Rep. Jim Newberger dropped a bombshell on DNR officials Tuesday evening at their last stakeholders planning meeting, announcing his was introducing legislation to get the DNR to the table for more specific forestry management plans for the Sand Dunes State Forest.

 

His announcement came at the end of another three-hour session, in which the DNR announced the continuation of their 10-year forestry plan, to conclude in 2022.

 

Newberger’s House File 1560, a five-page bill introduced to committee hearing Thursday, is a wide-ranging and long-standing proposal to ensure DNR communication with local stakeholders three times annually, to ensure small (six to 10-acre cuts) in clearcutting ventures, to ensure forest diversity with mixed conifer and hardwoods and shade-tolerant specicies so it can be managed as a multiage forest,  to ensure residents are alerted to chemical use or burning, among other issues.

 

It would sunset Jan. 1, 2037.

 

“We passed a law last May to deal with these issues,” he said, speaking of his legislation that required a one-year DNR moratorium on letting of more timber cutting contracts. “We’ve given the DNR nine months to come up with a plan.

 

“But it’s a plan of too many pages - too many words.

 

“The DNR has not delivered a plan. I’m taking legislative action .“

 

In speaking to the Tribune during a break Tuesday, Newberger pointed to a continuing conflict within departments of the DNR regarding putting forth a specific logging plan.

 

“The ecological people (in the DNR) are driving it,” he said of any planning. They are at odds with the forestry department, which he indicated should be taking the lead in this management.

 

Crucial to the Sand Dunes issue is the protection and regrowth of varied native species. Newberger claims, based on his conversations with a U of M professor, that reseeding of species will carry along with it introduction of an invasive species, Palmer Anarant, with is Round Up resistent and a threat to area agricultural operations.

 

The DNR environmentalists did not respond to his claim.

 

The DNR has proposed 513 acres of “immediate rare reatures management,” but Tuesday decreased that to 213 acres.”

 

But the major issue remains how many red and white pines will come down, either by clear cutting or thinning, over the final five years of this 10-year plan.

 

DNR officials are proposing 772 acres in harvest (32 stands) of rotation-age trees, and the thinning of 2,215 acres (126 stands) of trees for better growth, disease management and habitat management. (A mile square is 660 acres. The Sand Dunes State Forest is approximately 6,000 acres, located generally between Co. Rds. 5 and 1 and south of Co. Rd. 4.)

 

No other details have been released.

 

One report which struck a positive cord with the locals was the DNR’s new plan for recreation management, which will be to maintain existing trail systems and campground facilities. It will also codify trail use and provide linkups between north and south trails in the Sand Dunes.

 

The Minnesota Trail Riders Association and county snowmobile associations have been alert to those issues; they pay fees to use the Sand Dunes trails.

 

John Korzeniowski, area forest supervisor with the DNR, addressed the crowd at the outset, outlining the above forestry timber harvest plans. He provided slides showing the annual harvests comprising the total plan.

 

He acknowledged the DNR’s agreement to only harvest pines in the Lake Ann Campground which are diseased or need to be thinned.

 

He also agreed that buffer strips will be addressed in future harvests between stands and resident homes. No details were provided, however.

 

Chris Smith, a wildlife biologist with Wildlife Research and Consulting Services, LLC, St. Paul, reported he was adding up the DNR timber harvest proposals and by his numbers, that represents a 49% timber reduction in the Sand Dunes through 2022.

 

“Forty-nine percent of the forest will be impacted by your forest management in the next six years,” he said. “That isn’t slowing down, in my opinion.”

 

He also argued the DNR hasn’t been forthcoming with its specific harvest plans.

 

It was a message that Bob Quade, member of the stakeholders group (and a former forestry manager for the Sand Dunes with the DNR), echoed.

 

And Quade asked his continuing question again of the DNR officials.

 

Is the intent of the DNR to change the Sand Dunes to an Oak savanna, like the neighboring Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge? he asked.

 

Korzeniowski replied, saying there would be areas where Oak savanna would be the future design.

 

There will be more slash burning, the DNR reported.

 

“Fire and its smells. How  often?” asked Resident Judy Geurts. “It scares the heck out of me.”

 

The DNR reported about 30 acres would be burned annually.

 

But the issue of the plan came back to the conversation.

 

“We haven’t seen the plan,” said Smith. “How do we comment on the strengths and minuses of the plan when we haven’t seen the plan?”

 

“We’re giving you a general plan,” said Korzeniowski.

 

“A summary version,” said another DNR official. “We’re hoping its enough for you to refer to.”

 

Not so for the residents.

 

Not so, for Newberger.

 

DNR officials earlier remarked they would get their final plan on paper, then hold a 30-day public review period. It would be ready by summer.

 

Those plans are likely to be altered by the Newberger legislation.

 

Orrock Twp. Supervisors Bryan Adams and Bob Hassett were among the 40 or so attending the session.