Duluth Proposes Forest Revitalization Projects Spanning 108 Acres

The City of Duluth is eyeing a variety of forest revitalization projects in the short-term future and they want input from the general public about their plans. That's the reasoning behind a public meeting that's been scheduled for Thursday, February 11 at 5:00 PM. Similar to most meetings during the last year, this one will also be held virtually due to the response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

According to advance information released by the City of Duluth, they aim to revitalize 108 acres of city-owned forest land. Targeted areas on the docket include Seven Bridges Road, Hawk Ridge, Hartley and Enger Parks, and Spirit Mountain.

During the meeting, City Forester Clark Christenson will make the presentation. Christenson's aim will be to discuss the proposal, provide a timeline for the work, and provide a question, answer, and comment section,

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What sort of work will occur during this work? The city has released the following details:

"The identified areas will significantly benefit from the proposed forest stand improvement work. Within each specific area, invasive species will be removed, and mature trees will be thinned by an estimated 20-50 percent. Trees will be planted or sown in at approximately half of the acres that are proposed to be thinned, where site appropriate. Approximately 20 percent of the acres targeted will naturally replant themselves and perpetuate the currently growing forest. The remaining acres will need additional work before the next generation of trees can grow. Revitalization work will be done during the upcoming winter seasons to protect trails in the impacted areas."

The actual work wouldn't begin until "this forthcoming winter at the earliest". The purpose of this virtual public meeting is informational only.