Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Encyclopedia
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
s, state forest
State forest
A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...
s, recreational trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s, and recreation areas as well as managing minerals, wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
. The agency is currently divided into sections Ecological Resources, Enforcement, Fish & Wildlife, Forestry, Lands and Minerals, Waterway
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
s, Parks and Trails, and Waters.
History
Efforts to conserve Minnesota'sMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
wildlife began as early as 1876, with a forestry association established to protect the state's timber resources. However, those efforts became futile as the industry took over and people sought the money that could be made on the land. Over time, there were other attempts to control the destruction of resources, but most only had effects on what was done to public land, such as the Land Commission established in 1885. In 1911 the Minnesota Forest Service was established to conserve the state's forests by promoting fire prevention and protection.
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
was an important time for the Department of Conservation. Federal unemployment programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
and the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
provided labor to construct buildings, clear trails, and plant trees. Many of the buildings in Minnesota's state parks were built during this period.
In 1971 the name of the agency was changed to the Department of Natural Resources to "better reflect its broader responsibilities." More sections of the Minnesota Government were added to the Department and many of the division names changed. Old policies were replaced with new and more prevalent ones geared towards new issues associated with an increase in state land use.
Ecological Resources
The Division of Ecological Resources studies the ecosystems within Minnesota. They analyze the information in order to understand how the ecosystemEcosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s function, how they benefit the citizens of Minnesota, how they are impacted by human use, and what long term effects will take place on the health of the ecosystems. The division is involved in locating and protecting endangered and threatened species, as well as the habitats that are vital to the conservation of those species. Another part of the division's responsibilities is in managing threats against the ecosystem. These threats include: harmful invasive species, fish and wildlife diseases, and the negative impact human development can have on the environment. One of the largest programs that the Division of Ecological Resources is in charge of is Minnesota’s Nongame Wildlife Program, which focuses on the conservation of species that are not hunted. This would include trumpeter swans
Trumpeter Swan
The Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, is the largest native North American bird, if measured in terms of weight and length, and is the largest living waterfowl species on earth. It is the North American counterpart of the European Whooper Swan.-Description:Males typically measure from and weigh...
, bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s and Minnesota’s state bird, the common loon
Great Northern Diver
The Great Northern Loon, Great Northern Diver, or Common Loon , is a large member of the loon, or diver, family of birds...
.
Enforcement
As the name implies, the division focuses on the enforcement of Minnesota’s natural resource laws. Originally part of the Fish and Game Division, the Enforcement Division’s goal has not changed much: keep the public safe. Conservation Officers employed by this division enforce laws regarding hunting, fishing, trapping, recreational vehicles, State Parks and Wild riceWild rice
Wild rice is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China...
harvesting. A second focus is educating the public about safety. Classes are taught by trained volunteers and are often related to the enforced laws. The division also enforces air and water quality la
Fish and Wildlife
The Division of Fish and Wildlife was part of the original Department of Conservation. Originally called the Fish and Game Division, it was created to manage, protect and regulate the state’s fish and wildlife resource. This division manages all of the lands acquired by the Department of Natural Resources. An example of this is on sister lakes, Lake Maria and Lake Sarah, in Murray Country where the DNR bought 640 acres (2.6 km²) of land between the two lakes to help improve water quality. They also disperse licenses and recreational vehicle registrations throughout Minnesota.Forestry
The Division of Forestry was founded in 1911 as the Minnesota Forest Service, predating the Department of Natural Resources and its predecessor Department of Conservation. The mission of the Division of Forestry is to maintain healthy forests. This is done through cooperative forest management, fire management and state land management.Parks and Trails
This division was also part of the Minnesota Forestry Service until it was given its own division in the Department of Conservation in 1935. The Division of Parks and Trails has three major goals. The first being to preserve both natural and cultural resources in Minnesota. The second comes in educating visitors of the 73 State Parks. And the third goal is to opportunities for visitors to enjoy recreational activities in the parks, without causing damage to the wildlife, so people will be able to appreciate the resources for generations.Waterways
Waterways take part in the effort to publish individual water access maps by county, individual state trail maps, snowmobile trail maps, Off Highway Vehicle trail maps, Lake Superior Kayak Trail maps as well as maps of rivers within Minnesota for boaters and canoeists.Waters
The Waters division is accountable for all lakes, rivers and streams, wetlands, and ground waters within the state. The division enforces permits implemented to protect and preserve Minnesota's water resources. The program works on observing the effects of climateClimate of Minnesota
The climate of Minnesota is typical of a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Minnesota's location in the Upper Midwest allows it to experience some of the widest variety of weather in the United States, with each of the four seasons having its own distinct characteristics...
on the water resources and analyzes the data in order to understand and address the impact the climate has on the Minnesota's wildlife and its citizens.
Publications
The Minnesota Department of Natural resources publishes a magazine called the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer. The magazine is distributed bimonthly, mailed to subscribers the first week of January, March, May, July, September, and November. The Minnesota Conservation Volunteer is a "donor-supported magazine advocating conservation and careful use of Minnesota's natural resources." Most of the articles are also made available on the official DNR website.Volunteering
Much of the services provided by the Minnesota DNR are actually done by the more than 33,000 volunteers that actively contribute. The Department has volunteer positions ranging from jobs that require little to no prior experience, to jobs that require specialists with varying skills and a great amount of experience. There are over a dozen specific volunteer programs offered through the DNR that aim to preserve the state's natural beauty.Commissioners
Commissioners of the DNR since its formation in 1931:- William T. Cox Aug. 20, 1931-Feb. 1933
- E.V. Willard (acting) Feb. 1933-Sept. 1933
- E.V. Willard Sept. 1933-July 1937
- Herman C. Wenzel July 1, 1937-April 26, 1939
- Lester R. Badger (acting) April 26, 1939-July 1939
- Lewis H. Merrill (acting) July 14, 1939-1939
- William L. Strunk Feb. 1, 1940-Feb. 1, 1943
- E.V. Willard Feb. 1, 1943-March 16, 1943
- Chester S. Wilson March 16, 1943-March 15, 1955
- Clarence Prout (acting) March 15, 1955-May 1, 1955
- George A. Selke May 1, 1955–1960
- Clarence Prout Jan. 4, 1961-July 1, 1963
- Wayne H. Olson July 1, 1963-July 16, 1966
- Robert L. Herbst (acting) July 16, 1966-Feb. 14, 1967
- Jarle B. Leirfallom Jan. 20, 1967-Jan. 1971
- Robert L. Herbst Jan. 4, 1971-Feb. 16, 1977
- Michael C. O'Donnell (acting) Feb. 1977-June 30, 1977
- William B. Nye July 5, 1977-June 30, 1978
- Joseph N. Alexander July 1, 1978-Jan. 4, 1991
- Rodney W. Sando Jan. 3, 1991-Jan. 4, 1999
- Ronald Nargang (acting) Jan. 4, 1999-Jan. 13, 1999
- Alan Horner Jan. 13, 1999-Jan.19, 1999
- Raymond B. Hitchcock (acting) Jan. 20, 1999-Feb. 14, 1999
- Allen Garber Feb. 15, 1999-Jan. 3, 2003
- Brad Moore (acting) Jan. 6, 2003-Jan. 20, 2003
- Gene Merriam Jan. 27, 2003-Jan. 2, 2007
- Mark HolstenMark HolstenMark William Holsten is an American politician in Minnesota. Holsten, a Republican, served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1993 to 2002. He represented district 56A until November 2002 and, after redistricting, won election in 52B but was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Natural...
Jan. 3, 2007–Jan. 3, 2011 - Laurie Martinson (acting) Jan. 4, 2011-Jan. 5, 2011
- Tom Landwehr Jan. 6, 2011-Present