Being many miles from the state’s Capitol doesn’t mean the issues in northern Minnesota are any less important.
Kudos to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr and his staff for visiting mills in the northern part of the state in an effort to better understand the relationship between the state and the wood products industry.
Landwehr, newly appointed Forestry Division Director Forrest Boes, Northwest Region Director Lori Dowling and former Sen. Bob Lessard toured the Boise Inc. paper mill in International Falls and discussed the needs of the wood products industry with mill officials.
Landwehr clearly understands how the policies of the state, through the DNR, impact local economies, and the livelihoods and quality of life of Minnesota residents. Those policies play a critical role in northern Minnesota where many people’s lives are closely connected to the success of the wood products industry.
And we give credit to Landwehr for taking time from his busy schedule to meet with others in the community, including the International Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and this newspaper.
While the issues at the Capitol that impact the wood products industry are important, other issues in which the DNR is involved are also important to the community.
Landwehr discussed several issues — management of school trust lands, aquatic invasive species rules, establishing a wolf season, increasing hunting and fishing fees, and moving the walleye fishing opener to an earlier date — that also impact the community.
Landwehr seems to have the best interests of the state in mind on these issues and, to his credit, gave his uninhibited views about those issues.
Anytime this community has the opportunity to hear about and discuss the issues important to us with the head of a state agency, it’s to our benefit.
