Arrowhead Landscape Pilot Project
Sustainable landscape-wide forest health and resiliency is at risk in light of a changing climate and forest conditions across the Northland forests. The Arrowhead Landscape Pilot Project, is a shared-stewardship approach to land management that will address many of these challenges. Multiple agencies, not for profit organizations and private landowners have joined in partnership to collaboratively manage the 500,000-acre pilot project area located in northern Minnesota. The Minnesota Forest Resources Council is the lead coordinating organization for the Arrowhead Pilot Project.
The Shared-Stewardship Model
A collaborative approach to forest landscape management begins with a shared sense of responsibility, and a common approach that leads to more significant outcomes.
The Arrowhead Landscape Pilot Project involves collaboration among regional natural resource managers, stakeholders and land owners to address urgent forest landscape risks, including wildlife habitat loss, catastrophic wildfire threats, invasive species expansion, and weakening of economic and community values expected from the forest. Forest management treatments will address identified landscape-wide natural resource priority objectives across multiple land ownership acreages.
Map of Land Ownership in Project Area
Working together to Achieve Common Goals
Collaborating agencies in the Arrowhead Landscape Pilot Project include the Minnesota Forest Resources Council, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Louis County Land Department, USFS Superior National Forest, the 1854 Treaty Authority, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Forest Products Industry-Timber Producers Association, and general public/organization engagement via public processes.
Arrowhead Landscape Pilot Project Goals
- Expressing a Shared Vision & Institutionalizing an All-Lands Management Approach: Address common/broad forest landscape needs and outcomes, and investing resources in a landscape-wide effort.
- Strengthening Community Relations: with all land managers, stakeholders, and owners within the project area.
- Promote Common Resource Management Themes:
- Apply Risk-Based Resource Responses: Direct resources for sustainable forests & communities.
- Improve Forest Resiliency: Address climate change effects on the forest.
- Perform Ecological Restoration: Improve biodiversity and forest health, and reduce invasive species impacts on the forest landscape.
- Highlight Ecosystem Services: Enhance and protect the beneficial uses/expectations of the forest, including water quality, recreation, forest products and wildlife habitat.
- Manage at Landscape Levels: Treat more acreage in support of common goals.
- Share Technical Data: Strengthen data/information and improve efficiencies
- Support Common Plan Goals: Draw from existing plans (e.g. MFRC’s Northeast Landscape Plan)
- Develop Stand-Level Tools/Guidance: to assure field foresters have what they need to succeed.
- Streamline Processes & Replication: allows efficient project process-transfer to future shared stewardship landscape projects upon other geographic locations.
- Improve Strategic Communication: to strengthen understanding of project goals, schedule and project status.
- Measure Success: to confirm outcomes, lessons-learned and adjust for future landscape projects.
Taking the Lead
Serving as the lead coordinating agency for the Pilot Project is the Minnesota Forest Resources Council. They are responsible forThe Minnesota Forest Resources Council facilitates the development and implementation of various programs, and advises the governor and federal, state, and local government on sustainable forest resource policies and practices. The council's vision serves as a framework for its undertakings and for evaluating progress towards achieving sustainable management of the state's forest resources.
By embracing similar collaborative principles, the Arrowhead Landscape Pilot Project will be better positioned to assure landscape-wide success.
View the Organizational Structure
What’s Next?
Several projects have been identified and will be ongoing in the project area in different stages of completion over the next several years. Depending upon the land application, results from some of the projects could be evident from less than a year to several years.
Upcoming project implementation includes:
- Bullet project list
- Bullet project list
Land managers and organizations are also beginning collaboration on planning future treatments, sharing data, and seeking additional funding. Land management planning and activities will follow applicable requirements related to each ownership.
How can private landowners within the project area get more information?
Private lands are an important part of the landscape management approach. Private landowners in the pilot project area can expect to see increased outreach notifications from agencies hoping to explore with them opportunities for enhancing forest management on their private land that also helps support landscape goals.
Click the link below to learn how private land owners can become a partner and get assistance in developing a forest stewardship plan to improve their forest’s health.