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Shoreland rules open house coming to Brainerd OUTDOORS NOTES Outdoors Editor
The DNR has scheduled 12 open houses throughout the state - including a stop in Brainerd - as part of a three-phase approach to develop potential revisions to the statewide minimum standards for shoreland management.
The first phase is issue identification, the second phase is policy and option recommendations and and third phase is review of preliminary revisions. The Minnesota Legislature directed the DNR to begin the rule revision process in January.
The open houses are intended to provide information about the rule revision process, how to get involved, what the existing rules cover and the potential areas that could be included in the rule revision.
Open houses will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 3-25 at the following locations:
¥ June 3, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Community Center.
¥ June 4, Faribault, South Central Community College.
¥ June 5, Winona, Holzinger Lodge.
¥ June 9, Windom, DNR Office.
¥ June 10, Willmar, Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center.
¥ June 11, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota State Community and Technical College.
¥ June 12, Alexandria, Alexandria Technical College.
¥ June 16, Duluth, EPA Gitchee Gumee Conference Center.
¥ June 17, Brainerd, Northland Arboretum
¥ June 23, Hibbing, Hibbing Community College.
¥ June 24, Bemidji, Bemidji High School
¥ June 25, International Falls, Holiday Inn.
Shoreland rules are statewide minimum standards used by local governments when adopting land-use ordinances that affect shoreland areas of lakes and rivers. The existing shoreland rules, last amended in 1989, address such topics as lake/river classifications, shoreland alterations, subdivisions and structure placement. The shoreland rules update project is an opportunity to evaluate the existing rules and develop comprehensive solutions to address shoreland management for the future of Minnesota.
For additional information about the location and content of the open houses or information on the shoreland rules update project go to http://mndnr.gov/waters /shoreland.html.
Spring lakeshore projects may require permits
The DNR reminds lakeshore property owners to check state and local permit requirements before initiating spring improvement projects.
Of particular concern are projects that involve construction near the shore, shoreline modification or protection projects, excavation projects and projects involving structures in the water.
Landowners should contact their local county or city zoning office about projects above the waterline. For projects below the waterline, landowners should contact a DNR area hydrologist. DNR permit requirements and contacts can be found online at www.mndnr.gov.
Walleye tagging part
of study on Mille Lacs
This spring, the DNR, in cooperation with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Fond du Lac Band, and Mille Lacs Band, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been tagging walleyes as part of a study to estimate the walleye population size in Lake Mille Lacs.
The DNR asks anglers who catch a tagged fish to report tag information. If the fish is harvested, the tag should be removed and returned to the DNR's Aitkin office. If the fish is released, tags should be left in the fish. Anglers should write down the tag numbers and report them to the DNR.
Tag cards are available at public access sites and businesses around Mille Lacs. Also, tag information can be sent to MN-DNR Fisheries, 1200 Minnesota Avenue, Aitkin, MN 56431; e-mailed to fishtags@dnr.state.mn. us; or entered at www.mndnr.gov/ fishing/tagged_fish_reporting.
The regulation for Mille Lacs - starting with the May 10 opener - requires that all walleye 18 through 28 inches be immediately released. The possession limit is four, with one fish longer than 28 inches allowed.
Songbirds of Deep Portage scheduled May 24
The Deep Portage Learning Center near Hackensack will offer its "Songbirds of Deep Portage" program at 9 a.m. May 24 at the center.
Join Deep Portage Bird Observatory naturalists for a bird walk that will focus on enjoying and identifying the songbirds of north-central Minnesota. The program will include a bird-banding demonstration, and special attention will be paid to learning to identify birds by song. Deep Portage has binoculars if needed.
Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for kids 12 and younger, seniors and Deep Portage members.
Also, Deep Portage is offering a variety of summer camps. Openings remain for Aquatics; Forkhorn I, II and III; Fishing; Upland Birds; Young Women in Science; and Family Camp. Cost, with the exception of Family Camp, is $400.
For more information or to reserve a spot in the songbirds program or for more info, dates and registration material on the camps, call (218) 682-2325, e-mail portage@uslink.net or visit the Deep Portage Web site at www.deep-portage.org.
Crow Wing State Park festivities scheduled
The Crow Wing Canoe Days and Fur Trade Encampment is scheduled June 1.
The event is scheduled in conjunction with Minnesota State Parks Open House Day, in which no vehicle permit is required to enter any of Minnesota's 66 state parks.
The family canoe excursion begins at 10 a.m. at Kiwanis Park in Brainerd. Bring the family, a picnic lunch and your canoe. Launch time on the nearby Mississippi River is 11 a.m., with participants arriving at Crow Wing State Park south of Brainerd at about 1:30 p.m. A shuttle service will return canoeists to Kiwanis Park to pick up their vehicles.
The Crow Wing County Muzzleloaders will offer an authentic fur trader-era encampment at Crow Wing State Park, with crafts of the era demonstrated from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Also, the Friends of Old Crow Wing invite all sponsors of the Crow Wing State Park shelter improvement project to the park, where an information table will be set up in the picnic shelter from 1-3 p.m.
For more information, call the park at 825-3075.
Gull Chain offering boat, water safety classes
The Gull Chain of Lakes Association, in conjunction with the Cass/Crow Wing County Water Patrol, will sponsor classes June 5 and June 25 for those ages 12-17 - with participants getting temporary permits the same day they take the class.
Classes will deal with rules and regulations and everyone involved will get some behind-the-wheel training.
According to Minnesota state law, all teens 14-17 years old are required to have a permit to operate a personal watercraft and all persons 12-15 must have a permit to operate a boat with a motor of over 25 horsepower.
Classes start at 8:30 a.m. both days and a fee of $10 will be charged for lunch.
Class sizes are limited. Those interested should call Marv Meyer at 828-9577 for details and to pre-register.
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