Forestry Field Day Held in Randall to Inform Private Landowners

In the city of Randall, located in Morrison County, 14 different organizations recently came together to hold one of the largest Forestry Field Days for private landowners the area. All who attended took tours and saw demonstrations on what’s needed to keep forests safe and thriving for humans and wildlife.

After two years of waiting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, landowners from a six-county radius gathered at the Ehlen property in Randall to attend classes that taught them about forest harvests, wildlife dimensions, and forest management.

To starts things off, everyone attends classes that provide assistance and cost sharing for projects on their land, and they had discussions involving insects or diseases. One such topic was oak wilt, a non-native tree disease that’s slowly creeping north and making its way towards the Brainerd/Baxter and Little Falls areas.

After the demonstrations, the Morrison Soil & Water Conservation District put together tours to let landowners see for themselves what was being taught, and the day ended with a meal from Lily’s Wings. The goal of the event was to get people talking and pay more attention to the things that matter most.

The event attracted more than 110 private landowners.

This event was sponsored by Morrison SWCD, Crow Wing SWCD, American Forest Foundation, Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape, PotlatchDeltic, National Association of Conservation District, American Tree Farms, Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Central Minnesota Small Woodland Owners Association, Lily’s Wings and Things, Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Center, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Camp Ripley.