By Jon Handrick, DNR Forestry

This time of year many of us start to get a little tired of the snow, cold, and winter season, but the sun is slowly getting higher in the sky- and warmer temperatures are just around the bend. Soon Mother Nature will awaken from the winter slumber and flowers will bloom, loons will return, and trees, green with leaves, will sway in the warm breeze.
Most of us simply stand by and watch as nature takes its coarse in the natural world that surrounds our area. However, if you own land in northern Minnesota you may need to take further steps to ensure your land provides the benefits you desire. Winter is a good time to plan and think about what you want from your property and what might need to be done to shape your property for the future.
Many landowners are interested in managing their acreage for timber revenue, wildlife habitat, recreation, or a world of reasons. Landowners must first decide what the goals are for their property, and how they rank against each other. A Norway pine plantation, for example, may maximize timber production on the acreage, but it will greatly reduce the quantity and quality of wildlife in the area. If you really want to create monster bucks for your fall hunt, you may not be able to maximize timber production, but that doesn’t mean you can’t manage for both. Weighing the options and creating a plan to create your dream property can be quite a challenge, but there is help available.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry can assist with many aspects of land management. DNR foresters can help landowners realize their goals by working with the landowner to create a general forest management plan for their property. A management plan gives landowners a guide to help reach their goals and helps the landowner to better understand the natural and introduced processes that affect their property. Activities will often be recommended in the plan to improve or maintain the condition of the property.
Once a landowner knows what they want for their property, DNR foresters can also help them complete management activities, such as tree planting, timber stand improvement, and timber harvest. For example, if a property requires tree planting, the DNR can help plan the project and possibly even find sources of financial assistance. If timber harvests are planned, DNR foresters can help set up the sale, or help the landowner find qualified consultants to administer the sale for them.
Some landowners may be interested in a specific program for long-term forest management called the Forest Stewardship Program. In this program a more specific multiple use Forest Stewardship Plan is written. This type of management plan not only provides landowners with an outline for the management of their property for their objectives, it also provides the groundwork to apply for the state of Minnesota’s Sustainable Forest Incentive Act. SFIA provides qualifying forest landowners with an annual incentive payment for actively managing their lands. For example, a landowner who owns 80 acres of mostly forest land following a qualifying management plan could receive an annual payment (in 2006 this property would have qualified for $574.00 in total payment).
Remember the future of your forest property is affected by what you do today. If you would like more information about the these programs, would like to arrange to receive assistance with your property, or if you have other forestry questions please contact your local DNR; in Littlefork at (218) 278-6651, in Baudette at (218) 634-2172, or in Orr at (218) 757-3274
Or join us on-line at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/index.html.

Smokechasers needed
Meanwhile, the DNR is looking for smokechasers for the upcoming season.
• Due to lower than normal precipitation over the last 12 months, the DNR is expecting an active fire season this spring.
• The DNR relies on temporary hires to staff equipment during periods of high fire danger, and will be looking for interested folks this spring.
• Smokechasers are temporary employees who work as needed to support the fire operations during the fire season.
• Generally the fire season lasts from the time the snow leaves the area until the grass greens up in the spring, and after the first killing frost in the fall until sufficient snow covers the area again.
• Smokechasers staff fire-fighting equipment to suppress wildfires, maintain DNR equipment and facilities, and assist the DNR with other fire and forest management projects.
• Smokechasers not only help suppress wildfires in the Littlefork Area, they also assist in times of need across the state of Minnesota, and around the country.
• Basic firefighting training will be provided to new Smokechasers, and continued training is available to folks that return year after year.
• Smokechasers must be at least 18 years old, be legally eligible for employment in the U.S., and have a clean criminal background.
• Call the Littlefork Area office at (218) 278-6651 for more information.