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Western Great Lakes Projects

2022 Chippewa National Forest Stewardship – Deer River (Minnesota)

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Deer River Minnesota- On July 5, 2022 RGS/AWS signed a Shared Stewardship project agreement with the Deer River Ranger District of the Chippewa National Forest.  Under this agreement, RGS/AWS will implement an aspen timber sale, install hunter walking trail gates, maintain a waterfowl impoundment dike and maintain and enhance wildlife openings. Much of this Stewardship Agreement work will be completed at the Johnson Lake Hunter Walking trail area south of Deer River.  On September 1, 2022 RGS/AWS awarded the 78 acre “Johnson Lake” Timber Sale to SAPPI North America for use in their Cloquet MN pulp and paper mill.  This timber sale is an aspen regeneration and habitat treatment...

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Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC) – Moose Habitat Collaborative Phase IV​ (Minnesota)

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In 2020, RGS/AWS joined the MN Moose Habitat Collaborative and together with a wide range of partners, put together a landscape level habitat project on the north shore that aims to restore over 30,000 acres of critical forest habitats.  This includes habitat for ruffed grouse, American Woodcock, and moose, among other species.   In October of 2021, RGS & AWS President Ben Jones officially signed the grant that was funded at $1,809,000 in Outdoor Heritage Funding (OHF) by the LSOHC, and approved through MN legislative action and Governor’s signature in June 2021. This grant ends in June 2024. Though work...

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Hunter Walking Trail – Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) Grant​ (Minnesota)

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On December 6th, 2021, RGS & AWS President Ben Jones signed a $300,000 Hunter Walking Trail grant that was recommended by the LCCMR for Environment and Natural Resources Trust fund (ENRTF) funding, approved through MN legislative action and Governor’s signature in June 2021. Funded through June 2024, this LCCMR grant proposes to: (1) restore/enhance 200 trail heads and 80 miles of existing trails, (2) add about 20 miles of new trails, and (3) update trail maps for land managers and users. A resource assessment of all public land hunter walking trails (~1,000 miles) is also being undertaking to more fully...

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Sawyer Co Private Lands Alder Aspen Project​ (Wisconsin)

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Beginning in 2018, Wisconsin Forest Wildlife Specialist Jared Elm began working with Jason Stewart who had heard of some potential project opportunities available through the Federal Farm Bill. Jason owns 40 acres in Sawyer County that was purchased by his grandfather in the 1960s. This property hadn’t been under any active management since originally purchasing. Jason applied to the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, a Federal Farm Bill program administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to first have a Forest Management Plan prepared by a consulting forester. After completion of the plan, Jason applied again to have 10 acres of upland...

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UPM Blandin Hunter Walking Trail (Minnesota)​

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Grand Rapids, MN (Oct. 2020) – Thanks to a $5,000 investment from the MN State Drummer Fund to seed the project, the Snaptail Hunter Walking Trail Area is now open to non-motorized use thanks to a partnership between the Ruffed Grouse Society and UPM Blandin. In addition to the hunter walking trail area, which is 30 minutes north of Grand Rapids, Blandin has committed to creating more ruffed grouse habitat by managing a mature aspen stand surrounding the trails. In addition to furnishing time, labor, and materials on the project, Blandin will be sponsoring the local chapter with a $1000 gift...

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Mead Wildlife Area Alder Regeneration​ (Wisconsin)

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Project Map Funded in late 2019, this project is the sister project to RGS/AWS/DNR’s 2019 McMillan Wildlife Areas project.  In the Spring of 2021, a total of 11 acres of large, overly mature alder was sheared by a contractor off of Rangeline Road to provide excellent habitat for woodcock, grouse and other young forest dependent wildlife for many years to come.  Due to the ease of accessibility off the road and location to multiple communities, this area is also a popular spot used by many types of hunters. Background The Mead Wildlife Area is approximately 32,000 acres of heavily hunted public land with...

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