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Auditor says DNR erred in planning, documenting logging of wildlife areas
Audit finds 70% of DNR field staff say timber harvests in wildlife areas rarely align with habitat goals amid unclear planning and conflicting priorities, report says.
- On Tuesday, the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor reported an audit found the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources failed to properly plan and document logging in wildlife management areas, leaving compliance with habitat-protection laws unclear.
- A special review found that unclear guidance, poor documentation, and conflicting goals caused uncertainty about whether DNR met statutory requirements, Deputy Legislative Auditor Katherine Theisen reported Tuesday.
- A survey of DNR field staff found the Legislative Auditor's Office survey revealed concerns, and Deputy Legislative Auditor Katherine Theisen said DNR has seven management plans for over 1,500 WMAs.
- Federal restrictions were lifted in December 2023 after clarifying grant conditions, and the report urges the Minnesota Legislature to act while Deputy Legislative Auditor Katherine Theisen ordered continuous improvement plans.
- Wildlife managers warned of lost older timber stands, with 28 signing a 2019 letter raising concerns, while DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen acknowledged gaps between leadership intent and staff experience.
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13 Articles
13 Articles
Auditor says Minnesota DNR erred in planning, documenting logging of wildlife areas
Logging in wildlife management areas is only allowed if it helps wildlife, but the auditor said poor planning and recording left “uncertainty as to whether DNR has met these statutory requirements.”
·Fargo, United States
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Duluth News TribuneReposted by 
Pine Journal
Pine JournalAuditor says DNR erred in planning, documenting logging of wildlife areas
ST. PAUL — An audit found the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources failed to properly plan and document logging in the state’s wildlife management areas, making it unclear as to whether the agency followed the law. Timber harvests are only allowed on the state’s 1.3 million acres of WMAs if the logging benefits wildlife habitat, but a dispute, first reported in the News Tribune in 2019, arose when top DNR officials began implementing a timb…
·Cherokee County, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources13
Leaning Left1Leaning Right7Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution59% Right
Bias Distribution
- 59% of the sources lean Right
59% Right
C 33%
R 59%
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