Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is hosting a Fire Safety Education Day on Saturday, September 14. Bring the whole family for a fun, free day packed with fire safety education! Kids will learn what to do in case of a fire, explore fire trucks and emergency vehicles, and meet Sparky the Fire Safety Dog. Plus, check out the smoke simulator house, safety demos, activities, and giveaways throughout the day! DNR staff will be teaching campfire safety and how to prevent and respond to wildfires. Explore our tracked vehicle and fire engines while you're there. And practice putting out a “fire” with water bladder bags! https://lnkd.in/gSDZRe3P

Ready to grow your community’s urban forestry program? If so, check out our Centering Communities in Canopy Solutions Grants! We’re offering $1 million in competitive grants to help more people access the benefits of a healthy tree canopy. Funding can cover staff time, tree planting care, and much more. Projects must be focused in areas with environmental justice concerns. Want to learn more? Join us for an informational webinar on September 11 from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. to find out how you can apply and increase your chances of success. Applications close October 28. Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/gaXvvnqQ This funding is made possible by the U.S. Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act.

No two days are the same when you work at Minnesota State Parks and Trails! If you've visited Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area this summer, you may have seen beloved parks and trails associate Jennifer monitoring several nests of purple martins at Portsmouth Campground, a yearly joy for her since 2011. Purple martins are considered a rare species in Minnesota. While they can be found across Minnesota in the spring and summer, these graceful swallows almost completely depend on human-supplied housing when nesting east of the Rocky Mountains. In 2011, Jennifer and Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area were approached by the local Cuyuna Range Youth Center asking to dedicate grant funds towards beautification projects at the recreation area. A dream of purple martins filling the skies quickly grew into a colony of purple martin houses, four bluebird houses, and a chimney swift tower at the campground thanks to an incredible collaboration between Cuyuna Range Youth Center, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Audubon Minnesota, and staff from Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area itself. These days, from mid-May to early August, Jennifer checks in on the purple martin nests every week, meticulously recording hatchling and growth details, pulling blow fly larvae off the chicks, and admiring them before carefully placing them back into their nests. Nest checks are vital for their survival and are done approximately every five to seven days. Nest replacements (when the old nest is tossed away and replaced with white pine needles) are done usually two times between hatching and fledging. The main purpose of nest replacements is for lice, fleas, mites, and blow fly larvae. Blow fly larvae will attach to the chicks and can eventually lead to death. This year, 118 chicks successfully fledged. Because many of the purple martins have been banded, Jennifer has even found that some find their way back to the campground—and even the same nest compartment!    Check out a few behind-the-scenes snapshots below of Jennifer working with the chicks from earlier this summer, and look for purple martins on their way south in the coming days and weeks!

Our forestry staff had a great time at Bemidji Pride Family Festival last Saturday and enjoyed all the connections they made. They had great conversations about trees, environmental justice, and how to manage your woods. People were engaged and excited to hear about upcoming forestry programs. It was great to see everyone come together to celebrate diversity – which is important to both our communities and our forests! To learn more about what’s going on with our urban and community forestry program, visit https://lnkd.in/gJQwvWKe

Grant Opportunity Alert! Growing a healthy tree canopy depends on fostering the next generation of tree care providers – and we’re dedicated to doing just that! With funding from the U.S. Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act, we’re offering $2.3 million through competitive grants aimed at recruiting, training, and retaining youth and adults from environmental justice areas for careers in urban forestry. The Growing Tomorrow’s Tree Care Professionals Grants will help build the skilled workforce needed to address the growing challenges facing our urban forests. Want to learn more? Join us for an informational webinar on August 27th from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. to find out how you can apply and increase your chances of success. Register at https://lnkd.in/gaXvvnqQ

This could be you! 🫵 🦆 As an assistant area wildlife manager, you’re tasked with protecting and enhancing wildlife populations and recreational use on public lands. 🌱 The seven-county work area for these positions includes managing 40,615 acres of public land across 183 state wildlife management areas. ✌️ We have two openings – one based out of Glenwood and the other out of Fergus Falls. Apply today! Job ID: 79206 https://ow.ly/PSvk50T2uq4

Reforestation is foundational to forest management. But it is not always easy to keep the trees growing and the invasive species at bay. Blowdown from a severe storm in 2015 and repeated deer browse have created significant reforestation challenges in Pillsbury State Forest. But DNR Forester Karla Sandstrom is working hard to keep our forests thriving - and doing a little research along the way. She’s turned the challenges into an opportunity to compare success rates of natural regeneration (trees that seed or sprout on their own) and planted white pine seedlings in a 26-acre plot with a deer exclosure fence (yes, a fence to keep the deer out!) vs those growing in 3 plots without a fence. It is too early for official results or a published paper. But both the fence and planted seedlings look to be a good investment so far!

Are you looking for a career in social media? Do you want to work for an agency with strong values and a great mission? Look no further! The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking a Social Media Coordinator who is knowledgeable about SM strategy and tactics to join our team! Learn more and apply by searching job ID 78883 at http://mn.gov/mmb/careers The application is open through September 3 – apply now for this excellent opportunity!

In Minnesota, 836 trained Watercraft Inspectors are at public water accesses to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) through boater education, inspections and decontaminations. This year, watercraft inspectors have already completed 305,000 inspections! Did you know? Boaters can find FREE decontamination service locations here: www.mndnr.gov/decon. The staff follow specific protocols, using hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds) to kill AIS and, if necessary, a high-pressure water to remove attached AIS.

🌲 Exciting Career Opportunity🌲 Looking for a way to grow your career while growing the next generation of Minnesota’s forests? We have a new opening for a dedicated Natural Resources Forestry Specialist Senior to join our team in Brainerd. This position will help coordinate the foresters who work with private landowners and the State Forest Nursery. Position Highlights: -Serve as the primary contact between foresters and Nursery staff. -Assist with private landowner seedling orders, payment assignments, delivery, seedling availability, and more. -Support Nursery operations, including seedbed preparation, seeding strategies, and seedling lifting during spring and fall seasons. -Coordinate outreach and education about the Nursery's impact on private forest management. Minimum Qualifications: -Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Science/Management or a related field. -2 years of intermediate-level professional experience OR 3 years of entry-level professional experience. -Class A Driver's License (CDL) or ability to acquire one within six months. -Knowledge in forest management, nursery operations, chemistry for pesticide use, and more. -Skills in operating nursery equipment, seedling handling, and safety practices. Apply Now: If this sounds like the right fit for you, apply! To see the full position description, please type the Job ID: 78909 in our career portal: https://lnkd.in/gmxFVHWs. The posting closes on August 20. Don't miss this amazing opportunity to make a difference in Minnesota’s forests!