Minnesota RREA Plan FY 2007-11

Principal Investigator: Melvin Baughman 

Project Description: 

Most private landowners and homeowners have little knowledge about tree and forest management options and impacts. Many employees in the building trades lack knowledge about the use of renewable resources as building materials and home design for energy efficiency and air quality. Our workshops, short courses, Web sites and responses to phone calls and e-mail inquiries will improve the knowledge of homeowners, forest landowners, and employees in the forest products industry to make informed decisions about land management, use of construction materials, and manufacturing technology.

An educational needs assessment was conducted at the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibway Reservation. This led to the 13 Moons project which introduces Band members to ecology and management of natural resources important to their culture. Five newspaper articles and three workshops informed band members about birch bark harvest, wild strawberries, prescribed burning, seasonal preparedness, wild rice, moose hunting and management, and treaties.

Project Years: 2006-2011

Funding Source: National Institute of Food and Agriculture