Minnesota DNR seeks tree seed, cone collectors to help grow future forests

The DNR pays for high-quality cones collected from native tree species. Collectors should call their local DNR Forestry office before collecting to confirm which species are needed and to arrange drop-off. Seeds and cones from single yard trees are not recommended. Many yard trees could be cultivars or nonnative varieties, and collecting from just one tree limits genetic diversity. Read More...

Mitchell Lake in Crow Wing County gets the DNR’s only perfect score for its fish. Anglers, they’re not talking about you.

In the far north of Crow Wing County, about 30 miles beyond Brainerd, there’s a heart-shaped lake that locals don’t want anyone else to know about. A stony brook runs through it, pouring in from the northwest shore and exiting over gentle rapids on the southeast, where the water is so clear that one could count the pebbles on the bottom, and the sleek bass guarding their nests, and the schools of minnows swarming, darting and feeding in the shallows. Mitchell Lake in the town of Fifty Lakes may be the best place in Minnesota to be a fish. Read More...

Crow Wing SWCD July Newsletter

The Crow Wing SWCD partnered with the City of Brainerd to reduce soil erosion in the Buffalo Hills neighborhood. In 2023, a contractor was hired, and by spring 2025, the project was complete. Read More ...

Public Hearing Notice:
Pine River Watershed Comprehensive Plan Amendment

BACKUS - Notice is hereby given that the Policy Committee of the Pine River One Watershed One Plan will conduct a public hearing at 2 p.m. on June 17. Read More ...

Lakeshore Lunch and Learn event

CROSBY – The Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) invites lakeshore property owners to attend its upcoming Lakeshore Lunch and Learn event on Saturday, May 17, in Crosby. Read More ...

Crow Wing SWCD September Newsletter

What began in 2021 as a plan to reduce polluted runoff from an old golf course before it reaches the Mississippi River, transformed 13 acres east of Fleet Farm in Baxter into a thriving regional stormwater wetland complex that protects the Mississippi River.  Read More...

Minnesota is armoring its shorelines with rocks, but lakes are paying a price

On lakes across Minnesota, it’s common to see shorelines buffered with boulders, often stretching hundreds of feet across and several feet deep.

These barricades of large rocks, known as riprap, are designed to keep soil from crumbling into the lake due to waves or high water. For many home or cabin owners, riprap also creates a neat, aesthetically pleasing shoreline, a status symbol for up-north lake life. Read More...

Crow Wing SWCD requests contact info for lake associations

The Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) invites lake associations in Crow Wing County to help update and maintain accurate contact information. Read More ...

Comments requested on Pine River Watershed amendment

The Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) requests the public to comment on the proposed Pine River Comprehensive Watershed amendment. Read More ...

Order Crow Wing County plat books and maps

The 2025 edition of Crow Wing County’s plat book and wall plat maps are now available for pre-order. Read More ...