(Released May 20, 2011)

Non-native Norway spruce trees will be removed from McCarthy Beach State Park in late spring to early summer, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The trees have matured to the point that they are sending seeds out beyond the original plantation, spreading the non-native species further into the park.

“Removing the plantation will allow us, over time, to restore a healthy native plant community,” said DNR Resource Specialist Tavis Westbrook. “Timber harvest can be an effective tool to preserve and restore native plant communities.”

Removal may require closure of the Ski Trail Road for short periods of time while work occurs along the road. Park staff asks that visitors stay a safe distance from the cutting site when work is in progress.

The spruce trees look different from Minnesota’s native white and black spruce trees. That is because they are Norway spruce, which is not native to Minnesota. Norway spruce branches droop at the tips, while native trees have straighter tips.

The Norway spruce trees at McCarthy Beach State Park were planted in the 1930s, probably by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), before the land became part of the state park.

The mission of the DNR’s Division of Parks and Trails is to perpetuate natural features that existed prior to settlement. Removing invasive species is one key way DNR resource specialists are restoring pre-settlement conditions.

Minnesota state parks in Northeastern Minnesota have used conventional timber harvest on more than 300 acres in the last three years to reach forest management objectives, according to Westbrook.

After removal of the Norway spruce, park staff will restore the site. Restoration steps will likely include planting, monitoring and controlling invasive species.

For more information, call the park at 218-254-7979 or check the park’s Web page at mndnr.gov (www.mndnr.gov/state_parks/mccarthy_beach).