Financial assistance for woodland owners

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is encouraging family forest owners to take advantage of cost-share funds available in 2017 to improve their woods.

“The DNR is here to help woodland owners with forest management advice and financial assistance to keep your woods healthy and productive,” said John Carlson, DNR private forest management coordinator. “We have cost-share funds to help you complete a wide variety of woodland projects.”

Funds can be used to replant woods after a harvest. Funds can also be used to protect newly planted trees by removing competing vegetation and protecting them from deer browse by applying bud caps, adding tree tubes or constructing a fence. To help prepare the woods for a future harvest, woodland owners can use cost-share funds to do a thinning.

Many woodland owners enjoy wildlife watching and hunting. Planting native trees and shrubs suitable for wildlife habitat are eligible cost-share activities. Creating a native prairie to increase food supply and cover for wildlife is another option.

Family forest owners wanting to protect ponds and streams in their woods can use cost-share funds to create riparian woody cover by planting trees.