Continuous improvement methods are used to clarify process steps and remove work that isn’t necessary in order to increase morale, reduce costs and improve processes.

“We all pretty much know what we need to do to make things better, but there are barriers in the way — what can we do to remove those barriers?” said Continuous Improvement Coordinator Laura Grunloh. “It’s possible to empower your staff and support your staff, and there’s resources in our office that can help.”

After an initial training with Continuous Improvement staff, Somes said employees at the nursery began to take on initiatives to improve operations. The staff cleaned and organized so less time was wasted searching for tools. Some employees set up test plots to see if certain chemicals produced better crops. (Pictured above: Ross Borman on the left and Wade Sandstrom, right, on one of their test plots.) One continuous improvement change was as simple as switching from plastic to wooden rulers.

“The biggest culture change was getting everybody to wrap their heads around that it was OK to make mistakes and try something new, even if it failed,” Somes said. “We want everything to be successful but if it’s not, that’s OK – we can come back together and decide if it’s something worth changing.”

The improvement has allowed the nursery to better help conserve and manage the state’s natural resources.

“We’re working really hard to create a good product and we are here to support all of the divisions – not just Forestry – in terms of providing a product that can be used for reforestation that can help the future of Minnesota,” Somes said.

If you would like to contribute to this mission at the Minnesota State Forest Nursery, there are job opportunities available. Contact Somes at kristina.somes@state.mn.us or 218-652-2385 ext. 222.

For more information, check out the Continuous Improvement page of the Intranet.

-- Maggie Snyder, information officer, Operations Services Division

In a big way, the military instilled in him not only resilience and courage but an aptitude for remaining calm under fire, whether it be from a sniper in the Middle East or a flood in southeastern Minnesota. In his DNR job, problem solving and decision making in the face of high stress situations is critical.

Two more times after Iraq, he was deployed to military hot spots, including as a platoon leader in Kuwait and a 12-month peace keeping mission in 2016 to Egypt, where ISIS was fully engaged in attacks on the population. This time Peterson was deployed 10 days after his first son was born. After a year leave of absence to accommodate his time in Egypt, coming back to his DNR job made his deployment somewhat unreal. “It’s like you were dreaming, and then you wake up and you’re back in life again.” Afterward, he was hard-pressed to find the same adrenaline rush that comes from the intense and dangerous profession of an infantryman.

Back at the DNR, he took up where he left off, managing and developing emergency plans and programs, including preparedness, response and recovery efforts for disasters such as floods or fires, a potential active shooter or a radiological breach at one of the state’s nuclear power plants.

In an earlier instance, he coordinated the agency’s response to avian influenza that destroyed poultry flocks several years ago, in conjunction with the state emergency operations center. In the spring, executing his response plans to floods and dealing with structural damage to DNR buildings and infrastructure is reoccurring.

A 16-year member of the Minnesota Army National Guard, he’s now training Army officer candidates as an instructor at the Regional Training Institute at Camp Ripley, and as long as he keeps that position he wouldn't be deployed overseas again. Peterson is married now and raising two small children.

Through the years, the military has continued to help him grow in his career and personal life. “I’ve learned a lot about leadership. You learn a lot about yourself and I’ve made a lot of lifelong friends. The camaraderie is probably what keeps me enjoying the Guard and the military.”

At the DNR he is a member of the DNR’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Committee, supporting military service members, veterans and their families.

-- Julie Forster, information officer, Office of Communication

Bio Box: John Peterson

Job Title: emergency management coordinator
DNR location: Central Office
At the DNR since: 2013
Education: Enrolled at Thomas Edison State University, New Jersey, working toward a bachelor’s degree in emergency management.
Interests: Spending time outdoors with wife and kids, 1 and 3. Golf.
Something his colleagues don’t know about him: He plans to get his pilot’s license. Considering a career in IT, like his dad and brother, perhaps in IT security or database design.

Check out the Prairie Pod podcast!

Interested in prairies and grasslands, and the wildlife that live there? The DNR launched its Prairie Pod podcast – and season two is underway!

Dakota skippers, fire, restoration/reconstruction, skinks, snakes, interseeding, management and seed mix design are just some of the things you can learn about.

Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, or any podcast-streaming app or download from our Prairie Pod page at mndnr.gov/prairiepod.

DNR regional ecologist Megan Benage and research scientist Jessica Petersen are the voices on the podcast. They share a passion for prairie and natural lands.

It’s not too late to prevent tick bites

Before we know it, winter will arrive and the colder temperatures will freeze ticks or send them underground.

Unfortunately, and fortunately, winter isn’t here yet – meaning tick bites continue to be a risk for Department of Natural Resources employees.

From FY18 to FY19, there was a 12 percent reduction in reported tick bites. But, since tick bites are preventable, we want to see a 100 percent reduction. Consider the following to reduce the risk of a tick bite:

• Keep ticks on the outside. The two most reported areas for tick bites were the torso and legs, but ticks can’t crawl through clothing. Tuck in your shirt and make sure pants are sealed, preferably with gaiters. For high exposure areas, wear long-sleeved shirts with the cuffs sealed. Rubber boots and slippery surfaces can make it easier to brush ticks off while walking through brushy areas.
• Use Permethrin. Permethrin is an effective insecticide. The more a tick crawls on treated clothing, the greater the chance it will die or fall off before you are bitten. Wear a fully treated outfit and take advantage of the DNR paid offerings of permethrin clothing.
• Inspect for bites. Most tick-borne illnesses need the tick to be attached for more than 24 hours in order to spread the disease to a host. Getting the tick off quickly is key to not getting sick. Provide and encourage the use of tick check stations. As soon as you can after being in the field, take a hot shower and do a tick check. Throw your clothes in the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes on high heat to kill remaining ticks.
• Use all forms of protection. The DNR policy requires at least two forms of tick protection. Wearing light-colored clothing is the least effective method, with a sealed, Permethrin-treated outfit being the most effective. The best protection is to make sure a tick is never on you in the first place.

For more information, check out the Tick Awareness page of the Intranet.