Our Roots
The Rajala Foundation has a deep history in the forest restoration space that’s rooted in a lifelong passion for northern Minnesota’s industrial history and native forest land.
Jack Rajala’s Legacy
The foundation was formed because of the passion of the late Jack Rajala (pronounced rye-a-la). Jack spearheaded the original effort as one man dedicated to the restoration of slow-growth forests as a conservationist and forest products businessman.
He served as Chief Executive of the Rajala Companies of Deer River, Minnesota, a family of businesses that produced lumber for furniture, homes, cabinetry veneers, and other wood products. From 1985-2010, Jack also served on the Board of Directors of ALLETE, Minnesota Power’s parent company.
As a lifelong resident of Itasca County, he developed a deep love for and understanding of native northern Minnesota forests, especially White Pine and Birch. Working in the lumber industry, Jack saw the problem that deforestation on our own land was creating and sought to fill the gap between harvesting and restoring.
In 1998, he published the book Bringing Back the White Pine, which discusses methods for raising white pines and fending off natural enemies such as deer and disease.
Throughout his long life, he planted millions of trees and learned the best methods. His love for the forest knew no bounds as he planted more than 3.5 million white pines and 1.5 million red pines.
He passed away in August 2016 at the age of 77, leaving behind a thriving legacy carrying his vision far beyond the long length of his purposeful life.
Minnesota Power’s Rajala Woods Initiative
Minnesota Power launched its Rajala Woods Initiative in 2015. Since then, hundreds of thousands of seedlings have been planted on Minnesota Power-owned land. The long-term goal of this forest management initiative was to plant 3 million trees and restore White Pines and other long-lived conifer species to more historical levels in northern forests.
Over the course of 10 years, Rajala Woods and Minnesota Power have planted trees in central and northeastern Minnesota. Seedlings have been planted on sites near Taconite Harbor, Hoyt Lakes, Sylvan Hydro, Pillager Hydro, Fish Lake Reservoir, Rice Lake Reservoir, Whiteface Reservoir, Boulder Lake Reservoir, and Island Lake Reservoir in Minnesota.
Rajala Woods Foundation builds on the original vision
In the fall of 2017, a new seed was planted with the formal establishment of the Rajala Woods Foundation. This nonprofit organization set out to acquire and manage ecologically significant forest acreage on selected Upper Midwest land. The foundation committed itself to the restoration and enhancement of forests and waterways in the region through professional forest management, including harvesting, tree plantings, and maintenance.
Since then, the projects the foundation has undertaken have delivered numerous environmental benefits, provided areas for public recreation, and helped support forest resiliency and productivity.
The Rajala Woods Foundation continues to seek partners with like-minded agencies, organizations, groups, and individuals to advance and sustain forest management goals.
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