Natural Resources Management

Martin Wiley - Administrator

Managing Tax-Forfeited Trust Lands for the Environmental, Economic, and Recreational Benefit of all.

The Natural Resources Management Department is responsible for managing the county's nearly 75,000 acres of tax-forfeited lands.  Our objective is to manage these lands in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable manner.  This is accomplished through our forest management, land management, and recreation programs.

Programs:

Forest Management - Becker County's forests are managed for a multitude of environmental, economic, and social benefits. Timber and other forest products, necessary to sustain Minnesota's forest products industries are produced through careful, sustainable management. Forest management activities such as pre-commercial thinnings, intermediate selective harvests, shelterwood harvests, and final timber harvests, along with forest regeneration efforts, are designed to meet a number of long-term forest management and landscape goals. Landscape goals and harvest plans are accessible through links on the Forest Management page. Specific information regarding current timber sale offerings can be found on the Timber Auctions page.

Land Management - Another important role of the Natural Resources Management Department is the management of the County's tax-forfeited lands.  Lands best suited for forest management and recreation are designated for "conservation" and will be retained and managed by the county for such purposes.  Development lots or fragments of parcels that forfeit are classified as "non-conservation" and disposed of as allowed by Minnesota statutes.  Parcels identified for disposal are appraised and offered for either private or public sale.  Please go to Tax-Forfeited Land Sales to see the date and time of the County's next scheduled tax-forfeited land sale along with a complete listing of the parcels being offered.

Recreation - Becker County prides itself as a recreation destination and our public lands and waters are a prime reason many come here to fish, swim, boat, hunt, ski, snowmobile, and just relax.  In concert with the public tax-forfeited lands, Becker County also manages a number of parks, public water accesses, swimming beaches, motorized and non-motorized trails and more.  Visit the recreation section of our site that will provide information and maps detailing our many recreational opportunities.