Purpose
The purpose of this training is to ensure that prior to commencing work, operators are informed and aware of:
- The Land and Minerals Department’s Guiding Policies
- Minnesota’s Forest Management Guidelines
- Any areas of special concern that may apply to activities on state tax forfeited lands
Guiding Policies
- Comply with all Laws and Regulations and Minnesota’s Forest Management Guidelines
- Continually Improve Performance
- Prevent Damage to the Environment
- Recognize and Respect Indigenous Peoples
Land and Minerals Department 2022 Sustainable Forestry Initiative
Scope of Registration: Forestry management activities including planning, harvest, transportation and silviculture on state tax forfeited lands meeting Objective 1-17. Certification number is BV-SFIS-US016293
Land and Minerals Department 2022 Sustainable Forestry Initiative
These include commitments to:
- Forest Management Planning
- Forest Health and Productivity
- Protection and Maintenance of Water Resources
- Conservation of Biological Diversity
- Management of Visual Quality and Recreational Benefits
- Protection of Special Sites
- Efficient Use of Fiber Resources
- Recognize and Respect Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
- Climate Smart Forestry
- Fire Resilience and Awareness
- Legal and Regulatory Compliance
- Forestry Research, Science and Technology
- Training and Education
- Community Involvement and Landowner Outreach
- Public Land Management Responsibilities
- Communications and Public Reporting
- Management Review and Continual Improvement
Legal Requirements and Voluntary Guidelines
The Land and Minerals Department is committed to ensuring that all operations conducted on its lands comply with legal requirements and with
Minnesota’s Forest Management Guidelines. The guidelines were created through a multi-disciplined committee in 1995 and are periodically revised. Operators who conduct work activities on state tax forfeited land in St. Louis County shall be in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Every operator shall comply with all contract requirements and directions given from Land and Minerals Department personnel during the course of work on state tax forfeited lands. In our inspections and internal and external audits, we will be checking for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, conformity with Minnesota’s Forest Management Guidelines, conformity with the 2022 SFI Standards and adherence to the provisions and procedures in Land and Minerals Department contracts.
Responsible Operators List
To be eligible to bid on a Land and Minerals Department contract or operate on state tax forfeited lands, the operator must be in good standing on the Responsible Operator List. This applies to all timber harvest operations, road building, forest development projects and gravel operations. A
Responsible Operator Application Form, a Certificate of Compliance with Minnesota Worker's Compensation Law, and a Certificate of Liability Insurance must be on file with the Land and Minerals Department prior to commencement of any work.
This application will remain on file for ONE YEAR with the Land and Minerals Department. The application and this training MUST BE updated each year and the worker’s compensation, and liability insurance must be kept current to remain in good standing with the department. An application can be obtained at any Land and Minerals Department Office or from the St. Louis County Land and Minerals Website.
Return to:
Pike Lake Land and Minerals Dept
5713 Old Miller Trunk Hwy
Duluth, MN 55811
OR
Virginia Land and Minerals Dept
7820 MN-135
Virginia, MN 55792
Responsible Operators List – Minimum Requirements
All operators must have the appropriate training, experience and certification to conduct the work activities that are the subject of a contract with the Land and Minerals Department. Qualifications of operators will be documented on the Responsible Operator Application Form. Timber Sale Operators must have training for at least the owner of the business and one "in woods" person actively responsible for each logging site (in some cases, the business owner may also be the "in woods" person). At a minimum, one of the following is required:
- Master Logger Certification
- Minnesota Logger Education (MLEP) Member in good standing
- "SFI Trained" FISTA member
- Training equivalent to the Minnesota SFI Implementation Committee Training Standard for a trained Professional Logger
Sub-Contractors
All sub-contractors MUST be on the Land and Minerals Department Responsible Operator List. A Responsible Operator Application Form, Certificate of Compliance with Minnesota Worker's Compensation Law, and a Certificate of Liability Insurance must be on file with the Land and Minerals Department prior to commencement of any work. They can follow the same steps above.
Suppliers
Suppliers and truckers who deliver product to you or provide services to you on a state tax forfeited work site must be under your supervision while conducting any activities on the worksite. You are responsible for ensuring that their activities do not conflict with Land and Minerals Department requirements and for providing direction in the event of any emergency.
Threatened and Endangered Species
In our operations you may encounter animals and vegetation that are threatened and/or endangered. By state and federal law, we are required to protect threatened and endangered species.
- A species is considered endangered if the species is threatened with extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range within Minnesota.
- A species is considered threatened if the species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range within Minnesota.
If your operations threaten or impact a listed species that was not discussed prior to the start of activity, avoid the area of concern and contact the Contract Administrator immediately. Below are a few examples of Minnesota’s listed threatened and endangered species (MN DNR 2013), which could occur in St. Louis County:
Threatened
- Canadian Lynx (Fed)
- Rams Head Lady Slipper
- Wood Turtle
Endangered
- Western Jacob’s Ladder
- Auricled Twayblade
You can find additional information on threatened and endangered species on the
Minnesota DNR website. The website has excellent descriptions and pictures.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFSW) has classified the northern long-eared bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. We are required to implement conservation measures in accordance with our Incidental Take Permit to ensure forest management can continue without additional consultation with the USFWS. Requirements include:
- Implement reserve tree and snag retention guidelines
- Protect known occupied maternity roost trees
- Protect known hibernacula entrances
How does this affect logging contractors?
- Protect reserve trees identified in the contract.
- Protect snags.
- Don’t cross painted boundaries. All known bat roost tree and hibernacula protection areas will be marked with paint.
- If you notice an active bat roost tree, protect it by not harvesting the tree or within 150 feet of the tree and contact the sale administrator.
Items Required On-Site by the Land and Minerals Department
- All applicable PERMITS
- Map of work site
- Harvest Provisions (Exhibit B2)
- Spill kit
Reporting Spills
Please ensure that everyone in your organization that works on state tax forfeited lands understands which spills are reportable. Reportable spills are:
- 5 gallons or more of any petroleum product to ground
- ANY quantity of chemical or petroleum product to water
How do you know whether you have spilled 5 gallons?
- Check the capacity of the container, reservoir or tank, from which the product spilled, and assess what if anything is left in the container. If the quantity of material lost from the container is close to 5 gallons, report it.
- Examine the size of the area contaminated by the spill. As a rule of thumb, if it is more than an area of 5 feet by 5 feet, you most likely have spilled 5 gallons and you must report it.
For chemicals other than petroleum products, the reportable quantity should be listed on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). If the SDS does not show the reportable quantity or if you do not know the reportable quantity, report the spill. Minnesota Duty Officer – 1-800-422-0798
STARR
Secure – Telephone – Abate – Recover – Remediate
This section concerns procedures for responses to spills, leaks, and accidents that may occur at your site. Per the MN Department of Agriculture (MDA) there are many actions that can be taken before, during, and after an incident to minimize cleanup costs and environmental damage. Controls should be in place to prevent incidents while mixing/loading, rinsing, storing, and disposing of pesticides and fuels.
IF YOU HAVE A REPORTABLE SPILL, FOLLOW THE STARR STEPS:
SECURE the site. The priority is safety.
TELEPHONE a report of incident. You have a legal obligation to immediately report all chemical spills (non-petroleum) no matter how small.
ABATE the spill. Take actions such as plugging a leaking container, placing absorbent materials or diking a spill area can and minimize health and safety risks, property damage or environmental damage.
RECOVER spilled product. Recover spilled material as quickly as possible by pumping up free liquid, sweeping up absorbent and dry material and place into suitable containers. Spills that soak into the ground may require excavation.
REMEDIATE. Contaminated media (soil, absorbent, water, sediment, debris, or other contaminated material) are to be stockpiled until thin spreading or landfilling is approved.
Minnesota Duty Officer – 1-800-422-0798
Logging and Forest Development Contractors (including but not limited to the projects below) must have a spill kit on site at all times during operations. Operations include any work involving heavy, non-vehicular equipment.
- ground herbicide spraying
- aerial herbicide spraying
- disk trenching
- anchor chaining
- salmon blading
The recommended contents of a spill kits are available in the Minnesota Forest Management Guideline Quick Reference Field Guide.
When in doubt, STARR: Secure – Telephone – Abate – Recover – Remediate • Minnesota Duty Officer: 1-800-422-0798
Fuel Management, Lubricants and Other Chemicals
The Land and Minerals Department is committed to ensuring that fuel management and the management of chemicals on its lands complies with legal requirements.The legal requirements that apply to fuel and chemical tanks, and transportation of said tanks are the MN Department of Transportation Requirements (MN DOT).
Hazardous Materials - Commercial Vehicle Operations - MnDOT (state.mn.us)
For Harvest and select Forest Development Contracts:
- Review locations for equipment fueling, lubricant and herbicide mixing activities with Contract Administrator
- Locate fueling, maintenance activities, storage areas and herbicide mixing activities away from open water bodies.
- Check site map and talk to Contract Administrator to ensure fueling, loading, storage areas and herbicide mixing activities are away from areas considered low on the landscape.
- Check site map and talk to Contract Administrator about the location of any filter strips and RMZ’s.
- Avoid special conditions or sensitive areas.
If in doubt, contact the Contract Administrator.
Field Pre-Work Session
The Land and Minerals Department Contract Administrator will conduct a field pre-work session PRIOR to the commencement of work. This session may include discussing the project contract, contract provisions, permits, and map(s) with the site operator and any sub-contractors working on the site. It is the responsibility of the site operator or contract owner to ensure any employees or sub-contractors are aware of the project contract, contract provisions, permits, and map.
Preventing Site Damage (Timber and Forest Development Contracts)
- Soil Disturbance - Breaking up the duff layer and exposing mineral soil without creating ruts or significant compaction.
- Compaction - Depression of the soil surface 3 inches or more deep, but without displacement of soil.
- Rutting - A more drastic disturbance where soil is displaced (in excess of 6 inches), the sides of the tire are in contact with soil and often a wiping action occurs on the side of the rut. Ruts can cause deep compaction, disrupt water movement through the soil, damage root systems, and create erosion channels
Preventing Site Damage - Shut Down Criteria (Timber and Forest Development Contracts)
Examples of conditions where Field Operators should either modify operations or request direction from the Contract Administrator include:
- Rutting greater than 6 inches deep in the general harvest area where the operator is unable to move to more stable ground;
- Any time rutting is occurring from a single pass of equipment; or
- Visible compaction of soils in the general harvest area
Examples of situations were Field Operators and Administrators should have heightened awareness of potential site impacts:
- Any precipitation on unfrozen ground;
- Moving to a less stable soil within the sale area;
- Working a cut-to-length project where the slash mat is insufficient; and/or
- Whenever the operator is uncertain about potential impacts to the site
If Operator is unable to modify operations to prevent damage, operator should shut down operations and immediately contact the Sale Administrator.
Preventing Site Damage (Timber and Forest Development Contracts)
Talk to your Contract Administrator about any RMZs and filter strips found on the project site.
RMZ’s
A Riparian Management Zone (RMZ) is the defined portion of the riparian area adjacent to a steam, lake or open water wetland where RMZ guidelines apply. RMZ area is dependent on the recommended RMZ width which varies according to stream, lake or open water wetland characteristics.
Filter Strip
A filter strip is the area of land adjacent to a water body that traps sediment before it reaches surface water. Harvesting is permitted in a filter strip as long as the integrity of the filter strip is maintained.