The Lands and Minerals Regional Operations Section
- Serves DNR resource managers, counties, local governments, companies, and citizens in processing leases, utility licenses, easements, sales, reviews for tax-forfeited land transactions, land exchanges, trespass issues, appraisals and appraisal review, land value establishments, and mineral management and reclamation efforts;
- Provides technical assistance for state land acquisition projects;
- Provides leadership and facilitation for long range regional land management planning by participating in the DNR Regional Management Teams (RMTs) and regional acquisition committees;
- Represents the Division as the point of contact in each region in directing, coordinating, and monitoring land transactions and mineral resource management efforts.
Staff
For more information, please contact the
Regional Operations Manager or Coordinator
in your region of the state.
Click on a region for more contact info
or download the Regional contact map.
Region 1 - Northwest Minnesota
2115 Birchmont Beach Rd, NE
Bemidji, MN 56601
Pam Arndt
Regional Operations Coordinator
218-308-2683
Counties in Region 1
Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Ottertail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin
Region 1 contacts
Easement (inquiries)
Pam Arndt, Regional Operations Coordinator
Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Assistant Director
Easement (application submittal)
Pam Arndt, Regional Operations Coordinator
Land acquisitions (inquiries)
Jill Bitker, Realty Specialist
Land sale (inquiries)
Jill Bitker, Realty Specialist
Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Assistant Director
Leases
Pam Arndt, Regional Operations Coordinator
Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Assistant Director
Tax forfeit
Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Assistant Director
Tax forfeit (mineral claim)
Ted Anderson, Assistant Director
Utility license crossing (application submittal)
Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist
Alicia Kelly, Realty Specialist
Utility license (inquiries)
Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist
Alicia Kelly, Realty Specialist
Utility license (maintenance notifications)
Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist
Public inquiries
Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist
Region 2 - Northeast Minnesota
DNR Lands and Minerals Division
1201 East Highway 2
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Amy Marrier
Regional Operations Coordinator
218-328-8922
Counties in Region 2
Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, Saint Louis
Region 2 contacts
Easements
Karen Tamminen, Senior Realty Specialist
Land acquisitions (public inquiries)
Karen Tamminen, Senior Realty Specialist
Land sale (public inquiries)
Heather Lofstuen, Senior Realty Specialist
Leases (surface)
Amy Marrier, Regional Operations Coordinator
Tax forfeit
Heather Lofstuen, Senior Realty Specialist
Tax forfeit (mineral claim)
Ted Anderson, Assistant Director
Utility license (applications and maintenance)
Angela Means, Realty Specialist
Region 3 - Central Minnesota
DNR Lands and Minerals Division
1200 Warner Road
St. Paul, MN 55106
Joe Rokala
Regional Manager
Counties in Region 3
Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Olmsted, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, Wright
Region 3 contacts
Easements
Tanya Alemu, Realty Specialist
Land acquisitions (public inquiries)
Heather Lofstuen, Senior Realty Specialist
Land sale (public inquiries)
Tanya Alemu, Realty Specialist
Leases
Mary Witte, Realty Specialist
Tax forfeit
Heather Lofstuen, Senior Realty Specialist
Tax forfeit (mineral claim)
Ted Anderson, Assistant Director
Utility license crossing (communication lines)
Stacy Bratsch, Realty Specialist
Utility license crossing (electric lines)
Jean Zoch, Realty Specialist
Utility crossing (pipelines)
Tanya Alemu, Realty Specialist
Region 4 - Southern Minnesota
21371 State Hwy 15
New Ulm, MN 56073-5228
Benjamin J. Schaefer
Regional Operations Coordinator
507-233-1211
Counties in Region 4
Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Freeborn, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Sibley, Steele, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan, Yellow Medicine
Region 4 contacts
Easement (inquiries)
Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator
Easement (application submittal)
Karla Ihns, Senior Realty Specialist
Land acquisitions (inquiries)
Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator
Land sale (inquiries)
Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator
Leases
Karla Ihns, Senior Realty Specialist
Tax forfeit
Krista Howk, Realty Specialist
Tax forfeit (mineral claim)
Ted Anderson, Assistant Director
Utility license crossing (application submittal)
Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator
Utility license (inquiries)
Ellen Preisinger, Realty Specialist
Utility license (maintenance notifications)
Karla Ihns, Senior Realty Specialist