A Valentine for Minnesota's Natural Resources

Acting swiftly in his new capacity as Commissioner of Natural Resources, Tom Landwehr has assembled a remarkable team of assistants and resource management professionals to lead the state in responsible stewardship of Minnesota's natural resources.

Pictured left - right: Ed Boggess, Fish & Wildlife Division director; David Epperly, Forestry Division director;Bob Lessard, special assistant to the commissioner; Tom Landwehr, commissioner; Larry Kramka, Lands and Minerals Division director; Elaine Johnson, Management Resources administrator; Denise Legato, Human Resources administrator; Denise Anderson, Office of Management & Budget administrator; Marty Vadis, Lands & Minerals division director (retiring); Col. Jim Konrad, Enforcement Division director; Laurie Martinson, Operations Services director; Steve Hirsch, Ecological and Water Resources director; Mary McConnell, assistant commissioner for legal and government affairs; Keith Parker, Central Region director;Erika Rivers, assistant commissioner for customer relations; Dennis Frederickson, Southern Region director; Chris Niskanen, communications director; Bob Meier, special assistant to the commissioner for legislative affairs; Dave Schad, deputy commissioner; Kent Lokkesmoe, capital investments director;Courtland Nelson, Parks & Trails Division director. (Not pictured: Craig Engwall, northeast regional director and Mike Carroll, assistant commissioner for field operations.)

Minnesota has long enjoyed one of the most progressive of the natural resource departments and conservation agencies in the country. Our civil service has been populated with some of the best-trained and most effective managers in charge of the widest diversity of land, forest, fish and wildlife resources anywhere in the nation.  Their approach has been based upon sound science and best practices management techniques that have resulted in the finest and most accessible network of trails, waterways, forests and parks anywhere in the nation.


Management of publicly owned resources has never been easy. Resource management issues evoke powerful emotions in devotees of a broad array of outdoor recreation. Everyone who has cast a lure, swung a shotgun, pulled a plow, paddled a canoe, or tracked a deer believes in their own insights into matters of resource management. These people are as passionate about their access to and support of public resources as anyone in America and they regularly express this in every way, from the Chickadee Checkoff to State Constitutional amendments. With funds dedicated to "re-investing in Minnesota" from lottery proceeds to sales tax increments, Minnesotans are unrelenting in their insistence upon abundant and well-managed renewable resources all across the state.

Nevertheless, only a special few have ever directly addressed the challenges of providing cost-effective and equal access to these outstanding resources. Such challenges often require skills unlikely to be held by a single individual. Recognition of this reality is implicit in the Commissioner's choices for his management team. No one here needs a "breaking-in". All have been long-committed to the actual management of resources, or, to the persuasion and communication of sound management principles among a public often too busy in other walks of life to become technically informed about best management practices.

Commissioner Landwehr has risen to the challenge in picking the best of the best among experienced legislators, public relations and communications specialists, and well-seasoned civil servants.  We are all looking forward to seeing the results of these appointments in perpetuity.

Cross-posted to The Renaissance Post