Logging rights for a popular tract of state forest near Ely were put up for auction this week — and no one bid on them.
The rights for cutting down about a third of the trees on the 57-acre parcel will now get listed at a fixed price of $14,600, said Amy Kay Kerber, a staffer at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
News of the auction drew criticism from locals who say the cherished pine trees in Burntside State Forest form the backdrop for popular recreation trails. The nearby YMCA Camp du Nord draws 5,000 to 6,000 visitors a year. A petition and social media posts opposed to the logging drew thousands of signers.
State officials ultimately agreed to reduce the size of the parcel they would open up for logging but went ahead with the auction because it's considered to be routine forest management that improves the forest's long-term vitality.
Kerber said the forest thinning will reduce fire risk, promote white pine growth and help maintain the aesthetic of the forest. If an approved logger purchases the rights soon, they could yet cut the trees this winter as long as conditions are frozen.
Matt McKinney
Bemidji
University opens new center for diversity
Bemidji State University opened a new Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion earlier this month.
Students prompted its creation, with the student Senate passing a bill in early 2016 for the center's development.
The center, which will host workshops and activities, sits in the Hobson Memorial Union. The school is calling it a "hub to promote and reinforce its shared fundamental values of civic engagement and leadership and international and multicultural understanding in a space safe for all students, faculty and staff."
