Carlton County

This listing is produced by the Minnesota State Lottery from information provided by project managers and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources.  While we attempt to provide the most current information, specific project locations and allocations do change. Information on projects for the current biennium, in particular, should be regarded as preliminary.

County Geologic Atlas and South-Central Minnesota Groundwater – 2009. This appropriation to the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Geological Survey and Department of Natural Resources will help collect information on the geology of Minnesota below the surface, including the state’s critical groundwater resources. The project will pay particular attention to the Mt. Simon aquifer, one of the major sources of water in central Minnesota, with this year’s studies focusing on McLeod, Wright, Sherburne, and Isanti counties. In addition, the Minnesota Geological Survey will produce atlases of the geology of Todd, Carlton, McLeod, Carver, Benton, and Chisago counties.

Development and Rehabilitation of Minnesota Shooting Ranges − 2003-05 biennium. Through this appropriation, 28 recreational shooting organizations and archery clubs across the state received grants from the Trust Fund, along with matching grants from the Minnesota DNR Division of Enforcement, to make improvements to archery ranges and shooting ranges that are available for public use. In Carlton County, grants were used to improve the archery facilities for the City of Carlton. 

Minnesota County Biological Survey - 2001-03 biennium, 1999-01biennium and 1997-99 biennium.  2001 marks the start of the eighth biennia of this ambitious twelve-biennium project that identifies significant natural areas and systematically collects and interprets data on the distribution and ecology of natural communities, rare plants and area animals. Since 1987, surveys have been completed or are underway in 64 counties. Survey work in Carlton County began during the 1997-99 biennium and continues in the 1999-01 biennium and 2001-03 biennium.

Accelerated Transfer of New Forest Research Findings - 1999-01 biennium.  With its roots in the 1993 Generic Environmental Impact Study on Timber Harvesting and Forest Management and the 1995 Minnesota Sustainable Forest Resources Act, the Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative used this appropriation to host an international conference in Duluth and continuing education workshops for natural resource professionals in Winona, Grand Rapids and Cloquet. The cooperative, supported by public and private members, encourages an approach to resource management where social, economic and ecological values work together to sustain healthy, productive forest systems.

By-Products Application to Agricultural, Mineland and Forest Soils - 1999-01 biennium with an extension to June 30, 2002. During the past few decades, there has been increased awareness of the importance of incorporating recycling into our everyday lives. It is equally important to support the idea of recycling on a large-scale, industrial level. One way of achieving this goal is to find environmentally sound, socially acceptable and economically feasible methods to beneficially use municipal and industrial by-products.  In northeastern Minnesota, where this study took place, major by-products include bio-solids (a by-product from city wastewater treatment plants), ash from wood-fired boilers and leftover sludge from paper production. These substances have the potential to improve growing conditions on cropland, mine land reclamation projects and forest soils.  Experiments with these materials in the lab, greenhouse and field gathered data on plant growth and the chemical composition of plants, soils and groundwater.  The Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) administered this project in conjunction with the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District in Duluth and cooperation from the University Of Minnesota and many other individuals and corporations. Findings from this study will help refine MPCA guidelines for by-product application and co-application, especially for mine land and forest soils where data is often lacking. Using these by-products as soil amendments provides an opportunity for their utilization as a resource as opposed to their disposal as waste.

Local Initiatives Grants Program - 1999-01 biennium. Appropriations from the Trust Fund for this project allowed the Department of Natural Resources to fund the Natural and Scenic Area Grants Program, the Conservation Partners Grants Program and the Environmental Partnerships Grants Program during the biennium. More than 140 different projects across the state were approved for matching grants from July of 1999 through June of 2001.  In Carlton County, the Citizens Action Committee of St. Louis River received a grant to develop detailed plans for a habitat restoration project on the lower St. Louis River.

Mussel Resource Survey - 1999-01 biennium. During the first two years of this project (this biennium), biologists and other staff from the Department of Natural Resources sampled 886 sites in 32 Minnesota rivers, 64 tributaries and 12 lakes including three sites on the Midway River, four sites on the Moosehorn River, one site on Otter Creek and eight sites on the St. Louis River in Carlton County during August and September of 2000.  According to the website for this project, http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nhnrp/mussel_survey/index.html, freshwater mussels, commonly called clams, occur throughout the world but reach their greatest diversity in North America where about 300 species are found. Unfortunately, within the last 100 years mussel communities have declined in abundance and diversity due to dam construction, stream channelization, water pollution and sedimentation, over harvesting and the recent introduction of the exotic Zebra Mussel. In response, groups such as the American Fisheries Society and The Nature Conservancy have identified mussels as the most imperiled group of animals in North America. The primary goal of this project is to build the information base necessary to sustain freshwater mussels in Minnesota. Building this base of information is expected to take about six years to complete.

Nongame Wildlife Management - 1999-01 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Nongame Wildlife Program used this grant from the Trust Fund to help carry out more than 65 wildlife conservation projects during the biennium. Among the research, habitat management, information and education and planning activities were planting of lakescaping sites, development of bald eagle management plans, surveys of loon, hawk and owl populations, habitat improvements for endangered and threatened species and wildlife management workshops.  In Carlton County, a survey of wood turtle populations took place on the Nemadji and St. Louis Rivers.  The website for the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Program is http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nongame/index.html

Predicting Water and Forest Resources Health and Sustainability - 1999-01 biennium. This project, organized by the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth, identified and compiled existing data on forest birds, amphibians, aquatic insects and native plant communities in the Drift and Lake Plains and the Northern Superior Uplands of northern Minnesota. The result is a mathematical model called SUSTAIN that can be used by resource managers to predict future forest ecosystem health and sustainability for northern Minnesota forests.

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition, Development, Betterment and Rehabilitation - 1999-01 biennium. This project provided funds to acquire 155 acres of critical private land within the current boundaries of six of our state parks - 11 acres at Fort Snelling in Hennepin and Dakota Counties, 2 acres at Frontenac in Goodhue County, 11 acres at Moose Lake in Carlton County, 10 acres at Nerstrand Big Woods in Rice County, 81 acres at Sibley in Kandiyohi County and 40 acres at Whitewater in Winona County. This project also provided development funds for a municipal sewer connection at Banning State Park in Pine County, design funding for the new visitor center at Forestville Mystery Cave State Park in Fillmore County and a portion of the development cost for the Itasca Suites guest lodging at Itasca State Park in Clearwater County.

Minnesota’s Forest Bird Diversity Initiative - 1999-01 biennium, 1997-99 biennium, 1995-97 biennium, 1993-95 biennium and 1991-93 biennium. Forest birds are key indicators of the health of Minnesota’s forest ecosystem. To address concerns of forest sustainability, the Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Research Institute (at the University of Minnesota, Duluth) launched Minnesota’s Forest Bird Diversity Initiative in 1991. The Initiative’s goal is to develop landscape management tools to maintain the state’s unique diversity of forest birds through long-term monitoring of bird populations, research, modeling and education. This initiative relies on more than 1,600 bird count locations in Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Mille Lacs, Olmsted, Pine, Rice, St. Louis, Wabasha and Winona Counties. For more information about this project, including other sponsors, visit www.nrri.umn.edu/mnbirds.

Restoring White Pine in the Minnesota Landscape - 1997-99 biennium.  Through 1900, white pine was a major forest component in much of Minnesota including Carlton County. However, logging, fires and regeneration problems reduced white pine acreage by about 85 percent and there is now a moratorium on harvesting white pine as well as a statewide effort to determine why it has problems regenerating. The University of Minnesota, which is in charge of the research, aims to recommend methods for successful seeding and planting.

RIM Critical Habitat Match - 1993-95 biennium.  This program provides matching funds to those who want to buy or improve critical fish, wildlife and native plant habitats in Minnesota.  Some of these funds are being used to buy natural areas for scientific study, education and nature observation; others are helping restore waterfowl population to their 1970s levels.  This grant was used to add 55 acres to the Blackhoof River Wildlife Management Area south of Scotts Corner.  Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

RIM Wildlife Habitat Stewardship - 1993-95 biennium.  About 29,000 acres of state land is being developed and improved to protect wildlife and native plants.  The Department of Natural Resources is restoring prairies, brush land, forests and non-game habitat while planting and managing native vegetation to enhance hunting, observing nature and education.  The Carlton County grant was used for brush land development. 

St. Louis River Land Acquisition - 1993-95 biennium.   The Department of Natural Resources is purchasing undeveloped land along the St. Louis, Cloquet and Whiteface Rivers.  The land will be protected for its scenic, recreational, historic and archaeological qualities.  

State Park Betterment - 1993-95 biennium.  The Department of Natural Resources is improving state parks by rehabilitating existing facilities and building new ones. In Carlton County, the program permitted building rehabilitation in Jay Cooke State Park.

State Trail Development - 1993-95 biennium.  This grant was used to purchase and develop a 25-mile segment of the Willard Munger State Trail between Barnum and Carlton.  Upon completion, the trail will run from St. Paul to Duluth and will be used for hiking, cycling, skiing, snowmobiling and horseback riding.

09/25/09 - TM

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