BISMARCK – New camper cabins at Grahams Island and Turtle State parks are among the new amenities visitors to North Dakota state parks will notice this year, the state Parks and Recreation Department said in a news release.

State parks returned to full service Friday, May 19. While the campgrounds are open year-round, some amenities are only available seasonally. In addition to camping, park guests can look forward to special events, educational programming, tours and fishing amenities returning for the summer. State parks also offer a variety of rental equipment for guests including canoes, kayaks, bikes, stand-up paddleboards and much more.

In addition to new camper cabins at Grahams Island and Turtle River, this season is the first full year for the new south campground loop at Fort Stevenson State Park. Later this summer, Lake Metigoshe, Fort Stevenson and Lake Sakakawea state parks will have expanded rentals to include pontoon boats.

“We are excited to welcome guests for another great season of camping and summer recreation across our state parks and recreation areas,” Cody Schulz, North Dakota Parks and Recreation director, said in a statement. “After a tremendous winter recreation season, we are thrilled to offer park visitors even more opportunities and services to explore.”

– Herald staff report

BISMARCK – With the summer recreation season underway, the North Dakota Department of Water Resources and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department are encouraging residents and tourists to help monitor, control and prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species in the state’s waters.

ANS can cause harm to established habitats, endanger recreational fisheries, destroy infrastructure and negatively impact communities that rely on lakes and rivers for their water supplies.

“The Department of Water Resources’ mission is to responsibly manage North Dakota’s water needs and risks for the people’s benefit,” Andrea Travnicek, director of the Department of Water Resources, said in a statement. “Further spread of ANS in North Dakota’s waters is most certainly a risk to the well-being of our citizens, environment and economy. For that reason, DWR continues to be supportive and active in efforts to minimize ANS impacts and encourage the public to be vigilant as well.”

The public should incorporate best practice recommendations concerning boat, dock, machinery and other equipment cleaning guidance. That includes cleaning, draining and drying all equipment every time you use it.

Following those recommendations can help control the spread of ANS. The DWR, Game and Fish and Gov. Doug Burgum designated May 14-21 as Aquatic Nuisance Species Awareness Week in North Dakota. The public is encouraged to help monitor, control and prevent the spread of nuisance species in North Dakota.

– Herald staff report

ST. PAUL – Minnesota firearms turkey hunters who have an unused tag from an earlier hunt period can participate in the final hunt period from Wednesday, May 17, through Wednesday, May 31, the Department of Natural Resources said this week. Hunters can also purchase a license for this time period. Archery-only and youth ages 17 and younger are allowed to hunt during any time period, including the final one. Hunters cannot purchase both a firearms and archery-only license.

Turkey licenses can be

purchased online

at

mndnr.gov/buyalicense

, by phone at (888) 665-4236 or in person from a license agent. More information about turkey hunting in Minnesota can be found on the

DNR website

at

mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey

.

Hunters concerned about avian influenza and wild turkeys can find

USDA safe handling practices

online at

aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf

and on the

DNR avian influenza webpage

at

mndnr.gov/ai

.

– Herald staff report

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation marked its 39th anniversary this month. Since four Montana elk hunters founded the conservation group on May 14, 1984, the North American elk population has grown from 550,000 to greater than 1.1 million today. RMEF helped conserve or enhance more than 8.6 million acres of elk habitat while completing nearly 14,000 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects. RMEF also opened or improved access to more than 1.5 million acres while helping restore wild, free-ranging elk to six states and one Canadian province.

“We salute and greatly appreciate our volunteer force of 11,000 for their passionate dedication,” Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO, said in a statement. “We also thank our members, donors, sponsors and the hunting community that generates crucial funding for conservation work across the nation.”

– Herald staff report

ST. PAUL – Due to a recent rise in wildfire activity, with more than 200 wildfires reported since May 1, the Minnesota DNR is asking the public to report wildfires immediately by calling 911 from a safe location.

A quick clean-up of yard waste or a simple campfire might seem harmless, but on warm, sunny or windy days, even a small fire near dry grass or brush can quickly become a rapidly moving wildfire. Not only do wildfires threaten property, but too often, they lead to injuries and even fatalities, the DNR said.

“We learn of people every year who have suffered serious injuries that require hospitalizations, or worse, fatalities, from attempting to control a wildfire on their own,” Paul Lundgren, wildfire section manager with the DNR, said in a statement. “Just like a house fire, a wildfire is extremely dangerous and unpredictable.”

Trained firefighters are equipped to put the fire out safely and are the best option, Lundgren said.

As summer approaches, be careful when burning vegetation or enjoying an evening around the campfire. Any fire larger than 3 feet diameter and 3 feet high needs a burning permit in Minnesota. By allowing burning permit activation only on days that are safe to burn, DNR is keeping public safety a priority.

For more information, check out the

DNR’s burn permit webpage

at

mndnr.gov/burnpermit

.

– Herald staff report

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has launched a competition to engage the public in helping to reimagine what drives wildlife conservation in the 21st century by addressing six important conservation issues: preventing wildlife poaching and trafficking, promoting wildlife conservation, managing invasive species, protecting endangered species, managing nonlethal human-wildlife conflict and reducing human-predator conflict.

As part of the USFWS’s Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize competitions, prize winners are eligible for up to $100,000 for each winning prize solution.

“Today’s communities and wildlife habitats face sizable conservation challenges like climate change, wildlife poaching and trafficking, habitat reduction and the loss of pollinators,” Martha Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said in a statement. “We need innovators with a wide variety of skill sets and perspectives to help us collaboratively advance resource stewardship and conservation around the globe.”

The Service is partnering with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which has helped administer the competitions.

The submission deadline for the competitions is June 27, with judging to occur July through August; winners will be announced in October. The prize purse for each of the six focus areas is up to $100,000 for the winning technology innovation. The Service may also recognize additional participants with non-monetary, honorable mention awards.

Info/applications:

challenge.gov

.

– Herald staff report