DNR preparing plan for federal lands in Beltrami Island area

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DNR preparing plan for federal lands in Beltrami Island area
(Released January 12, 2011)


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is starting on a Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) for more than 82,000 acres of federal land that the state of Minnesota leases in the Beltrami Island State Forest and Red Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

These lands, known as Land Utilization Project (LUP) lands, were designated as the Beltrami Wildlife Management Area (WMA) by Executive Order by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1942. The order designates the area “as a refuge and breeding ground for native birds and other wildlife and for research relating to wildlife and associated forest resources.”

These lands contain upland conifer forests, northern hardwood forests, lowland conifer forests, and wetlands, bogs and brushlands. Important wildlife species include moose, white-tailed deer, wolf, ruffed and spruce grouse, short-eared owls, other irruptive northern forest owls, yellow rails and sandhill cranes.

The LUP lands consist of widely scattered parcels embedded in several DNR conservation land units. Most are in the Beltrami Island State Forest and Red Lake WMA, but some are in Hayes Lake State Park and three peatland scientific and natural areas (SNAs).

The scattered nature of the parcels among DNR conservation units poses some management challenges, as each DNR unit has a different mission. In addition, many of the LUP parcels are isolated and unmarked, which creates challenges for managing the public use on these lands differently than adjacent land parcels.

However, the goals of this planning effort are to improve the management of these and other state lands by identifying species of particular concern, deciding how forests and wetlands on the LUP lands should be managed, and setting a vision for land consolidation through land exchanges, said Gretchen Mehmel, manager, Red Lake WMA. Mehmel oversees management of the LUP lands for the state.

The planning process will begin with scoping Jan. 11 through March 2. The public will have an opportunity to provide input on how these lands are being used and how they should be managed in the future.

The process will include three public open houses:

Jan. 26, 6-8 pm, Lake-of-the-Woods County Courthouse, Baudette
Jan. 27, 6-8 pm, Warroad Community Center
Feb. 2, 4-8 pm, REI, Bloomington
People have several options for commenting:

Fill out a combination questionnaire/comment form at the open houses
Download the form from the website at www.beltramiisland.info
Send a letter to Mike North, DNR, 1601 Minnesota Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401
Send an e-mail to michael.north@state.mn.us.   
The second phase of planning will include focus groups to look more closely at cover habitat management, wildlife management, public uses, and land management/land exchanges.

After the focus group process is complete, a draft plan with alternative management scenarios will be developed. The draft plan and an accompanying environmental assessment are targeted for public release and review next December or January, with a final plan likely completed by June 2012.

Citizens can participate n the focus groups and find out more information by contacting Michael North, project consultant, at 218-833-8623, at michael.north@state.mn.us or by visiting the project website at www.beltramiisland.info.