Anna Stockstad
Extension Forester
stock523@umn.edu
(1/27/2026)— University of Minnesota Extension will be offering the Minnesota Woodland Steward program in St. Louis and Lake counties this spring to help woodland stewards promote the health of their woods. The program delivers a complete training program for those who own property with woodlands, steward woodlands, or who are looking to buy wooded property and wish to learn more about forest management. Family forest owners and forest caretakers will learn the ins and outs of forest health, timber harvesting, management for recreation and wildlife, estate planning, tax incentive programs and more.
Participants will learn strategies to improve the resilience of their woodlands to fire, insect outbreaks, and more.
The Minnesota Woodland Steward course offers a flexible design with both in-person and virtual learning. The 14- week course will include three in-person half-day field tours, three evening virtual learning sessions, and 14 online modules that participants complete on their own time. This flexible hybrid course will begin on February 23 and run until May 31. The standard registration rate is $295 and sliding scale pricing is available. Registration costs are waived for Tribal members.
You’ll leave this course with a tangible plan to improve the resilience of your woods and connections with local forestry professionals to turn the plan into action” says Anna Stockstad, Extension Forester and the course’s lead instructor.
Interested woodland stewards can find more information and register online: z.umn.edu/MWSP
