Weeding out issues in Lund Township

Talk about it

A habitat easement was recently secured by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for land in Lund Township. Douglas County commissioners debated the agreement at Tuesday’s meeting. Lund Township contains prairie and wetlands, which are receding in the state.

Cheri Sloneker with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service presented a request to certify the tract to the commissioners. The property discussed is owned by Zack and Bette Pate, who reside in Atlanta, Georgia.

Sloneker said a habitat easement for property located on the corner where County Road 52 NW and Hill Road meet, west of Lake Christina, will protect the wetlands and upland. Haying will be allowed on the property.

Lund Township Supervisor Wayne Martin indicated there is a weed problem on that parcel of land and would like funds allocated for the removal of the unwanted vegetation.

“We did not have any success in weed control on this property last year,” Martin said. A weed notice was mailed and no response was received.

“Lund Township wants the board to know there is a weed problem,” Martin added.

Douglas County Board Chair Jerry Johnson said that since it is private property, the township can control the weed issue and charge the owners through taxes. Commissioner Norm Salto suggested Lund Township contact the county ag inspector, Tom Anderson. A friend of the Pates, identified as Mr. Lindquist, who attended the meeting, stated he will notify them of the weed concerns.

Johnson mentioned there may be a need to access the land for gravel in years to come, prior to the board’s unanimous vote to approve the easement.

Jon Schneider with Ducks Unlimited spoke in support of the habitat easement. Schneider said the land contains approximately 65 acres of unbroken, native-prairie land and although there may be a need to use the land for future gravel needs, the easement is in the best interest of today.

“We’ve lost 99 percent of our native prairie in the state,” Schneider said. “I think it would be a good thing to preserve the heritage of Douglas County.”

Crystal Dey

Crystal Dey is a staff reporter for the Echo Press. Originally from Minnesota’s Iron Range, Dey worked for newspapers in North Dakota, Florida and Connecticut before returning to her home state to join the Echo Press in October 2011. Dey studied Mass Communications at Minnesota State University Moorhead with an emphasis in Online Journalism. Follow Staff Reporter Crystal Dey on Twitter at @CrystalDey_Echo.

Tags: lund township, news, updates, commissioners