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State Representative David Dill
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-2190
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
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DILL, BAKK EVALUATE REFORESTATION OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRE STRICKEN AREA
(St. Paul, MN) - State Representative David Dill and State Senator Tom Bakk are working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to assist private landowners whose forested property was burned in the Ham Lake fire begin the reforestation process. A key component of this reforestation process will be the opportunity to use seedlings grown by the DNR, according to the area legislators.
The DNR grows various types of seedlings for transplantation. They are harvested in early spring while still dormant, packaged and then shipped to fulfill orders generally taken during the previous fall. As dictated by state statute, the DNR can place a total of 10,000,000 trees per year; this year the department placed approximately 8.7 million seedlings.
The DNR does have additional young trees in state nurseries but has asserted to Senator Bakk and Rep. Dill that seedlings must be lifted when they are in the dormant stage, before budding (candling). According to David Eperely, the DNR Forestry Commissioner, lifting the seedlings this late into the season and then transplanting them into dry post-fire black soil would result in nothing more than a dead tree.
"It is important to note that while state resources are appropriate for the stricken area, we also need to be mindful of the proper planning and execution of the reforestation effort in order for the future survival of the resource," said Dill.
There are resources available immediately to the landowners through the local Grand Marais DNR Forestry Office, according to Dill and Bakk, such as the “Forest Partnership Program”.
This program is funded by the legislature and is free to the public and geared to assist landowners with forest planning," said Dill.
The program is usually done on parcels 20 acres and up, but the department will be considering each parcel affected by the fire on a case-by-case basis, according to the Legislators. Both Dill and Bakk encourage local landowners to being planning process now for next spring.
The local number for the Grand Marais DNR Forestry office is 218-387-3037.
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