Richmond man is snowmobile safety instructor of the year

Charles Reichert, of Richmond, has been named the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Volunteer Snowmobile Instructor of the Year for 2020.

During his 28 years as a volunteer instructor, Reichert has provided safety training for about 1,500 students — or roughly the population of his hometown. Reichert is a longtime member of the Minnesota United Snowmobile Association and is active in his local club — the Country Snow Cruisers — as well as the Stearns County Snowmobile Trail Association. He has served in a number of capacities, and remains active in nearly every facet — from fund-raising to working with private landowners to obtain access permission to maintaining and grooming trails.

Reichert also is dedicated to ensuring new snowmobile riders have the knowledge they need to enjoy a lifetime of safe riding.

“For all things snowmobile, Charlie really is the go-to guy in the Richmond area,” said DNR Conservation Officer Todd VanderWeyst, who nominated him for the award. “He’s extremely humble and cares first and foremost about ensuring future generations have the same opportunities we have today, and he himself is a model for other volunteer instructors when it comes to grooming safe and responsible snowmobile riders.”

Reichert is known for providing thorough, interesting safety classes that keep students attentive and learning. He blends in personal experiences to help him illustrate concepts, and goes to great lengths to help students understand everything from regulations and safety to proper equipment and snowmobile preparation.

More than 1,000 volunteer instructors teach DNR snowmobile safety classes across the state and are the backbone of the program. Minnesota residents born after Dec. 31, 1976 are required to have a snowmobile safety certificate in order to ride, but DNR safety officials recommend all people who ride a snowmobile complete a safety training course.

Mountain bike trail expansion happening at Cuyuna Country SRA

Mountain bike enthusiasts will have 27 miles of new trails to ride at the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area by the spring of 2023. New trail construction at the area’s Sagamore Unit is scheduled to begin in late April and last through the fall of 2022.

Located on the southwestern edge of the complex, the Sagamore Unit expansion will feature a new trailhead facility and trails that range from easy to very difficult. The unit will include the system’s first trails designed for users of adapted bikes (three- and four-wheel handcycles).

“This next wave of expansion of the trail system builds on the work started last year on the Mahnomen Unit,” said Nicholas Statz, Cuyuna Country mountain bike trail technician for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “All of this development is a result of the broad support from the business and riding community, the Cuyuna SRA Citizens Advisory Council, and the hard work of the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew, which helps maintain the trail system.”

Construction should not require the closure of existing trails outside of the construction area. Visitors may see and hear construction equipment in the area and are asked to obey all closure signs. The public water access on Sagamore Mine Lake will remain open during construction.

Several construction projects are happening simultaneously at the Cuyuna Country SRA. Recap of current construction:

Mahnomen Unit (South): New gravity flow trail, Drawpoint–tentative opening spring 2021.

Mahnomen Unit (North): Backcountry trail — tentative opening mid/late summer 2021. Gravity flow trails — tentative opening fall 2021.

Yawkey Unit: city of Cuyuna connector trails –tentative opening early summer 2021.

Sagamore Unit: Construction scheduled to start in late April 2021 and continue through fall of 2022.

The Mahnomen Unit expansion project features four challenging new gravity flow trails, three of which will be connected by a backcountry trail intended to provide riders a sense of remoteness and adventure. New trails in this unit will range from more difficult intermediate to very difficult (expert).

Check the “Visitor Alerts” section on the Cuyuna Country SRA webpage for updates. Updates also are available by calling the DNR Information Center at 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, or by emailing info.dnr@state.mn.us.

Funding for this multi-year expansion project comes from the 2017 State Bond appropriation for Cuyuna Country SRA. The adaptive trail in the Sagamore Unit is being funded by a grant from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board. When completed, the Cuyuna Country SRA will offer 60 miles of mountain bike trails in addition to the 9.6 mile paved Cuyuna Lakes State Trail.

Adjacent trails outside of the Cuyuna Country SRA boundary include the city of Cuyuna connector trails and the Cruser’s Kettle trail. For more information on those trails, visit the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew website.

High-risk oak wilt season is now: Do not prune oaks

April marks the beginning of the high-risk season for oak wilt, so the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds people not to prune oaks from April through July. This is the best way Minnesotans can prevent the spread of the deadly oak wilt disease.

Oak wilt is a nonnative, invasive fungal disease that kills all species of oak in Minnesota. It spreads two ways: above ground by sap-feeding beetles and below ground through connected roots. By avoiding pruning or cutting oaks in spring and early summer, people prevent fungus spread by sap beetles carrying spores from infected trees to fresh cuts.

“Once oak wilt gets stared, controlling the disease is expensive,” said Rachael Dube, DNR northwest region forest health specialist. “The good news is, by following pruning guidelines, people can prevent or reduce the spread of oak wilt in their yards, woods, and communities.” Dube encourages residents to limit pruning to November through February when there is no risk of oak wilt transmission.

One of the DNR’s goals is to halt the overall northward expansion of oak wilt in Minnesota, which in recent years has reached the northern portions of Morrison and Pine counties. In addition to following pruning guidelines, Dube cautions campers, cabin owners and visitors, and hunters not to move firewood. Moving oak firewood can spread oak wilt over long distances. Use locally sourced firewood or firewood with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) certified seal to prevent moving oak wilt.

For more details on oak wilt prevention and how best to deal with infected trees and wood, see the DNR’s oak wilt management webpage.