News and notes from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Get out in the prairie and smell the flowers at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Walk in the Wildflowers event Saturday, July 25, at Lamberton Wildlife Management Area.
The Minnesota DNR is celebrating 75 years of WMAs in Minnesota in 2026. Events like Walk in the Wildflowers encourage people to visit Minnesota’s diverse WMAs to see all they have to offer.
“Wildlife management areas belong to all Minnesotans, and this event provides an opportunity for people to experience and learn about what WMAs feature,” said Jeffrey Zajac, DNR area wildlife supervisor.
The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon at Lamberton WMA. Zajac will lead a wildflower walk where participants will have the opportunity to explore native prairie wildflowers and learn about the history of Minnesota’s WMA system and management. During the walk, DNR staff will assist participants in flower identification.
“I’m hoping guests will develop a better understanding of what WMAs are, how they are managed, and how they originated in the state, and also gain appreciation of prairie ecosystems,” Zajac said. “WMAs offer outdoor experiences to all Minnesotans, whether they want to hunt, fish, watch wildlife or just take a stroll. WMAs are vital to maintaining Minnesota’s quality of life.”
Lamberton WMA is located 0.6 miles north of the intersection of Jade Avenue and Highway 14 in southern Redwood County. Parking will be in a mowed area on the west side of Jade Avenue. Dress for the weather. Sunscreen, water and insect repellant are recommended.
RSVPs are preferred but not required. To RSVP, reach Jeff Zajac, area wildlife manager, at [email protected] or leave a message at 507-233-1257.
Minnesota’s WMAs provide access to 1,521 public wildlife areas encompassing 1.39 million acres of field, forest and wetlands across Minnesota. Developed specifically for public use, these habitat-rich areas provide havens for wildlife and recreational opportunities for people.
On Sept. 17, 1951, The Save the Wetlands program began in Minnesota with an initial budget of $50,000. On Jan. 12, 1954, former Minnesota DNR Supervisor of Game Richard Dorer established the Save Minnesota’s Wetlands Fund, which allowed private donations to finance wetland purchases.
DNR SEEKS INPUT ON 3-DUCK LIMIT OPTION
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites anyone interested in waterfowl hunting to comment on a proposal to create an optional, alternative three-duck bag limit.
“Waterfowl hunter numbers have declined significantly within the past 20 years due to many factors, including the varying bag limits for certain species and sexes of ducks. That complexity may be a barrier to new or inexperienced hunters,” said Nate Huck, DNR migratory gamebird consultant. “Duck identification can be difficult and could prevent potential hunters from getting into waterfowl hunting.”
Because of this potential barrier, Minnesota is considering an optional, alternative three-duck bag limit that would allow hunters to choose between:
• A new, alternative three-duck per day bag limit of any species and sex of duck, and
• The current, standard six-duck total bag limit under which there are bag limits that vary by species and sex.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees waterfowl regulations in the United States and has been evaluating the use of three-duck bag limits in Nebraska and South Dakota, which have been implementing the three-duck bag limit since 2021.
So far, results from the evaluation indicate that new hunters were more likely to select the three-duck bag limit option than the six-duck bag limit.
Additionally, those individuals who selected the three-duck bag limit were less likely than individuals who selected the six-duck bag limit to harvest species with lower bag limits such as canvasbacks, hen mallards, redheads and scaup.
“If Minnesota pursues this opportunity, our goal would be to recruit, retain and reactivate waterfowl hunters while maintaining sustainable populations of all duck species,” Huck said. “The DNR, in collaboration with the USFWS, would closely monitor hunter numbers and harvest throughout the evaluation and end this opportunity if harvest on sensitive species of waterfowl is unexpectedly high.”
The Minnesota DNR is offering multiple ways for people to learn about the proposal and share their perspectives, including:
• An online questionnaire available through Monday, Aug. 17 at the DNR waterfowl management webpage (mndnr.gov/waterfowl). This questionnaire includes a more detailed description of the three-duck limit proposal.
• An online webinar from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6. This webinar will provide an overview of the three-duck limit option and an opportunity for participants to ask questions and provide feedback. Connection details for the webinar will be posted on the waterfowl management webpage (mndnr.gov/waterfowl) the week of the webinar.
Send comments via email to Nate Huck ([email protected]) or mail to Nate Huck, Fish and Wildlife Division, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155. Commenters are encouraged to review the more detailed description of the proposal, found on the waterfowl management webpage (mndnr.gov/waterfowl), before submitting comments. Please submit comments by Aug. 17.
DNR OFFERING $1.7M IN COMMUNITY GRANTS TO ADDRESS EMERALD ASH BORER IMPACTS
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is offering $1.7 million in community grants to address the impact of emerald ash borer on community forests.
Applications will open Aug. 3 for the 2026 Protect Community Forests Grants. Funds for these community grants are made available thanks to the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
“We know emerald ash borer affects communities across Minnesota and it can be challenging and expensive to deal with,” said Madisson Masucci, DNR urban and community forestry coordinator. “We are committed to helping organizations and government entities navigate the grant process and are offering six sessions for applicants to learn about this grant opportunity.”
The grant focuses on removing, treating or replacing trees infested by emerald ash borer. The goal is to help communities build a more diverse and resilient tree canopy.
The grant also supports conducting tree inventories, developing management plans, maintaining existing canopy, and providing educational outreach opportunities to residents.
The grant application period opens Aug. 3 and closes Sept. 14, 2026. Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations with 501(c) status, educational institutions, and local units of government are eligible to apply. The maximum grant award is $150,000.
Visit the DNR website (mndnr.gov/2026-protect) for information about the grant, including both virtual and in‑person informational opportunities across the state, and for guidance on the application process.
An in-person session on the issue will take place on Aug. 24, from 1112:30 p.m. at the Marshall Lyon County Library, 201 C St., Marshall.
