Byway' Timber Management Plan from USFS

Dennis Neitzke, Gunflint Ranger, layout a forest timber management plan for about six miles along the Gunflint Scenic Byways- from near the South Brule River to just below Swamper Lake. To view the Forest Services management plans go to http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=34282 .

The following is a letter from Neitzke announcing the program-Date: July 11, 2011-

Dear Interested Public:
I am writing to let you know about an opportunity to comment on our proposal for forest
vegetation management in the Lima Green Project Area and to invite anyone interested to attend a field trip to discuss the proposal. The location where these activities are proposed is about 12 miles north of Grand Marais, Minnesota and is displayed on the enclosed vicinity map. The proposed actions are intended to accomplish multiple objectives which are explained in the scoping report, but I’ll highlight a few of these objectives here.
One of the objectives of this project is to improve moose habitat. The Lima Green Project Area has a relatively high population of moose, even though the moose population in northeastern Minnesota is declining. Although habitat alone is not likely limiting moose numbers, providing a constant supply of shrub and small tree forage near stands of conifer trees may encourage moose survival.
Another objective of this project is to restore red and white pine. As red and white pines grow
larger, they add scenic beauty to roads and trails, offer habitat for many wildlife species and
provide timber products for the local economy. The Lima Green Project Area has some of the
highest percentages of red and white pine forest types on the Gunflint District. However, young pine rarely becomes established in the understory of these stands therefore it is important we establish young pine regeneration.
Enhancement of the long-term scenic quality of the Gunflint Trail is a third important objective of the project. Some of the tree species along the Gunflint Trail are short lived species and need some kind of disturbance to regenerate. District personnel have been working with the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee to develop actions that would improve the scenic quality, improve ecosystem health or reduce fuel hazards.
To accomplish these and other objectives, proposed activities would include intermediate and regeneration harvests, reforestation activities, prescribed burning and understory fuels reduction. Additional proposed actions include constructing and obliterating temporary roads to access units and the decommissioning of roads no longer needed.
All project objectives and proposed actions are explained in more detail in the Lima Green
Scoping Report. The report includes: the purpose and need for the project, summaries of the
proposed activities, a map of proposed activity locations, and other project information. The
Lima Green Scoping Report can be found on the Superior National Forest website at
www.fs.usda.gov/goto/superior/projects or you may request a copy from the Gunflint Ranger
District.I will be accepting your comments until August 12, 2011. You may submit your comments by writing, faxing, emailing, or calling. All comments received (including names and addresses) will become part of the project file and are public information. Please be sure to include your name, address, and the Lima Green Project name, regardless of how you submit comments. Written comments sent via mail, FAX (218-387-3246), or email must be addressed to:
Dennis Neitzke, District Ranger
ATTN: Lima Green Project
Gunflint Ranger District
2020 West Highway 61
Grand Marais, MN 55604

Banadad Sequesters Carbon in Tree Planting

Tree Planting along the Banadad

 
The Banadad Trail Association, friends and neighbors this spring are planting six hundred red and white pines and 100 white spruce trees in previously logged and “blow-down” areas along the eastern end of the Banadad Ski Trail and around Little Ollie Lake. Some 350 trees went into the ground over this past weekend. The remaining trees are planned to be planted during this week by local members of the Association, guests and staff at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B. As in previous years, the tree planting is a way for the Banadad Trail Association to insure that the maintenance and grooming of the trail remains carbon neutral. Similarly Poplar Creek B&B, in joining with the Association in this project, is seeking to sequester the carbon produced by the use of its vehicles in these new tree
This weekend project was injunction with the Gunflint annual Green-Up.. The year’s event attracted some two hundred participants who in addition to the tree planting along the Banadad began clearing the underbrush, called –releasing’” around trees previously planted during the event in past years.

Ollie Lake Tree Planting Continues Inspite of the Snow

May 9- one inch of snow covered the ground this morning along the mid-Gunflint Trail area and the snow continued to fall until about 10:00 am. By late afternoon the fresh snow was gone.

On the other hand, Poplar Lake did see its fishing opener, even though most in the area were saying Poplar and other mid size lakes in the area would still be ice covered for the opener. The ice actually went-out yesterday, the day before the opener.

Here around Little Ollie Lake, as a follow-up to last week's Gunflint Green Up, several neighbors were out planting more trees. Most planted on their own property. Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B, this year, planted white pines on the trail to the Tall Pines Yurt. While walking along the Little Ollie Road it was clear that most of the white pines and spruce planted last year along the road had survived the winter and appeared to be doing fine.

Gunflint Green Up Happening May 1-2, 2009

People, Trees, and Community -- Coming Together for a Better Future

Grand Marais, MN ­ The second annual Gunflint Green Up takes place May 1-2 at various locations along the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway in northeastern Minnesota. All planting and release sites are located within the Superior National Forest, in the area affected by the Ham Lake Fire of May 2007.

Gunflint Green Up begins with a Green Living Fair on the afternoon of Friday, May 1, at Gunflint Lodge’s conference center. The Green Living Fair is inspired by the idea that green living and planting trees go hand-in-hand, and that good stewards of the forest must be good stewards of the environment. The Green Living Fair offers a collection of local experts to assist the community and its visitors in that direction. Stewardship begins at home, whether home is the Gunflint Trail or hundreds of miles away.

Following the Green Living Fair, there will be a picnic in the big top at Gunflint Lodge, music by the Sivertones, and a presentation by local artist Howard Sivertson.

Saturday is tree planting and release of the overgrowth around the trees planted in 2008, trail lunch, dinner in the big top with music by Gerald Thilmany, celebration of the 100^th anniversary of Superior National Forest, and dance with Trail’s End Band.

All participants must register to take part in the program. This year the registration options include ala carte meals, and an option to “plant only.” Participants can register for the Gunflint Green Up online at www.gunflintgreenup.com. The registration fee for all meals and programs is $40 per individual or $100 per family (1-­ 2 adults and their children 16 years of age and younger) and includes Friday’s Green Living Fair, dinner, evening presentation, Saturday tree planting, box lunch, dinner, dance, and t-shirt. Please visit the website for ala carte options.

All planting and release sites are within Superior National Forest and the area affected by the Ham Lake Fire of May 2007. Planting locations include the vicinities of Trail's End Campground, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, Kekekabic and Magnetic Rock Trails, Round Lake public landings, and the Iron Lake Campground. All are public lands; participants may visit the trees in future years.

“Green Up participants found the event to be a time they could give back to the Gunflint Trail, a special place that has given them so much through the years,” said Nancy Seaton, chair of the Gunflint Green Up Committee. “Planting a tree can be a powerful experience when you think of all the animals and people who will find a home in its branches or beauty in its shadows. Last summer people stopped me on the streets of Grand Marais to say they were going up the Trail to visit ‘their’ trees. Green Up really gave the planters a sense of ownership, a sense of being a part of the community. Green Up is as much about creating a greater community as it is about planting the trees for future generations.”

Sunday is the Ham Run Half Marathon (separate registration required). Information on the marathon can be found at www.hamrunhalfmarathon.com.

The 2008 Gunflint Green Up was awarded the Explore Minnesota Tourism “Sustainable Tourism Award” and the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region Honor Award “Connecting Citizens to the Land.”

Registration: www.GunflintGreenUp.com . Questions: email hjo@boreal.org.

Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B and Cabin is offering a Green-up Special for more information click on- Green-up Special.

Banadad Ski Trail Carbon Offset Award Announced

Seagull Lake Resident, Jim Raml was the recipient of this year’s Banadad Ski Trail Carbon Offset Award of $134.44. Raml is planting some five thousand trees on his property ravaged by last Spring’s Ham Lake Fire. The planting of his property got underway this week.

“This award,” according to Ted Young, Banadad Trail Manager, “should at least help Jim plant a small portion of the tree needed to reforest his burned over property.”

According to calculation made at the end of the ski season this year’s maintenance and snowmobile grooming of the Banadad released 1.733 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. The CO2 was produced by five mid size cars and one large van traveling some 3900 miles with volunteers maintenance crews to and from the Twin Cities to the trail, and 995 miles of snowmobile trail grooming.

In calculating the cost of off-setting this carbon the Chicago Climate Exchange's "Forest Accumulation Tables” for the amounts of CO2 that can be sequestered/acre by age group of white and red pine surviving for a least ten years was used. This was then multiplied by the amount of CO2 the Trail produced times the number of trees planted/acre times the cost/tree. From this it was determined that in order to sequester the carbon the Banadad produced this past year 335 trees would have to be planted at cost of $.134.44.

“It should also be noted” Young went on to state “that, Raml was the driving force behind and the author of a quarter of a million dollar Scenic Byways grant application, that if approved, will provide much of the funds necessary for the Gunflint Ranger District to implement their proposed Ham Lake Fire reforestation program.”

Gunflint Green Up in spite of the Weather -Thousands of Trees Planted

Saturday morning as the Gunflint Green Up was about to begin and in spite of four inches of fresh snow, which had fallen during the night, an estimated four hundred and seventy five tree planter armed with planting equipment fanned out over the site of last springs Ham Lake Fire. By noon as the planters stopped for their lunches the sun had come out the temperature risen and most of the snow had melted. Nancy Seaton, Gunflint Committee Chairperson proclaimed, "that the weather had turned into a great day for planting."

Vicki Grassl, from Pine City Minnesota, and who was staying at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B claimed that she and her friend Debra Erickson from Wyoming Minnesota planted well over three hundred trees. Another guest at a Poplar Creek, Steve Alderson, from Minneapolis, and who in the 1960's was a fishing guide on Sag Lake felt that by participating in the tree planting help him to reconnect with his earlier life, "I feel like I really belong to the Trail," Alderson said after a day of tree planting.

While the final number of trees planted has yet to be totaled it is estimated that the Gunflint Green resulted in the planting of some 40,000-50,000 young red and white pines trees.

According to Dennis Neitzky, Gunflint District Ranger-USFS, who assisted the Gunflint Green Up Committee in coordinating the tree planting, "the project was a huge success and a was great start in renewing the forest burned over by last year's Ham Lake Fire."

Gunflint Green-up: Restoring the Forest

Sue Mcdonnell, Grand Marais- The Gunflint Green Up event scheduled for May 2 & 3, 2008 now has a web site: http://www.GunflintGreenUp.com . You may make tax deductible donations on this site, and register for the event.

If you prefer to mail your donation, contributions may be sent to the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department treasurer, c/o Dave Clutter,60 Voyageur's Point, Grand Marais, MN 55604. Please be sure to indicate the contribution is for the "Gunflint Green Up".

The Gunflint Green Up committee is working in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, Gunflint District. A special volunteer agreement has been arranged to allow citizen planters on Forest Service lands. Approximately 400 acres will be planted by volunteers. A total of 75,000 local seed source White and Red Pine seedlings have been reserved.

Your contributions will be used toward the purchase of tree seedlings, meals and a small gift for the volunteers, and equipment rental.The Gunflint Green Up is a Minnesota Sesquicentennial event.

For Green-up lodging Special at the Poplar Creek Guesthouse go to "Event Specials"