DNR news releases for March 12, 2012

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources header

MINNESOTA DNR NEWS #17                                                    MARCH 12, 2012
All releases are available in the DNR's website newsroom at www.mndnr.gov/news.

IN THIS ISSUE
Residents, dealers reminded to review dock and boat lift canopy regulations
Minnesota DNR hires Bob Welsh to manage wildlife habitat program
DNR Question of the Week: Fawns

DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contacts: Tom Hovey, DNR public waters hydrologist, 651-259-5654;
Capt. Ken Soring, DNR Northeast Region Enforcement supervisor, 218-999-7809.

Residents, dealers reminded to review dock and boat lift canopy regulations

Spring boat shows are popular this time of year, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds residents to review dock and boat lift canopy regulations before investing in new equipment in order to ensure it will meet current standards.

Boat equipment dealers are also asked to review the regulations to ensure they are not selling equipment to their customers that does not meet the standards.

Canvas watercraft canopies are allowed; however, boat lifts with metal or other hard-surface roofing do not meet current Minnesota statutes.

State law defines a watercraft canopy as "a structure or device with a fabric covered roof and without walls or a floor that is placed on the bed of a public water, is designed to shelter a watercraft, and is designed and constructed so that all components may be removed from the lake or stream bed on a seasonal basis by skidding intact or by disassembly by hand tools."

"The current regulations have been in existence for quite some time, but not everyone is familiar with them," said Capt. Ken Soring, DNR Northeast Region Enforcement supervisor.

"Residents might assume that a product is sold in Minnesota meets the rules for the state. Sometimes that isn't the case," Soring said. "We would rather have residents informed of the standards before they make the purchase, instead of having to tell them later that they need to remove a structure they already installed."

Dock size, length and position are also regulated to provide a balance between the protection and utilization of public waters. Extensive dock and lift systems may shade out important aquatic plants and eliminate critical habitat where fish spawn, feed, grow, and find shelter from predators.

Lakeshore owners are encouraged to visit the DNR website at www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/boatwater/index.html for guidance on shoreline dock and lift structures. The DNR website also contains links to other helpful information for lakeshore owners about shoreline erosion control and restoration projects to help improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat.

Lakeshore residents and equipment dealers are also reminded to check for aquatic invasive species, such as zebra mussels, before moving boats, docks and boatlifts. More information about preventing the spread of invasive species is available at www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/preventspread.html.
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DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                             MARCH 12, 2012
Media contact: Bob Welsh, DNR habitat program manager, 651-296-5201.

Minnesota DNR hires Bob Welsh to manage wildlife habitat program

A veteran Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologist has been selected to manage the state's wildlife habitat program. Bob Welsh, an assistant regional wildlife manager for the past six years, will oversee the agency's recently realigned forest, wetland and prairie-farmland habitat programs.

Welsh is a former DNR research biologist, wildlife depredation specialist and north metro area supervisor. He will oversee three DNR habitat teams that, among other responsibilities, will help the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council successfully and efficiently implement Legacy Amendment habitat projects. The DNR created these teams to improve the agency's capacity and ability to work with partners who share common habitat goals.

"Habitat management is the heart and soul of wildlife management," said Dennis Simon, DNR wildlife section chief. "We have realigned staff to put additional emphasis on the needs of ducks, pheasants and other game species."

Simon said a big part of Welsh's job will be identifying habitat improvement opportunities and turning them into realities that benefit hunters and others.

Until recently, Simon said, habitat management was dispersed broadly among many different employees in the Wildlife Section. As a result, habitat projects were too often relegated to the back burner as staff focused on the more immediate needs of setting seasons, conducting surveys, implementing legislation, preventing the spread of Bovine TB and Chronic Wasting Disease, and addressing stakeholder issues.

"The urgent was overtaking the important," said Simon. "So, we retooled. We haven't added staff, but we have realigned to increase our emphasis on habitat, especially as it relates to helping the state put Legacy Amendment dollars do their best and highest use."

Specifically, Welsh will oversee:

  • A prairie habitat team led by Bill Penning that will focus on agricultural-related issues; the state's new hunter Walk-In Area program; prairie habitat research and assessment; and partnerships that result in large blocks of habitat by coordinating state, federal and nonprofit conservation opportunities.
  • A forest wildlife habitat team led by Cynthia Osmundson that will focus on the habitat needs of deer, moose and other forest species. It will be composed of forest-wildlife habitat coordinators, a ruffed grouse coordinator, a habitat assessment specialist and others.
  • A wetland habitat team that will work with Ducks Unlimited and others to manage projects related to wild rice, shallow lakes, seasonal wetlands, wetland-grassland complexes and providing technical advice to private landowners. A team leader will be appointed soon.

Welsh said he's looking forward to the new assignment. "Basically, these three teams will evaluating the effectiveness of our programs, identifying opportunities that maximize results, and providing good science to lawmakers and others who fund habitat conservation. That's important and rewarding work. It will complement the efforts of others in our section teams who focus on operations, field support, managing wildlife populations, and coordinating state and federal habitat grants."
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NOTE TO MEDIA: Image of Bob Welsh available at ftp://mediaroom.dnr.state.mn.us in folder named Bob Welsh image 03-12-12.

Caption: Bob Welsh in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with his dog, Houston.


DNR QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: Does a calm winter indicate we'll be seeing more sets of triplet fawns?

A: It certainly could, but it may not be measurable. Nutritional status of pregnant females can influence the number of fawns they have in the spring. Indeed, triplets are more common in the southern Midwest because deer do not have to contend with severe winters and can maintain a high nutritional plane, thus their reproductive rates are typically higher than what we see in northern Minnesota.

It may not be measurable in the sense that while some deer may have three fawns instead of two, it likely does not occur at a high enough rate to influence the overall deer population.

The other phenomenon related to mild winters and deer pregnancy is that some fawn females will come into estrous later in the season, get bred, and carry a fawn to term. Given the mild weather, we may see more late born fawns in northern Minnesota this year. So, if you see a spotted fawn in September or October, it's likely the result of a late bred fawn deer.

-Lou Cornicelli, DNR wildlife research program manager