Upper Mississippi Forest Project

In the biggest conservation opportunity in modern state history, we are working with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and UPM/Blandin Paper Company to protect more than 187,000 acres of prized working forestland at the upper reaches of the Mississippi River in north-central Minnesota through a conservation easement. Coupled with other forest conservation projects, this project will create more conserved recreation land than Minnesota’s current state park system. Preserving these lands protects jobs, safeguards wildlife habitat, ensures permanent public access for outdoor recreation and prevents forest fragmentation.

The Upper Mississippi Forest lands combine with adjacent county, state and federal lands to create more than 4,000 square miles of uninterrupted forest habitat. The forestlands lie primarily in Itasca, Aitkin, St. Louis, Koochiching, Cass and Beltrami counties and contain 60,000 acres of wetlands and over 280 miles of lake and stream front.

With support from Governor Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesota Legislature approved $35 million toward the project from the state’s Outdoor Heritage Fund. The state funding comes from additional sales tax authorized by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment approved by voters in 2008. The Conservation Fund helped bring private funding to the project through the Grand Rapids-based Blandin Foundation, which contributed $7 million, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, which contributed $2 million.

The Upper Mississippi Forest project complements the goals of DNR’s Minnesota Forests for the Future program and is supported by a large coalition of conservation, local government and economic development organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and the Forest Legacy Partnership. The current owner of the Upper Mississippi Forest lands, UPM/Blandin Paper Company, is a willing participant.