Lands and Minerals Division Regional Operations

The Lands and Minerals Regional Operations Section

  • Serves DNR resource managers, counties, local governments, companies, and citizens in processing leases, utility licenses, easements, sales, reviews for tax-forfeited land transactions, land exchanges, trespass issues, appraisals and appraisal review, land value establishments, and mineral management and reclamation efforts;
  • Provides technical assistance for state land acquisition projects;
  • Provides leadership and facilitation for long range regional land management planning by participating in the DNR Regional Management Teams (RMTs) and regional acquisition committees;
  • Represents the Division as the point of contact in each region in directing, coordinating, and monitoring land transactions and mineral resource management efforts.

Staff

General map showing locations of regional operations contacts for Lands and Minerals

For more information, please contact the Regional Operations Supervisor or Coordinator in your region of the state, using the accompanying map and table.
Click on map for a full-size version

Region 1 - Northwest Minnesota

2115 Birchmont Beach Rd, NE
Bemidji, MN 56601

Cheryl Kelley-Dobie
Regional Operations Supervisor
218-308-2627

Counties in Region 1
Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Ottertail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin

Region 1 contacts

Easement (inquiries)

Pam Arndt, Senior Realty Specialist
Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Regional Operations Supervisor

Easement (application submittal)

Pam Arndt, Senior Realty Specialist

Land acquisitions (inquiries)

Jill Bitker, Realty Specialist

Land sale (inquiries)

Jill Bitker, Realty Specialist
Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Regional Operations Supervisor

Leases

Pam Arndt, Senior Realty Specialist
Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Regional Operations Supervisor

Tax forfeit

Cheryl Kelley-Dobie, Regional Operations Supervisor

Tax forfeit (mineral claim)

Ted Anderson, Assistant Director

Utility license crossing (application submittal)

Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist
Alicia Kelly, Realty Specialist

Utility license (inquiries)

Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist
Alicia Kelly, Realty Specialist

Utility license (maintenance notifications)

Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist

Public inquiries

Diane Johnson, Realty Specialist


Region 2 - Northeast Minnesota

DNR Lands and Minerals Division
1201 East Highway 2
Grand Rapids, MN 55744

Counties in Region 2
Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, Saint Louis

Region 2 contacts

Easements

Karen Tamminen, Realty Specialist

Land acquisitions (public inquiries)

Karen Tamminen, Realty Specialist

Land sale (public inquiries)

Heather Lofstuen, Realty Specialist

Leases (surface)

Amy Marrier, Senior Realty Specialist

Tax forfeit

Heather Lofstuen, Realty Specialist

Tax forfeit (mineral claim)

Ted Anderson, Assistant Director

Utility license crossing (application submittal)

Utility license crossing (maintenance inquiries)

Angela Means, Realty Specialist

Supervisor


Region 3 - Central Minnesota

DNR Lands and Minerals Division
1200 Warner Road
St. Paul, MN 55106

Counties in Region 3
Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Olmsted, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, Wright

Region 3 contacts

Easements

Tanya Alemu, Realty Specialist

Land acquisitions (public inquiries)

Heather Lofstuen, Senior Realty Specialist

Land sale (public inquiries)

Tanya Alemu, Realty Specialist

Leases

Mary Witte, Realty Specialist

Tax forfeit

Heather Lofstuen, Realty Specialist

Tax forfeit (mineral claim)

Ted Anderson, Assistant Director

Utility license crossing (application submittal)

Utility license crossing (communication line inquiries)

Stacy Bratsch, Realty Specialist

Utility license crossing (electric and pipeline inquiries)

Jean Zoch, Realty Specialist

Utility crossing (maintenance notifications)

Jean Zoch, Realty Specialist

Supervisor


Region 4 - Southern Minnesota

21371 State Hwy 15
New Ulm, MN 56073-5228

Benjamin J. Schaefer
Regional Operations Coordinator
507-233-1211

Counties in Region 4
Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Freeborn, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Sibley, Steele, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan, Yellow Medicine

Region 4 contacts

Easement (inquiries)

Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator

Easement (application submittal)

Karla Ihns, Senior Realty Specialist

Land acquisitions (inquiries)

Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator

Land sale (inquiries)

Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator

Leases

Karla Ihns, Senior Realty Specialist

Tax forfeit

Krista Howk, Realty Specialist

Tax forfeit (mineral claim)

Ted Anderson, Assistant Director

Utility license crossing (application submittal)

Benjamin J. Schaefer, Regional Operations Coordinator

Utility license (inquiries)

Ellen Preisinger, Realty Specialist

Utility license (maintenance notifications)

Karla Ihns, Senior Realty Specialist

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