The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting Minnesotans to participate in a public scoping period to help shape landscape-level plans for the state’s wildlife management areas and aquatic management areas. These plans will guide habitat management, public use, conservation priorities and long-term stewardship across Minnesota’s diverse landscapes.
Although the Minnesota DNR recently updated management plans for seven of the state’s largest major unit WMAs — such as Carlos Avery WMA as one example — this project will focus on the remainder of the state’s approximately 1,500 WMAs and 700 AMAs. This phase focuses on articulating the desired management goals of the WMA/AMA system at a landscape level, which will then be used to guide specific management actions outlined in individual unit plans or groups of plans in the next project phase.
The scoping period is open through Sunday, Nov. 18. During this time, people can share ideas, concerns and opportunities related to habitat management, recreational opportunities, and natural resource conservation on WMAs and AMAs.
“Public input is essential to developing landscape plans that reflect shared goals for habitat, fish and wildlife, and outdoor recreation,” said David Trauba, DNR wildlife section manager. “We encourage hunters, anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who cares about Minnesota’s natural resources to participate.”
The Minnesota DNR will use feedback gathered during the scoping period to draft landscape plans for four ecological regions across the state: prairie parkland, eastern broadleaf forest, Laurentian mixed forest, and tallgrass aspen parklands. Once drafted, the plans will be available for additional public review and comment.
How to participate
Interested participants can review background information and provide comments by:
- Using the online questionnaire on the Minnesota DNR website.
- Emailing comments to: FAW Policy and Planning Supervisor Jason Ko at [email protected]
- Mailing comments to: Policy and Planning Program, Fish and Wildlife Division, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN, 55155.
Responses will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Nov. 18.
DNR staff will present a brief overview of Minnesota’s WMA and AMA system and the planning process, answer questions, and collect input during online webinars for each landscape region:
- Prairie parkland: Thursday, Oct. 29 from noon to 1 p.m.
- Eastern broadleaf forest: Friday, Oct. 30 from noon to 1 p.m.
- Laurentian mixed forest: Monday, Nov. 2 from noon to 1 p.m.
- Tallgrass aspen parklands: Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 6 to 7 p.m.
No registration is required. Links to join the webinars are available on the Minnesota DNR website.
For more information about WMAs and AMAs, visit the Minnesota DNR’s WMA webpage and the Minnesota DNR’s AMA webpage.