Reader's View: Look to Minnesota’s tribes to protect our forests

According to The Nature Conservancy , “In the early 1800s, 31.5 million acres of forest covered the area that is now Minnesota. Today, that number has been reduced by nearly half, with less than 18 million acres of forest.” Deforestation is an ongoing problem throughout northern Minnesota and can be caused by wildfires, disease, drought, and timber and agriculture production. Deforestation has an extremely negative effect on the environment and is responsible for nearly 10% of climate change. According to the Arbor Day Foundation , “In one year a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”

With millions of acres of trees being destroyed, it is apparent there needs to be more action throughout the state to protect our forests and, in doing so, our environment.

Forest-health decline is one of the main reasons for forest loss and, unlike timber production, is avoidable. The Chippewa National Forest in northern Minnesota has seen rapid health decline due to invasive creatures, drought, and fires. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, which borders the forest, offers a suitable and proven solution. For thousands of years, the tribe, like many others, has used sustainable practices such as controlled burns and selective harvesting to produce lumber — while also maintaining healthy biodiverse forests, unlike the current state of the Chippewa National Forest.

Although the government has programs in place to replant trees, it is ultimately more beneficial to protect Minnesota's old-growth forests by partnering with Native American tribes like the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Its strategies, such as selective harvesting, have proven successful in forest management and demonstrate the ability to sustainably protect and care for the land.

Andrew Jetton

Plymouth, Minnesota