Agreement Narrative: Black Duck Ranger District Stewardship
Primary Funder: Chippewa National Forest (Stewardship)
Location: Black Duck Ranger District, Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota
Innovation: A classic commercial timber project integrated with forest wildlife habitat, forest health and forest products/ revenue objectives. Through U.S. Forest Service goods-for-services stewardship, the foundational commercial timber project produces patches of aspen age class diversity for forest health and wildlife habitat objectives plus timber revenue. Revenue is to be used to facilitate additional habitat and forest health enhancement work and prepare additional commercial timber sales.
Impact: Sale and contract administration of 83-acre “Hunter Walking Trail” timber sale. Timber harvest operations were completed in March 2022 and produced an estimated 2,286 net CCF of mixed aspen/ hardwood pulp and initiated conditions to regenerate patches of aspen.
83 acres of additional timber sale field preparation.
185 miles of hunter walking trail maintenance mowing (changed through mod 1,2 and 3 from original proposal) -+/- 135miles.
10 hunter walking trail gates installed.
66 boulders placed at hunter walking trail access points.
52 acre early successional aspen unit layout and cruise.
Completed To-Date (2/16/24):
- 83-acre hunter walking trail timber sale field prepared, sold, and completed 2021-2022
- +/-135 miles of hunter walking trail maintenance mowing completed (+/- 45 miles annually 2021,2022, 2023)
- 10 hunter walking trail gates installed in 2021
- 66 boulders placed at hunter walking trails completed 2021
- 52 Acres early succession aspen unit layout and cruise completed 2021
Partners: Primarily partnering with U.S. Forest Service and American Bird Conservancy.
