Conservation Stirs Controversy in Avon Hills

            Gary Pflueger had no time to talk- he was too busy, juggling his responsibilities working on the grounds at Saint John’s University and running his small farm in the rocky slopes and wet valleys that lie between Avon and Saint Joseph, Minnesota. When I caught up with him, to ask his opinion on the local Avon Hills Initiative, he paused only for a few seconds.

“Well”, said, “I got to tell you, they’re certainly not my favorite organization”

            A strong opinion, by Central Minnesota standards. It was the first, though not the last, of many uncharacteristically strong opinions I would hear that day. But what was it that could invoke such feelings of passion from a stoic resident of ‘Lake Wobegon’ country? It is a story of changes in a community, and of the relationship between residents, a university, and local government. 

           

As with so many things in rural America, though, it all starts with the land.

            The Avon Hills rise above the farms of eastern Stearns County, 80 square miles of rolling slopes, eskers, and moraines dotted with lakes and marshes, carved by the retreating glaciers of the last ice age. What sets the region apart from the surrounding fields, however, is the forest. The hills, which stretch over the Avon, Collegeville, Saint Joseph, and Saint Wendel townships, contain the highest concentration of the native plant communities in the county, with abundant oak, maple, and basswood forest, tamarack and mixed-hardwood swamps, and wetland meadows.

The Hills contain the largest intact forest in central Minnesota

            These forests were once common throughout central Minnesota, but largely disappeared with the arrival of white settlement, giving way to farm fields. The Avon Hills were preserved by their topography. The rolling slopes, soil thick with stones, and marshes were not hospitable to large expanses of corn. A handful of families carved out small patches of farmland and grazed livestock, but outside of the town of Avon itself and the grounds of Saint John’s Abbey and University, the hills were largely spared the axe and the plow, leaving the forest intact.

            That forest supports a diversity of animal life. In addition to the deer, coyotes, beavers, and other common animals, the region harbors several rare species, including the cerulean warbler, red-shouldered hawk, least darter, Blanding's turtle, and American ginseng. It has been categorized as ecologically significant by both the Minnesota DNR and the Nature Conservancy's Eco-Regional Plan. The Hills, the largest intact block of kettle and moraine forest between the Twin Cities and Morrison County, are also a rest stop for migrating bird populations through Minnesota and habitat for wood ducks and other water fowl as well as songbirds, for which it is recognized as an Important Bird Area by the Minnesota DNR.

 Family farms have declined in recent decades

            Some residents, however, worry that the Hills are at risk. The forest has come under increasing pressure from development in the last four decades. The north end of the hills were intersected by I-94 in the 1970s, at the same time that an emerging middle class drove demand for scenic lakeshore and rural land. The demographics of the community have shifted from the large, long-standing holdings of family farms towards the newer, smaller plots that host the homes of professionals and small business owners.

            “Collegeville does not support a lot of full time farmers anymore.”, said one resident of the township who preferred not to be named “We’ve become a recreational area, with the lakes. There’s a lot of development pressure, and the ecosystem is pretty fragile.”

            The development pressure does not come only from the demand for scenic property. The nearby urban area is expanding- in the 2000s, Saint Joseph was the second fastest growing city in Minnesota, beaten only by nearby Sartell. The population of Stearns County is expected to increase up to 33% between 2000 and 2030, according to the Stearns County Comprehensive Plan. With such growth, conservation advocates worry that the Hills may see housing developments replace woodland.

                       

Many Minnesotans aspire to own a home by a lake

            It was in the midst of these concerns that the Avon Hills Initiative formed in 2003. The group, which consists of local residents as well as members of the Saint John’s University community, states that it aims to “Preserve the rural character of our community, protect the quality of our natural areas, and maintain economic productivity in our communities while respecting individual landowner rights”.

            To this end, the Initiative has sought to establish a series of six to ten conservation easements throughout the Avon Hills. These easements, funded in part by a grant from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, allow landowners to retain ownership of the land, but restricts development of the land or use that is not consistent with the protection of the natural features as specified in the easement. The easement remains even if ownership of the land transfers. The first of these easements was completed in 2009, on 34 acres along Watab Creek belonging to Robert and Bonnie Thomsen.

            Kate Bobeldyk, the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Initiative, says that the organization is now in the second round of seeking easements to both preserve and restore local land.

            “Most people love the hills, water, wildlife, and open spaces and want to preserve it.” said Bobeldyk “Sometimes, they don't know how, so our goal is to help them to do it- to offer them guidelines and incentives. We're not in the business of trying to regulate or police what's going on our here. We’re in the business of trying to educate, and pull together the right people, whether it be the county or the township.”

            The Initiative has helped Stearns County and local townships to design a Conservation Overlay district for the Avon Hills, Bobeldyk said. This special district, which overlaps the four townships on which the hills rest, limits the number of building sites per acreage, requiring a certain amount of land to remain undeveloped. It also allows cluster development, which allows several houses to be built in close proximity if nearby land is set off as open space.

            “I'm not sure if I agree with all of the zoning ideas- like cluster housing.” said Ben Carlson, an SJU senior and local resident. “I think the AHI should focus more on the agricultural aspect and on the value of woodlands.”

Wetlands at the Saint John's Arboretum

            Stearns County was awarded the 2010 County Conservation Award for its establishment of the overlay district.

            The Initiative also organizes the Avon Hills Conference, a day-long collection of seminars and discussions held annually at Saint John’s University, exploring topics that range from nature photography to green construction. John O’Reilly is an organizer of the event, which will next be held on February 2, 2013.

            “The executive committee initially started the Avon Hills Conference as a way for local landowners to learn more about conservation and easements”, said O’Reilly, “But it quickly evolved into an event for all Avon Hills residents to have a day of learning and community.”

Ben Carlson praised the conference.

            “I think it’s a great chance for Saint John’s to interact with the community.”, he said. “There are the old farmers, and the other people who live here because of the lakes or the university, and it’s a great chance for the monastic community to connect with both groups”

            Some who support the Initiative, however, express certain concerns. One local who chose to remain anonymous worries about the effect of conservation in the Hills on surrounding farming communities.

            “I think they can go against the grain of farming issues, because they want to put the development out of woodland areas and into prime farming areas”, he said.

            He clarified, however, that he views the Initiative as a ‘valuable voice in the community’.

            Other residents are more critical of the project. Among them is local landowner Dan Vogel, who harbors concerns over the role that Saint John’s University plays in the program. Vogel sees the program as being initiated by the University, not the surrounding community. He notes the involvement of Abbey and University members in the initiative, such non-voting spots on the board held by employees of Saint John’s, and the hosting of Initiative-related events on the campus, as evidence of the University’s role- a role that he describes as hypocritical given the University’s own development.

Saint John's University, in the north of the Hills

            “Since the Avon Hills Initiative has started, Saint John's has doubled their cemetery, built a guest house, the McKeown Center, the large Flynntown apartments, and four or five acres to build the solar panels, and have plans now for expanding the library, doubled the size of the buildings by the sugar shack.”, said Vogel. “Saint John's is the biggest developer in the area.”

            Vogel added that he does not oppose conservation, but rather what he sees as conflicts of interest on the part of Saint John’s involvement in the Initiative.

            "I'm totally for conserving property, but what I have problem with is the biggest developer in the area starting this initiative to stop or regulate development in the surrounding area. When the largest industry in the area uses their money to push a program and to change the rules behind everyone's back, and they don't fall underneath it, I don't think that's fair"

            Area resident Shelly Carlson, however, welcomes the University’s involvement. “Saint John’s was here before any of us.”, she said “They’ve always been kind of a rock. The community grew around Saint John’s, so for them to reach out like that is just a natural thing”

            Kate Bobeldyk asserts that most of the local community stands behind the Initiative. “They want to preserve the rural land and use it for recreation.”, she said “They want to look at it and be proud of it.”

            Vogel, Pflueger, and others like them, though, are not yet convinced of the Initative’s good intentions.

  

            “I think there's little to no support from the local area.”, said Vogel. “I'm quite sure all my neighbors are not in favor.”

Image Sources: The Liberal Spirit, Lakeplace, Jodi Pflepsen, 

Quick Hits: Eco-Fashion and Corn Harvest

Eco-Fashion: Sol Inspirations, a Minnesota-based nonprofit, has launched a new labeling campaign for sustainable clothing. The campaign is designed to create a comprehensive high standard of sustainability to allow conscientious consumers to support ethical designers.  Certification requires designers and shops to demonstrate that 95 percent or more of their materials or organic or recycled or that the piece meets the fair-trade criteria set forth by the Sol Inspiration board of apparel industry experts and environmental scientists. 

Corn Harvest: The corn farmers of Minnesota managed to avoid the worst of the drought this year, and are now set to harvest the best corn crop of any major grain-producing state. Although the drought did significant damage to this year's crops, the toll in Minnesota was less severe than elsewhere thanks in part to heavier rains early in the spring and a brief reprieve from the drought in mid-summer. The decision by many farmers to harvest early also proved important. Worries remain, however, regarding the possibility that the fungus aspergillus could taint part of the corn crop. Corn in dry conditions is less able to fight off the fungus, which produces aflatoxin that can poison livestock and cause cancer in humans. Farmers are encouraged to have their grain tested before sale.

Wolf Hunt Challenged by Lawsuit

Minneapolis- Two conservation groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to stop the state from opening its first wolf hunting and trapping this fall, on the grounds that the DNR failed to provide adequate opportunity for public review.

Minnesota's wolves were delisted in January

The lawsuit, filed by Howling for Wolves and the Center for Biological Diversity with the Minnesota Court of Appeals, seeks a preliminary injunction blocking the hunt's planned Nov 3rd opening, until a formal ruling can be made on the group's complaints.

The wolf hunt was approved by the Minnesota Legislature in its most recent session, shortly after the Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan wolf populations were removed from the federal endangered species list in January.

According to the management plan as it was written in 2001, no hunting would be done for five years following delisting. This restriction, however, was waived in a rider attached to a budget bill passed by the state legislature shortly after the delisting of the wolves.

Six thousand licenses will be issued for the hunt, according to DNR plans, though the hunt will be closed once the quota of 400 animals have been killed. Over 23,000 people have applied for a permit, with applications from 33 states, though the majority have been from Minnesota.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Howling for Wolves argue that the 30-day online survey by DNR this summer did not give the public a fair chance to try to shape the regulations, in part because many rural residents lack reliable internet access.  The complaint by the groups claims that while the expedited emergency review process the DNR used is legal for some situations, it is not appropriate for the wolf hunt decision.

"There's nothing in the Minnesota law that says an online survey can substitute for formal notice and comment on rulemaking by the agency," said Collette Adkins Giese, an attorney for the center. “Especially considering the tremendous controversy around hunting and trapping of Minnesota’s wolves, state officials should have followed the law carefully to make sure they fully understood how the public felt about their decision.”

Of the 7,351 people who did respond to the online survey offered by the DNR, over 75 percent opposed the wolf hunt, with only 1,542 responses in support.

The groups say that the DNR could have waited until fall 2013 or later to open a wolf hunt, so that the public would have more time to weigh in. They further argue that the hunt would deprive citizens the opportunity to see and hear the wolves, and would disrupt ecosystems by reducing the presence of top predators. They say that their members are distressed by the thought of wolves being killed or injured, and by the possibility that they might witness dead or suffering wolves.

The DNR has not yet had time to review the lawsuit, said DNR spokesperson Chris Niskanen. The agency has no official comment yet.

Expansion of wolf range

The Minnesota wolf population received no protections until 1973, when it was placed on the federal endangered species list. By that point, a few hundred individuals in the northern forests were the only remnant of the species in the lower forty-eight states, all of which were once inhabited by the wolf.

After the wolf was given protections, the hunting and trapping of wolves was banned, with the exception of operations to to remove wolves which were believed to be killing livestock.

Under federal protection, the Minnesota wolf population expanded, filling a large part of the state's northern conifer forests. Minnesota currently has the largest wolf population of the lower 48 states, at an estimated 3,000 animals.

The wolf was delisted in 2011, after the DNR petitioned the federal government in 2010 to hand over responsibility for the wolves. The change of management was further supported by petitions by the US Sportsmen's Alliance, Safari Club International, the National Rifle Association.

The two management zones

The DNR's population plan calls for the state to maintain a winter population of no fewer than 1,600 wolves, and mandates corrective action if the population falls below this. The plan splits the state into two management zones- the norther-eastern third, dominated by coniferous forests, is the wolf's core range, and they enjoy stricter protection in this area. In the rest of the state, dominated by deciduous forests, prairies, and urban landscapes, the wolves are granted less extensive protection.

“The DNR recognizes there is a wide range of opinions toward wolf hunting and trapping, but all Minnesotans should know the DNR’s primary wolf management goal is to ensure the long-term survival of the wolf. The DNR’s conservative approach to this first season is based on sound conservation science and principles.” said DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr.

Wolf advocates remain unconvinced. “Wolves already die at high rates from many causes, including human intolerance and persecution,” said Howling for Wolves president and founder Maureen Hacket, “Minnesotans benefit economically, culturally and ecologically by having wolves in the wild. As a state, we have so much to gain by keeping wolves undisturbed.”


Image Sources: Center for Biological Diversity, MPR, Wolves of the World

Update: October 3- The state has officially requested that the court not block the hunt, saying that the case lacks legal merit.

Boundary Waters Land Swap Passes U.S. House

Though wildfires continue in the north woods, it is legislation, not flames, that may most extensively remake the landscape of northern Minnesota this year.

A moose surfaces in the Superior National Forest

The U.S. House passed a bill on Wednesday to trade 86,000 acres of state-owned land in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the federal government, in exchange for an equivalent value of federal land outside of the BWCAW. The deal, which involves some $100 million of real estate, would open land currently under federal protection to economic uses as part of the state's school trust fund. Much of that land is in the southern portion of the Superior National Forest.

When the 1.1 million acre BWCAW was formed in 1978, a patch of land belonging to the state education trust fund was included in the protected area. This cut it off from extractive industry uses such as mining or logging. With the trade, however, the federal government would officially take the patch, while handing over a part of the nearby federal lands to the state for use in the trust fund. Forests held by the school trust fund fund, which at around $27 per student per year generates less than one percent of the state's education budget, are traditionally managed intensively for revenue.

"They can choose to sell the land, they can choose to mine the land, they can choose to lease the land," said Rep. Chip Cravaak, R-North Branch, the bill's sponsor. "Whatever they choose to do will be up to the state and how they want to create revenue. But one thing is for certain, it must create revenue."

BWCAW and Superior National Forest

The vote was 225-189, split primarily along party lines. Twin Cities Democratic Representatives Keith Ellison (Minneapolis) and Betty McCollum (St. Paul) led the effort in the House against the act. Ellison proposed an amendment which would have forbidden the Forest Service from trading the land if fishing, hunting, or recreational uses were lost, but this amendment was defeated.


The swap is generally supported by northern Minnesota's politicians, mining and timber interests, and the state government. The Minnesota Legislature authorized the deal in April, and Governor Dayton signed the legislation shortly thereafter. Cravaak, whose re-election platform includes bringing more mining jobs to his northern Minnesota district, said the bill was important for boosting the economy and funding education.

"In my school district, there are 40 kids in a classroom. Our school district is down to four days a week," Cravaack said.

Environmental groups, however, oppose the the swap, as do the Fon du Lac band of Ojibwe. Opponents say that the bill is an effort to hand over greater land to mining and timber with less regulatory oversight. In addition, they have criticized the clause in the bill exempting the traded land from the National Environmental Policy Act, and the loss of protections such as the Weeks Act that would come with moving the land to state hands.

Advocates have concerns over sulfide mining

"The bill threatens to open the door for mining companies to conduct dangerous sulfide mining near the Boundary Waters and inside the Superior National Forest," said Samantha Chadwick of Environment Minnesota.

In addition, concerns have been raised over the effects of logging and mining on the businesses that support and furnish the recreational use of the area. "This bill puts recreation at risk and the industry that supports it," Ellison said, accusing the trade of placing multinational mining firms above local businesses.

A compromise agreement was proposed last winter, negotiated by the Minnesota DNR, environmental groups, and Superior National Forest. Such a compromise would allow 40 percent of the state land in the BWCAW to be traded, and the other 60 percent to be purchased by the federal government. The revenue of the sale could go the School Trust Fund. The compromise was rejected by lawmakers, however, who opted for a full trade. Representative McCollum criticized the legislature's decision, saying that further negotiation between industry, government, residents, and environmental advocates is necessary.


"There is a stakeholders group in Minnesota that is working to determine if the land proposal is fair and transparent," McCollum said. "They're not at the table, folks."

It is not yet clear if the U.S. Senate will address the issue this year, or whether the executive branch will sign such legislation. Minnesota senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, both Democrats, say that they support the trade and are working on a companion bill to Cravaak's.

Image Sources: Wikimedia, Go Wilderness Journey, and Ecowatch

DNR Restricts Water Withdrawal.

It's getting dry in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes- so dry that the Minnesota DNR is taking measures to restrict water usage.

As water levels in rivers and lakes have declined in the face of the long drought, a number of recreational and industrial facilities have been required to suspend pumping from waterways. Although the facilities hold permits that allow them to extract water, these same permits include clauses requiring that such pumping be cut back if water levels fall too low.

American Crystal Sugar, in Moorhead, is affected by the shortage

"Last week we sent out 16 letters. And there was one in Hubbard County, Blue Earth, one in Martin, several in Polk, to surface water users. And they were told then to stop pumping water as of last Thursday midnight," said Julie Ekman, DNR water regulations unit supervisor.

While most of the cutbacks are for recreational facilities such as golf courses, industrial water users including Southern Minnesota Construction, Minnesota Pipeline Company, and American Crystal Sugar have been affected as well.

Over half of the state is now in drought, with the south and the northwest being hit particularly hard. DNR climatologist Greg Spoden says that a little rain will not be enough.

“This will take multiple, ample autumn rains for us to replenish our soil moisture reserves,” he said.

More water permits are likely to be suspended if the drought does not relent, said Ekman.

Image Source: MPR

Quick Hits: Fire Approaches Blowdown Area, Anoka Wildlife Corridor, Pesticides v Zebra Mussels

Fire Approaches Blowdown Area
The Superior National Forest has expanded a closure area, as the Wooden Leg Fire moves towards the high-risk 1999 blowdown area. The Wooden Leg Fire, which is only a quarter acre in size, has already sparked the closing of Ensign Lake some twenty miles from Ely. The closure has been epanded to several other lakes, in response to the fire's progression towards a tract of land that contains a great amount of highly flammable dead wood, the result of a wind storm over a decade ago.

Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow

Anoka Wildlife Corridor

John and Barb Anderson, fourth-generation Anoka landowners, have joined with the Minnesota Land Trust to protect valuable wildlife habitat in the urbanized county. The 80 acres of grasses and wetland provide key habitat for species identified by Minnesota's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, including the red-headed woodpecker, smooth green snake, and Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow. Along with the 92 acre easement made by the family in 2005, over half of the 260 acre farm is preserved for wildlife. Funding for the project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund through their Metro Conservation Corridors program, which seeks to connect the disaparate patches of high-quality habitat throughout the metro, creating more resilient wildlife communities.

Pesticides v Zebra Mussels
The experimental use of pesticides to control zebra mussels may be working in one northern Minnesota lake, according to the DNR. The agency applied the treatment to Rose Lake in Otter Tail County last autumn when a small population of the invasive species was found in the lake. No zebra mussels have been found in the water samples from Rose Lake this summer, says DNR Invasive Species Specialist Nathan Olson. He urges caution, however. "From my experience with zebra mussels, they seem to have a really big increase in about two years,once they're found in a lake," Olson said. "If I don't see any zebra mussels for about two years, then I'm going to be more excited about our success rate."

Image Source: Phil Jeffrey

Boundary Waters Ablaze

There's smoke on the water up north, as dry conditions fuel fire in the Boundary Water Canoe Area.


Crews battled the fire through the day Monday

The blaze, called the Cummings Lake Fire, started at a camp site between Cummings and Otter Lake on Sunday afternoon, some twelve miles from Ely. It spread rapidly, scorching over 30 acres of pine and spruce forest by Monday afternoon. A team of fourteen firefighters and a helicopter fought through the day to contain the blaze. A control line was completed Monday on the eastern flank of the fire, while aerial suppression held the west until ground crews were able to build another control line there. Crews are working to contain the head of the fire on its northern flank.

The response was immediate, as the Forest Service, already stretched by fires in the western states, fears the blaze may spread out of control given the extremely dry conditions of the wilderness following this long, arid summer.



The fire has burned over 30 acres



Thirteen months of drought conditions in the north woods have produced challenging conditions, with fires spreading quickly through green and cured grasses. Even the peat and organic soils are igniting rapidly and burning deep into the ground, said the DNR.

The number of campers in the area is unknown. According to Superior National Forest official Becca Manlove, no structures are immediately threatened by the blaze.



Last year, the BWCA was hit by the Pagami Creek fire, which burned 145 square miles of the north woods after growing out of control. The Forest Service had initial allowed it to burn, believing that the wet conditions at the time would keep it under control as a natural fire. Such natural fires are a normal part of the north woods ecosystem, and help to prevent greater fires by using up fuel and temporarily depleting areas of trees. Sixty to seventy fires affect the Superior National Forest annually. However, the Pagami Creek fire exceeded expectations, becoming Minnesota's largest fire in 93 years.



A view from Cummings Lake



A second, smaller fire has been spotted in Quetico Provincial Park, across the border in Ontario. It has burned some 20 acres and is moving north, away from the Boundary Waters. Another small fire was put out near Duluth.

While the Boundary Waters remain open, officials do not recommend camping near the fire area.

Image Source: KSTP and The Star Tribune