Welcome to INTO THE WOODS
Posted: July 11, 2023
Welcome to INTO THE WOODS, the official e-newsletter of the Rajala Woods Foundation! At the Rajala Woods Foundation, we are dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and sustainability of our precious natural resources. Nestled deep within the enchanting and awe-inspiring woodland landscapes, our foundation seeks to connect individuals and communities with the wonders and benefits of […]
RESTORING FORESTS
Posted: July 11, 2023
Over the past century, the white, red and other long-lived pine species that once dominated the northern forests have been rapidly deteriorating, often replaced by short-rotation trees like aspen and balsam fir. But with the right modern forestry practices, we’re confident that we can restore our unique native forests in the long run. Let’s take […]
Mineland Reclamation Project
Posted: July 11, 2023
As part of an Iron Range mining site’s reclamation strategy, a team of 12 Mustang Forestry planters (+ two supervisors), a handful of mine representatives and RWF’s own Blake Francis worked together to plant 95,000 red pine seedlings. The result: 1,000 trees per acre—twice as dense as what you would typically expect to find in […]
Moose Creek
Posted: July 11, 2023
With a grant from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, RWF is currently working to restore 1,200 acres of forest land in eastern Lake County, MN—an area that has been growing aspen and balsam after being logged approximately 20 years ago. As part of this initiative, RWF hired a contractor last fall to thin out areas […]
Hodnik Family Forest
Posted: July 11, 2023
ALLETE donated 1,200 acres near Hoyt Lakes to RWF as a tribute to former ALLETE CEO Al Hodnik and his family. This land, named the Hodnik Family Forest, was officially dedicated in June by ALLETE representatives along with public agencies and nonprofit organizations. As part of its objective to restore the Hodnik Family Forest—which was […]
Into The Woods | Q4 2023
Posted: December 22, 2023
It’s been an exciting and productive year here at the Rajala Woods Foundation (RWF). The RFW team made significant progress advancing our mission at the Moose Creek and Hodnik Family Forest properties, while also successfully completing a large mineland reclamation project. We have more projects in the works for 2024, including the development of detailed […]