Skiing through the forest on the numerous Sugarbush trails, mountain biking the area paths, hiking along the Superior Trail, or climbing Tofte overlook on Carlton Peak during the fall to view the brilliant maple colors, this is a unique recreation area and tourist destination.
Over 100 acres of beautiful forest near the Sawbill Trail on the Superior side of Britton Peak, along with other parcels in the immediate area, are owned by the Minnesota School Trust. A very small portion of the nearly 2.5 million acres owned across the state to generate annual revenue of about $45 million from minerals, logging and real estate.
The Britton Peak area is scheduled for timber auction in June 2017. This area of mostly maple trees with a mixture of cedar and spruce trees will be harvested for firewood, pulp, and milled lumber according to DNR Regional Forester Patty Thielen, based in Grand Rapids, Minn. The DNR manages forest property for the School Trust.
Local DNR foresters have been helpful in answering questions and trying to reduce the impact clear strip logging will create, especially as the area includes portions of ski, bike, and snowmobile trails. However, they plan to have the highest logging bidder remove one-third of the trees during a 2017 harvest by gap cutting, a series of very visible clear cut strips (i.e. 40 ft. clear with 80 ft. of trees remaining) through the area.
DNR has reportedly been directed by the Legislature and Governor’s Office to increase revenue statewide through timber sales and replant for long term agricultural productivity. The Britton Peak parcels are healthy, biodiverse, and regenerating forest land, unfortunately making it a cash crop for harvest. After harvesting, red oaks will be planted to develop a mixed hardwood forest according to the regional forest manager.
Logging forest land across the state to raise ongoing revenue for schools may be a good practice in general. However, some forest areas have value that require special management to serve the public’s best interest. The Britton Peak parcels would generate a relatively insignificant 0.0004 percent of the total annual revenue from School Trust lands. Now is the time for finding a successful solution in managing the Sawtooth range forests in Cook County, treating them as a Minnesota jewel. Looking at strips of cleared maples is not the view people visit for.
Governor Dayton and the 12-member Commission of Legislators need to inform the DNR that logging this area needs to be delayed until viable solutions are considered. These may include: . Pursue a land swap as was recently discussed for other School Trust properties in Legislative Committee; . Leasing for maple syrup production; . Raise the approximately $20,000 to bid on the lumber rights and then not harvest (Forester Thielen confirmed this is possible if the bidder has appropriate logging credentials); . Inquire if the Nature Conservancy or MN Parks and Trails could offer long term protection.
Legislative School Fund Commission member contacts are available at www.lcc.leg.mn/ lpsfc/members.htm.
Brian Hoffman
Tofte
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