In This Issue
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Division recently recognized three conservation officers for their lifesaving efforts over the last several months.
Park Rapids-area CO Nick Baum, International Falls-area CO Curtis Simonson and Remer-area CO Corey Sura received lifesaving awards.
“Conservation officers never know what the day will bring, but they are always ready when someone is facing a difficult situation and needs their help,” said Col. Rodmen Smith, director of the DNR Enforcement Division. “It’s a testament to our officers’ character and training that they’re willing and able to put others’ needs above their own.”
CO Curtis Simonson
Around 8 a.m. on July 21, Simonson was notified about a person who’d been missing since the day before. Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office deputies had started the search, and members of the St. Louis County Rescue Squad were enroute as well. Simonson offered his assistance and learned the missing man, Donald Larson, was in his 80s, diabetic, and had been driving a Jeep.
Simonson began checking trails and noticed grass that had been matted down by vehicle tires. He drove down the trail, turned a corner, and saw a Jeep stuck in the middle of the trail. There was a person behind the vehicle, laying on his side in mud and water. Simonson quickly sent out a request for an ambulance.
Larson’s Jeep had become stuck the day before, and when he got out of the vehicle, he fell. It had rained overnight, and he was wet and covered with flies and mud. Simonson drove him to a waiting ambulance. Larson was released from the hospital the following day.
“Donald thought he was going to die,” said Lt. Matt Frericks, who supervises conservation officers, including Simonson, in the northeastern portion of Minnesota. “He and his wife both believe that CO Simonson saved his life.”
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CO Nick Baum
On the evening of March 14, Baum heard a dispatch radio call about an angler who’d fallen through the ice on the Fish Hook River near Park Rapids. Baum and other law enforcement personnel arrived quickly. One of the responding officers fell through the ice after attempting to belly crawl to the angler.
The officer was unable to get out of the water due to the current and thin ice, so Baum tossed a throw rope to him. Baum and another officer pulled the immersed officer from the water, then continued efforts to rescue the angler. Shortly thereafter, the Park Rapids Fire Department arrived and successfully rescued the angler.
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CO Corey Sura
During the afternoon of March 14, Sura was on patrol at the Big Rice Lake public water access in Cass County. He was talking with an angler on shore when he saw an ATV fall through the ice about 400 yards away. He quickly assembled safety and rescue equipment and contacted dispatch to request an ambulance. The angler offered Sura use of his Snowdog, a small, tracked vehicle, to take onto the ice.
Sura found that two ATV riders had fallen through the ice and were immersed. Neither could get out of the water on their own. With help from the angler on shore, Sura was able to get the ATV riders out of the water and back to shore. Once there, Sura had the two ATV riders change out of their wet clothes and sit in his warm truck. Emergency personnel arrived and decided the ATV riders didn’t need additional medical assistance.
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 The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will host three workshops in September for people interested in learning how to collect tree seeds and cones to sell to the State Forest Nursery. Seeds and cones collected by the public play a critical role in reforesting state forests, parks and private lands across the state.
The workshops are open to anyone interested in learning more about seed and cone collection. Each session is limited to 30 participants. Registration is available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/seedcone) under upcoming events.
Workshop details
Each training will include an indoor presentation led by DNR Seed Procurement Consultant Nicole Schafer, followed by a hands-on outdoor session in a nearby forest. Participants will learn which types of tree seeds and cones the DNR purchases, how to collect and handle seeds and cones, and standards for cleaning and preparing seeds for sale to the DNR. The training will also cover DNR’s purchasing and payment procedures.
Workshop participants should bring a water bottle, work gloves and bug spray, and should wear appropriate outdoor clothing (consider boots, layers that can be removed, rain gear, etc.). If weather conditions prevent outdoor collection, the training will move indoors where participants will work with cut branches.
Workshop dates and locations
General C.C. Andrews State Forest Nursery facility, 85894 Co. Hwy. 61, Willow River, MN 55795
- Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1-4 p.m.
State Forest Nursery, 13885 State Hwy. 64, Akeley, MN 56433
- Friday, Sept. 12, 1-4 p.m.
DNR Lake City Field Office, 1801 South Oak Street, Lake City, MN 55041
- Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1-4 p.m.
Why collect?
Collecting local seeds and cones ensures that the resulting trees are adapted to Minnesota’s climate, helping to create healthier, more resilient forests. Seeds and cones purchased from the public are important to the DNR’s reforestation efforts.
Participating in seed and cone collection can be a wonderful family activity that offers a chance to earn some extra income. Prices for seeds and cones range from $20 to $150 per bushel, depending on the specific tree species.
For more information about seed and cone collection, including price lists and species fact sheets, visit the DNR website (mndnr.gov/seedcone).
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Salvage harvests underway on state-managed land near Bemidji following June blowdown
 Following the destructive June 20-21 blowdown event near Bemidji, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is employing salvage timber harvests to promote forest recovery, improve safety, bolster forest health and reduce wildfire risk on DNR-managed sites, including in the Mississippi Headwaters State Forest and Lake Bemidji State Park.
The storm impacted around 370 total square miles, damaging more than 1,100 acres of DNR-managed forests, including around 300 acres of Lake Bemidji State Park. Since the storm, DNR staff have been assessing damage, considering habitat and recreation needs, and creating a management plan for each of the affected forest stands. So far, more than 500 acres of DNR-managed lands impacted by the blowdown have been offered for salvage harvest.
"We don't typically harvest trees from state parks, but this is a unique situation," said Cindy Lueth, DNR Parks and Trails division northwest resource specialist. "Given the amount of damage in Lake Bemidji State Park, salvage harvest is a good tool to make these areas accessible and safe for recreation, and help accelerate reforestation."
Salvage harvest is a forest management tool used following events like storms or wildfires to remove dead or damaged trees from forests and put that wood to productive economic use. Salvage harvest isn’t feasible or the right tool everywhere. However, where it is used, salvage harvest can help regenerate stands of trees, improve safety and access for people, reduce potential forest health concerns like pine bark beetle, and minimize wildfire risk.
“Salvage harvests set the stage for forest regeneration, and also capture some timber value and make use of a renewable natural resource,” said Adam Munstenteiger, DNR Forestry Division northwest region manager. “What nature can do in a day shapes our forests for decades, but we’re giving them the best restart we can to help them flourish.”
As assessment work continues, DNR will likely offer additional salvage harvests in the Bemidji area.
Landowners who experienced major storm damage in their woods and want to learn more about salvage harvests can contact their local DNR forester by visiting the DNR forester contact map for woodland assistance webpage (mndnr.gov/woodlands/cfm-map.html) or calling 888-646-6367.
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