Management of approximately 73,000 acres of tax-forfeited land, 43 miles of County Owned abandoned Soo Line Trail and over 400 miles of shoreline.
Department Administration
Carlton County administers its tax-forfeited land base through its Land Department, Auditor’s Office and the County Board. The County Board sets policies, adopts appropriate ordinances, sets land and timber values, and undertakes similar policy and legal actions. The Auditor conducts forfeitures, and handles related and fiscal actions. Day-to-day administration and field management of the land and timber resources is done by the Land Department which is headed by the Land Commissioner who reports directly to the County Board of Commissioners. Currently, the Department has a staff of five including the Land Commissioner/Agricultural Inspector, the County Forester, the Forestry/Wildlife Technician, the GIS Coordinator, and the GIS Technician.Temporary seasonal help is hired to undertake such projects as tree planting, bud capping, and larger-scale site preparation. Carlton County managed lands are currently certified by third-party forest certification auditors. To learn more about third party audits visit the Minnesota Counties Sustainable Forest Cooperative.
Managed Forest Land
Minnesota is among a small number of states that have county managed forest land. This report explores the history and current contribution of Minnesota’s county-managed forest lands, including the diverse social, economic and environmental benefits they provide.