Nongame Wildlife - Northeast Region

Gaea Crozier, Nongame Wildlife Specialist
Phone: 218-328-8811
Email:[email protected]
1201 East Highway 2
Grand Rapids, MN 55744

The northeast region includes ten counties. In the northern part of this region the extensive forests and pristine lakes epitomize the rustic northland setting that many people associate with Minnesota. The "Arrowhead County" is the most heavily forested part of the state. Forests of aspen, birch and maple in the western counties transition to boreal coniferous forest of pine, spruce, fir and cedar in the northeastern counties of this region. The southern part of this region contains beautiful lakes and forests that are heavily used for recreation and retirement homes. Tourism is a major economic force in these counties which include the Brainerd Lakes area, Big Sandy Lake, the lakes south of the city of Aitkin, and the state forests of Pine County.

Here you can find nesting boreal and great gray owls, spruce grouse and many warblers of coniferous habitats like the black-throated blue, Tennessee and bay-breasted. Other nongame species include the gray jay, boreal chickadee, osprey, red-shouldered hawk, bald eagle, common loon, Blanding's turtle and wood turtle.

Nongame services include:

• a film lending library for educators, resource information for citizens
• providing endangered and nongame species technical expertise to professionals in and outside the DNR

Projects in this region focus on surveys, research and education. Species currently being studied include the goshawk, osprey, common loon, red-shouldered hawk and Blanding's turtle. Falconry and wildlife rehabilitation permits are administered by both offices.

Projects in the Northeast

• Camp Ripley Research and Survey Coordination
• Landscaping for Wildlife Demonstration Areas
• Red Shouldered Hawk Forest Management Guidelines
• Northern Goshawk Habitat Study
• Timber Planning
• Boreal Owl Monitoring Project
• Black Throated Blue Warbler Survey
• Common Loon Migration Study
• Common Tern Management

Habitat Preservation in the Northeast

• Trout Lake Wildlife Management Area
• Bowstring Deer Yard Wildlife Management Area
• Sugar Lake Conservation Easement
• Bass Brook Wildlife Management Area
• Bear Island-Deer Lake Island Wildlife Management Area
• Interstate Island Wildlife Management Area
• Hearding Island Wildlife Management Area
• Uppgaard Wildlife Management Area
• Whitefish Lake Shoreline Conservation Easement, Galbraith family