Help For Rural and Forestry Landowners

Your land is important to you. Managing private woodlands can be a challenging and sometimes overwhelming task. Forests play a critical role in keeping water clean by absorbing and filtering water, preventing erosion through soil stabilization, and allowing for groundwater recharge. Forests and undeveloped natural landscapes also provide important and sustainable social, recreational, and economic benefits for landowners and the general public. We have a variety of resources and funding opportunities to help you protect your land and improve water quality. 

Conservation Easements

A conservation easement safeguards the natural value of a property through voluntary and permanent land use restrictions. Lands protected by a conservation easement remain in the landowner’s private ownership. Low impact recreational uses, such as camping and hunting, are still permitted, and public access is not required. Conservation easements stay with the land when ownership changes, ensuring permanent protection for generations. Land placed in a conservation easement will receive a one-time payment for 60% of the county-assessed land value.

Placing your land in a conservation easement prevents it from getting developed allowing you to protect your land's legacy in addition to protecting wildlife habitat and water quality. 

If you have questions about conservation easements or are interested, please get in touch with us! We can help get your land enrolled, provide advice, and connect your with the right program for you. Contact Douglas Page at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 763-689-3271. 

Sustainable Forest Incentive Act (SFIA)

SFIA offers direct incentive payments to property owners to promote the sustainable use of woodlands. Property owners receive an annual payment for each acre of qualifying forest land they enroll in the program. Payments are adjusted each year based on the tax assessed land value. In return, the landowner agrees not to develop the land and to adhere to a Stewardship Plan throughout their participation. Plans are customizable and may allow for limited timber harvest. Landowners may chose to enroll their land for a minimum duration of 8, 20, or 50 years. Unlike conservation easements, SFIA is temporary and provides a payment each year of the contract length. 

To get started contact Douglas Page at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 763-689-3271. 

Forest Management Practices 

There is funding available for a variety of forest management practices. Eligible practices include forest thinning, stand improvements, reforestation, and forest stewardship plans. Some activities have funding dependent on the land’s enrollment in SFIA or a conservation easement. To get started contact Douglas Page at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 763-689-3271. For more resources visit our forestry page. 

Additional Forestry Resources: 

Cambridge Area Forestry Office: Jeff Wilder (763) 284-7205

Certified Arborists/Approved Forest Stewardship Plan Preparers https://extension.umn.edu/natural-resources/woodland-stewardship

MN DNR Forest Health https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/treecare/forest_health/index.html

MN DNR Tree Planting and Care

Do you have questions about putting your forested land into a carbon market? There are resources that can help.

The UMN Extension has a list of Questions to ask your forester about carbon markets

The Minnesota DNR also has a utilization and marketing program meant to help Minnesota's wood-based economy. You can learn mroe about it here: Utilization and Marketing Program