Public meeting on Sand Dune State Forest Management. 

 

Over the past several months citizens from Sherburne County have been expressing their concerns with the proposedmanagement in the Sand Dunes State Forest (SDSF). A smaller group of these citizens, who live in close proximity to the forest, have been encouraging the DNR to meet to further discuss the proposed management. 

 

The DNR is now going to have an open meeting Feb. 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Zimmerman Civic Center at 25850 Main St., Zimmerman.

 

For a brief update: The DNR is proposing to convert half of the SDSF from its current forested state to open landscape management, similar to the adjacent Sherburne County Wildlife Refuge. This will be done by a combination of clear cutting and prescribed fire.

 

The concerns are: Financially - Doing this conversion and maintaining it are prohibitively expensive for the taxpayers of Minnesota. Aesthetically - Many landowners adjacent to the forest, recreationist and users of the forest prefer the forested cover type as opposed to open grasslands. Fire issues - Local residents are concerned with putting fire on the ground and smoke in the air next to their residences. Natural Resource Impact - Converting much of one of the last contiguous blocks of forest land in the area to grasslands, similar to the Sherburne Refuge, will actually decrease the biological diversity in the area. Public Input - The public has not had any chance for meaningful input into these decisions that affect so many of us.

 

So, if you are interested: In the management of the forest, how your tax dollars are spent, holding government accountable, or just want to support your neighbors on these issues, please try to make time to attend this meeting. We did express to the DNR that we were unhappy about the short notice of the meeting (we just heard about it on Jan. 21) because we felt it was important to give enough notice so that anyone who wanted to be involved in the discussion, had a chance to do so.

 

Steve & Julie Carr, Sherb. Co.

Ron & Judy Geurts, Sherburne Co.

Joe & Jean Magda, Sherburne Co.

Bob Quad, DNR Forester - retired.