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June 18, 2024
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan announced the following member appointments and reappointments to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council (MFRC) effective through Jan. 3, 2028:
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Kim Berns-Melhus of Hugo has been reappointed as a representative of environmental organizations.
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Kory Cease of Grand Rapids has been reappointed as a representative of county land departments.
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Mike Kilgore of Lino Lakes has been reappointed as a representative of higher education and research.
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Linda Kingery of Puposky has been appointed as a representative of private forest landowners.
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John Rajala of Bigfork has been appointed as a representative of private forest landowners.
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Michael Stansberry of Cass Lake has been reappointed as a representative of the U.S. Forest Service.
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Patty Thielen of Marcell has been reappointed as a representative of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
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Benjamin Wallace of Eagan has been appointed as a representative of secondary wood products manufacturing.
“The MFRC thanks these appointees for the expertise and commitment they bring to addressing important forestry issues affecting our state,” said MFRC Chair Pete Aube. “They have an enthusiasm for their roles as representatives of Minnesota forest interests, which is essential to the MFRC’s cooperative approach to stewarding economic, ecological, and social values provided by our state’s forestlands. With these announcements, the Council is fully commissioned to advance its strategic plan and serve Minnesota now and into the future.”
 Top photo: pictured from left in Grand Rapids are MFRC Executive Director Eric Schenck, MFRC member Kory Cease, MFRC member Rick Horton, and MFRC member Scott Johnson. Photo courtesy of Cease. Bottom photo: pictured from left in Bemidji are Beltrami Soil and Water Conservation District Conservation Technician Aly Bergstrom with her children and MFRC Landscape Program Coordinator Jaime Thibodeaux. Photo courtesy of Thibodeaux.
Minnesota Forest Resources Council representatives were among volunteers at the seventh annual Forest to Tap event hosted by the Minnesota Forests Resources Partnership and Dovetail Partners. At craft breweries in northern and central Minnesota, they shared how healthy, well-managed forests protect water resources used by Minnesota communities and industries, including local breweries, which have high water quality and quantity needs. Thanks to UPM Blandin who donated trees, volunteers gave away Norway/red pine seedlings and offered tips for successful planting.
 Top photo: Douglas Hege, part owner of Hege Logging, left, and MFRC Applied Forest Scientist David Wilson at the MLEP Conference in Bemidji. Photo courtesy of Eric Schenck. Bottom photo: FMG workshop near Grand Rapids. Photo courtesy of MFRC member Deb Theisen.
Spring workshops on the Minnesota Forest Management Guidelines (FMGs) reached almost 100 participants over two drizzly days in May. Co-coordinated by UMN Extension, the Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative (SFEC), Minnesota Logger Education Program (MLEP), and the MFRC, the workshops occurred on UPM Blandin land outside of Grand Rapids and covered harvest planning, riparian management zones, filter strips, erosion control, on-site infrastructure, and leave trees. Groups began the day under tent cover to discuss harvest planning and then split into groups to engage in hands-on activities at rotating stations in the woods. Participants represented a mix of foresters, wildlife professionals, and loggers, resulting in valuable sharing of perspectives on the various topics.
These workshops build on the MFRC’s efforts to support Minnesotans’ application of the guidelines, which help mitigate potential negative environmental impacts of harvesting and other forest management activities. MFRC’s Applied Forest Scientist David Wilson worked with University of Minnesota professor Charlie Blinn to develop and deliver training about erosion control and harvest planning for an April SFEC webinar. The MFRC also attended May MLEP conferences in Bemidji and Virginia, Minnesota, to discuss updates to FMGs, including newly added climate change considerations.
Missed these FMG training opportunities? Stay tuned to the MFRC newsletter for future opportunities and watch the SFEC erosion control and harvest planning webinar recording.
John Bathke has been chair of the MFRC Northeast Landscape Committee 10 years. He brings to the position decades more of experience contributing to networks that steward natural resources statewide. From Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited to the Department of Natural Resources Forest Stewardship Committee, the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, and the first days of the MFRC, Bathke has been involved and interested in creating discourse around strategies for good management of natural landscapes.
To this day, he regards creating a place for cooperation, networking, and information sharing among top values provided by the MFRC’s Regional Landscape Program. “It’s key,” he said. “Collaboration is a way to do more with less.” Bathke noted that the committee also has been grappling with responses to pressing emerging issues, including investigating approaches to managing forests for climate change and adaptation. Members also are exploring launching more “on the ground” projects that bring together diverse stakeholders to build forest health and resiliency. The Committee has had success in this area, spearheading the Arrowhead Landscape Pilot Project to collaboratively manage a 500,000-acre area in St. Louis County, which has become a model for other efforts.
Bathke studied biology in college before going to work for his family’s company. Throughout the years he has tended to his interest in the outdoors, participating in forestry and natural resources courses and seminars. In addition to providing leadership for the Northeast Landscape Committee, Bathke serves in another valued role for the Committee according to Landscape Program Coordinator Jaime Thibodeaux: “Every team needs a historian, and John is ours,” she said.
This feature is part of an ongoing newsletter series introducing chairs of the MFRC’s six regional landscape committees. The MFRC Landscape Program is voluntary, grassroots, and incorporates the broad variety of interests and perspectives on forest management and forest resource issues. Photo courtesy of John Bathke.
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The Minnesota Legislature adjourned on May 20, with several bills in play that impact sustainable management of Minnesota’s forest resources. MFRC Policy Committee Chair Rick Horton provided the following highlights from the session:
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Tax Forfeit: In 2023 the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Tyler v. Hennepin County that the state’s property tax forfeiture process was unconstitutional, as when it sells forfeited property for more than owed taxes it retains the difference, or the surplus. The Legislature passed two bills to address the issue. One brings the state into compliance with the constitution moving forward. The second settles claims from forfeited properties within the statute of limitations for $109 million. Importantly, the 2.8 million acres of tax forfeited forestlands remains intact and timber operations are unchanged.
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Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills, in concept, tax packaging manufacturers to pay for downstream recycling services. EPR has passed in four states, but none have fully implemented it. Minnesota’s paper mills and recycled content cardboard mills were exempted due the high levels of paper product recycling and the renewable nature of those products.
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Environment Omnibus Bill: Several forestry provisions were covered in this bill, including removing DNR restrictions on growing containerized stock, removing DNR seedling number limits, classifying forest industry survey data as non-public, and a study of growing containerized trees at the General C.C. Andrews State Forest Nursery.
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Bonding: Did not pass, including DNR reforestation funding and $28 million for upgrading the Badoura State Forest Nursery.
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Legacy: The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage fund bill included $32.2 million for forest acquisitions, easements, and habitat projects.
Among MFRC’s primary roles is to advise federal, state, and local lawmakers on sustainable forest policies and practices. This includes identifying and addressing key policy issues related to the sustainable management of Minnesota’s forests. One of the ways in which MFRC accomplishes our mission is by participating in the state’s legislative process. Learn more.
The MFRC advances its mission by drawing upon the unique skills and expertise of its 17-member body, which represents a wide range of forest resources and interests. Congratulations to the following former MFRC members who continue to make valuable contributions to Minnesota’s forestry sector and natural environment:
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Janet Green has co-authored The Breeding Birds of Minnesota with Lee Pfannmuller and Jerry Niemi. “This book is a great resource to advance bird ecology and conservation in the state,” said Dale Gentry, director of conservation for Audubon Upper Mississippi River, who represents conservation organizations as an MFRC member. The book precedes a highly anticipated forestry for Minnesota birds handbook being developed by bird and forestry experts, including Gentry and MFRC staff. Read Wild River Audubon’s review of The Breeding Birds of Minnesota.
- Pittack Logging, owned by Scott Pittack and his family, was awarded 2024 Minnesota Logger of the Year by the Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Implementation Committee (MN SIC). Pittack Logging was established in 1979 and operates out of Bovey, MN.
Learn about current MFRC members and the constituents they represent.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is happy to share that the private landowner sign-up for Plot Based Inventory (PBI) is live, and more participation is welcome! Interested landowners can learn more and sign up at Looking for Woodland Owners to Expand Forest Inventory. This project is funded in part by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
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