Minnesota Logger Education Program

Everyone in the forest products industry in the northern US – from the Lakes States to Maine – knows that significant changes have been taking place over the last 10 to 20 years. Among them are transformations in the supply chain, a reduced and aging logging and trucking workforce, the loss of low-grade markets, and the ups and downs experienced by those producing solid wood products from logs. While great changes have always been a constant in the forest products industry, recent deviations will greatly impact younger people – owners of logging and trucking companies and mills, and their employees in the coming years.

Timber Harvest Levels Tell a Striking Story - Northeastern Loggers Association Significant changes in harvesting levels have taken place over the last 10 to 20 years.

Pittack Logging of Bovey has been named the 2024 Minnesota Logger of the Year by the Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Implementation Committee (MN SIC).

Pittack Logging named 2024 Minnesota Logger of the Year Pittack Logging of Bovey has been named the 2024 Minnesota Logger of the Year by the Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Implementation Committee (MN SIC).

Pittack Logging of Bovey, Minnesota has been named the 2024 Minnesota Logger of the Year by the Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Implementation Committee (MN SIC).

Pittack Logging named 2024 Minnesota logger of the year Pittack Logging of Bovey, Minnesota has been named the 2024 Minnesota Logger of the Year by the Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Implementation Committee (MN SIC).

Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program
Dovetail's latest YouTube video features guest speaker, Kent Montgomery. In their March team meeting. Kent, a natural resources instructor from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN, shared insights into student recruitment, retention, and job placement strategies. He delved into the specifics of the Natural Resources Program at Central Lakes College, shedding light on exciting developments like the creation of a one-year Forestry Certificate.

Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program Check out our latest YouTube video featuring guest speaker Kent Montgomery! In our March team meeting, Kent, a natural resources instructor from Central Lake...

The Dennis Thompson Hug
by Kathleen Preece, via Dovetail Partners, Inc.

Every time I meander through the woods I hear Dennis Thompson’s words: “Birch trees do not like to live alone.”

Really? I don’t think of Dennis as necessarily an emotional kind of guy, concerned about the feelings that birch trees have. I hope he doesn’t take offense, but in all sincerity and with deep respect for my professional forestry colleague, it is difficult to imagine Dennis, a county land manager in charge of 224,574 acres of forested land in north central Minnesota, leaning over and asking the 100,000 tree seedlings he plants annually, ‘where’ and ‘with whom’ they would like to be planted.

However, recent ‘reads’ and contemplations give me pause to consider that Dennis just may be a heartbeat away from a different way of thinking about the natural resources that share our worlds. Who is really to say that birch trees do- or do not ‘like’ to live alone?

Continue Reading...https://www.dovetailinc.org/upload/tmp/1715623345.pdf

Loggers and resource managers learning and refreshing on Forest Management Guidelines.

Logger Roundtable and then LogSafe:CPR/First-Aid and LogSafe:OSHA in sunny Grand Marais.

Lunchtime at the Logger’s Roundtable in Grand Marais.

Spring road restrictions end in the North Central Zone beginning this Friday. That includes the very southwest corner of our county , specifically south of US Highway 2 and west of State Highway 33. Restrictions will remain in effect for the North Zone until further notice.
County maps detailing restrictions, can be found online at stlouiscountymn.gov/roadrestrictions.

https://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/local/laws-changed-on-harvesting-decoratives-and-edibles-from-state-land

Laws changed on harvesting decoratives and edibles from state land Small amounts for personal use are allowed, permits required for large collection and sale.

Minnesota Forest Industries executive vice president Rick Horton joined KSTP-TV in studio to give an inside look in the lack of people wanting to work within the forest products industry and explains what is being done to encourage interest in careers in the industry.

Minnesota Forest Industries Minnesota Forest Industries executive vice president joins us in studio to give us an inside look in the lack of people wanting to work within the industry and explains why it is so important!

There will be semi parade in tribute to Lyle Hodgden’s life. Trucks will line up at 1pm by the first English church in Menahga on Saturday, April 6 and follow Jon Hillukka with Lyle on the detach, on a trip through his shop yard and back to the cemetery.
No trailers.
Contact Jon Hillukka if you would like to join.
If you would like to make an anonymous donation to the family, please put in a sealed envelope and give it to Jon on Saturday.

There will be semi parade in tribute to Lyle Hodgden’s life. Trucks will line up at 1pm by the first English church in Menahga on Saturday, April 6 and follow Jon Hillukka with Lyle on the detach, on a trip through his shop yard and back to the cemetery.

No trailers.

Contact Jon Hillukka if you would like to join.

If you would like to make an anonymous donation to the family, please put in a sealed envelope and give it to Jon on Saturday.

Spring load restrictions end in south and southeast frost zones

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDOT/bulletins/39325b8

Contact us if you are interested in pursuing Outside Credit for this webinar series. Or Complete a request for approval from the MN-SFI page (link below). Be sure to copy [email protected] with your request.

https://yale.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Rf4VdqbNTqKgpXtKQw1YKQ #/registration
https://www.mnsfi.org/_files/ugd/a33698_ba0324b1e614423e8a004d3624482549.pdf

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Yale Forest Forum - Tribal Forestry: Understanding Current Issues and Challenges in Contemporary and Traditional Management of Forested Landscapes. . After registering, you will receive a confirmation... The Yale Forest Forum is excited to announce the Spring 2024 speaker series on the topic of “Tribal Forestry: Understanding Current Issues & Challenges in Contemporary & Traditional Management of Forested Landscapes.” Webinars will take place on Thursdays, January 18 to April 25 from 12:00-12:55...

Forest Service Issues a SOPI to Extend Timber Sales for Adverse Conditions

Randy Moore, Chief of the USDA-Forest Service, issued a Substantial Overriding Public Interest (SOPI) that will allow certain timber sales and stewardship agreements for a rate redetermination and a contract extension of up to 2 years.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/15/2024-05286/extension-of-certain-timber-sale-contracts-finding-of-substantial-overriding-public-interest #:~:text=SUMMARY%3A,sale%20of%20property%20stewardship%20contracts.

Extension of Certain Timber Sale Contracts; Finding of Substantial Overriding Public Interest The Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, has determined that it is in the substantial overriding public interest (SOPI) to redetermine pulpwood rates and extend up to two years certain National Forest System timber sales and sale of property stewardship contracts. This finding...

NLEB Final Guidance Delayed

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is extending the voluntary interim guidance period for the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) until the final tools and guidance are issued this summer. The final guidance was originally scheduled to be completed in April 2024.

Effective date to reclassify northern long-eared bat as endangered extended | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is delaying the effective date of the final rule to reclassify the northern long-eared bat from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The agency is extending the effective date by 60 days, from Jan. 30, 2023, to March 31, 2023.

LogSafe training season starts tomorrow! First stop - Rochester, MN. Nearly 1000 logging professionals will attend First Aid / CPR / Wildreness First Aid / Logger Safety / OSHA training as part of their annual LogSafe training requirements over the next 8 weeks. On top of that, Qualified Logging Professionals will complete an additional 6+ hours of annual continueing education.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDOT/bulletins/390a52a

Spring load restrictions end in metro frost zone Spring load restrictions end in metro frost zone Minnesota Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 03/14/2024 04:03 PM CDT Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Seasonal Load Limits SEASONAL LOAD LIMIT NOTIFICATION Subject: Spring load restrictions end in metro frost z...

Anytime the summer is hotter or cooler, drier or wetter than usual, you will see news stories about farmers, with speculation about damaged crops or losses.

Minnesota's loggers also depend on the weather, though they usually get the kind they need — cold. The colder it is and the longer it is cold, the better it is for cutting and hauling wood.

This winter, the warmest on record for Minnesota, has been a huge challenge for them.

Ramstad: Most of Minnesota's logging happens in winter, when there is a winter Anytime the summer is hotter or cooler, drier or wetter than usual, you will see news stories about farmers, with speculation about damaged crops or losses. Minnesota's loggers also depend on the weather, though they usually get the kind they need — cold. The colder it is and the longer it is cold...

DEED to convene regional event series highlighting local and state resources for entrepreneurs and small businesses
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Office of Small Business and Innovation is working with partners across the state to host a series of events to highlight the many organizations and resources available to help entrepreneurs and small businesses start and succeed. Learn more from the news release.

MN DNR Forest Health Annual Report 2023
The annual forest health report provides updates from the forest health unit and information about significant damage to forests recorded in our aerial and ground surveys. The report is of special interest to foresters who can use it to learn what is threatening forests they manage. Explore the report.

March 2024 Forest Industry and Resource Newsletter March 2024 Forest Industry and Resource Newsletter Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. March 2024 Forest Industry and Resource Newsletter March 6, 2024 Reports MN DNR Forest Health Annual Report 2023 The annual forest health report provides updates from the forest health unit a...

Get the latest on Minnesota's spring load restrictions
As of March 11, 2024, spring load restrictions are in effect across the entire state of Minnesota.

view.email.cts.umn.edu

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/input/rules/amendment-endangered-threatened-special-concern-species-list.html

Possible Amendment to the State List of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species What are these rules about?Minnesota’s Endangered Species Statute (Minnesota Statutes, Section 84.0895) requires the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to adopt rules designating species meeting the statutory definitions of endangered, threatened, or species of special concern. The re...

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDOT/bulletins/38eb801

Winter load increases end and spring load restrictions start in north frost zone Winter load increases end and spring load restrictions start in north frost zone Minnesota Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 03/04/2024 04:14 PM CST Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Seasonal Load Limits SEASONAL LOAD LIMIT NOTIFICATION Subject: Winter load i...

https://forestresources.org/2024/02/29/exposure-to-the-woods-bringing-newcomers-to-the-forest-industry/

Exposure to the Woods: Bringing Newcomers to the Forest Industry FRA Northeastern Region Consultant, Eric Kingsley, introduces Garret to the Forest Products Industry. Will he become a part of our workforce?

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/obituaries/obits/thomas-congdon-mccabe-5d0135ff67a60618cb3bf3a9-65de0e25183590000e7a0bb4

Thomas Congdon McCabe Age 93, of Duluth passed away in Open Arms Senior Living on Sunday, February 25, 2024. Thomas was born on December 24, 1930 to William John, Jr. and Virginia McCabe. He graduated from Duluth Central in 1948. He married the love of his life, Alice Johnson on July 17, 1954.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDOT/bulletins/38d5b82

Winter load increases end and spring load restrictions start in central frost zone Winter load increases end and spring load restrictions start in central frost zone Minnesota Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 02/26/2024 12:38 PM CST Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Seasonal Load Limits SEASONAL LOAD LIMIT NOTIFICATION Subject: Winter load...

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDOT/bulletins/38c20fe

Spring load restrictions start in south, southeast and metro frost zones Spring load restrictions start in south, southeast and metro frost zones Minnesota Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 02/21/2024 01:19 PM CST Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Seasonal Load Limits SEASONAL LOAD LIMIT NOTIFICATION Subject: Spring load restricti...

https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/public-listening-session-about-future-land-cloquet-forestry-center

U of M to host public listening session about future of the land where the Cloquet Forestry Center resides Session is the latest in ongoing discussions about returning land to Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa