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Grant to help DNR school forest program establish school stewardship plans (2005-02-22)

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) School Forest Program has been awarded a $46,500 Forestry Innovation Grant from the U.S. Forest Service & National Association of State Foresters. The money will be used to enhance opportunities for K-12 forestry education and improve land management practices at 75 school forest sites through out the state.

"Most of the school forests sites do not have current management plans right now," explained Amy Kay Kerber, forestry education coordinator for the DNR. "The grant will enable schools to work alongside DNR or contract foresters to develop a stewardship plan based on the school's for their site."

Kerber said stewardship plans for a school forest might include developing and maintaining a network of hiking trails, diversifying the forest to include different tree and plant species, and generating revenue to support natural resource education. Even though the focus is on creating stewardship plans for the school forests the end result will benefit educational opportunities on those sites.

"They provide an outdoor learning environment where students can learn about not only natural resources but also science, history, math and art," Kerber said. "Physical education is another popular activity in school forests."

The Minnesota Legislature passed a mandate in 1949 allowing tax-forfeited lands to be designated as school forests. Land can also be donated to or purchased by the school. There are currently 103 school forest sites in Minnesota, and two to three new schools join the program every year. School forests occupy more than 7,500 acres of forest lands throughout Minnesota, and they range in size from one to 360 acres.

"It is important that we as Minnesotans support and promote forestry education and other outdoor classroom opportunities," said Gene Merriam, DNR commissioner. "Students need to understand all the complexities of forest and land management in order to be better stewards of the environment in the future."

Natural resources stewardship education is one of the six performance areas of the DNR's Strategic Conservation Agenda 2003-2007. The School Forest program reaches more than 1,150 teachers and 24,000 students per year. More than 100,000 people take part in DNR K-12 natural resource education programs annually.

Kerber said the development of stewardship plans will begin in October and be completed by Sept. 30, 2007. Additional information about the school forest program is available on the DNR's Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us.

 

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