protect rare and sensitive species to offering grants and expertise to support tree care experts and combat the impacts of pests like emerald ash borer, we’re investing in our forests and all the benefits they provide, today and into the future. This #ClimateWeek, take a moment to notice the trees around you, and appreciate all that they do.

Want to be a forester for the MN DNR? Apply by October 4! We are seeking two individuals to assist with outreach programs and grant initiatives covering Ramsey, Hennepin, Washington, Anoka, and Dakota Counties. Key Responsibilities: 🌳 Carry out outreach, grant activities, and technical assistance to improve public understanding and stewardship of natural resources. 🌳 Support and collaborate with private landowners and area residents, schools, local units of government, public agencies, and organizations to ensure sustainable forest resource management. If you’re ready to help shape the future of Minnesota’s forests, apply today! Type Job ID: 79373 in the careers portal https://lnkd.in/gmxFVHWs