Crow Wing County board unanimously approves 2026 harvest plan

The Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Nov. 25 to approve the county's 2026 harvest plan following a staff presentation and limited questions. Land services staff described the one-year harvest plan as a selection pool derived from the county's forest resources plan and said no timber sale is offered until a field examination, management prescription and timber appraisal are completed.

"Before any permit is offered for sale, a detailed field examination is conducted by county forestry staff, and a management prescription and timber appraisal are completed for future sale," Tom, a county forestry/land services staff member, told the board. Commissioners asked how adjoining landowners are informed and whether cutting occurs up to property lines. Tom said landowners receive a property letter and a map once a sale is prepared and that crews generally leave a small buffer, "We try to stay 6 to 12 feet off of that property line," to account for survey error.

The board opened the required public hearing; no members of the public addressed the harvest plan. After closing the hearing, Commissioner Franzen moved to approve the plan and the motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members in favor. The plan includes timber-acre and cover-type listings for 2026; staff said some stands are deferred if they are unsuitable by size, age or operability, and any proposed sale will undergo on-the-ground verification before being offered.

The decision implements the county's annual practice of approving a one-year harvest plan consistent with its forest resources plan. The board took no other formal actions related to timber sales at the meeting.