Celebrating the enduring cycles of life in the natural world
Written by Mollie Gudim, Communications Specialist
Acts of environmental stewardship, such as planting trees, cleaning a park, or advocating for urban green spaces, are for the enduring health of nature - and sometimes caring for the outdoors is a sincere way to honor a loved one’s permanent memory. In western Minnesota's Clay County, where the forest meets the prairie, Gaylord "Guy" Paulson chose to donate their 250-acre property on the fringes of the Red River Valley to the DNR for conservation and remembrance of his wife and the family matriarch, Beva Paulson.
Decades earlier, the Paulsons bought this unique tract of land, which juxtaposes maple-basswood forest and grassland ecosystems, as a place for the family to immerse themselves in the calming sights, sounds, and smells of nature. For years, they enjoyed walking beneath the trees rustling in the wind, listening to the trill of birdsong, and watching sunlight glint off nearby ponds and lakes. When Beva Paulson passed away, her family wanted their land to go to the state where it would be protected, host biological research, remain a sanctuary for birds and wildlife, and welcome new generations of families who enjoy spending time outdoors.
In collaboration with the family, Molly Willing, Lands and Minerals Acquisition Project Manager, partnered with Ecological and Water Resources staff Bill Bleckwenn, Judy Elbert, Shelley Hedtke, and Tyler Larson to acquire the Paulsons' land for state management and public use. The Paulsons' wishes for their sacred space to be available to everyone for recreation and education came to fruition earlier this year with the dedication of the Beva Paulson Memorial Hardwood Forest Scientific and Natural Area. In a recent Q&A, the LAM and EWR team shared insights into the acquisition process and the site's ecological significance.
What was the most meaningful part for you working on this project?
Willing: This transaction is the definition of building a legacy. Mr. Paulson is kindhearted with a passion for the outdoors and a knack for telling stories, especially about his wife, Beva. This property has a profound significance to him. I was honored to work with him to make sure this sacred space, which is representative of Beva and the family, is protected now into the future. It's always difficult losing people, and to have this area where people can memorialize their loved ones and enjoy nature is special.
In a normal land transaction, we are either purchasing an easement or fee title. In this case, Mr. Paulson wasn’t interested in being compensated for his land; he just wanted a permanent sanctuary for birds and deer, and other wildlife, and for people to enjoy the land just as his wife had for so many years. Ultimately, designating his land as a scientific and natural area was perfect for his wishes.
What does the SNA program prioritize for land acquisition goals?
Elbert: SNAs are part of the State Outdoor Recreation System with a unique & indispensable role. SNA's primary goal is to ensure the state’s natural heritage is not lost from any ecological region of Minnesota. SNA's secondary goal is to provide Minnesotans with opportunities for compatible nature-based recreation, education, and scientific opportunities. SNA prioritizes protection of significant populations of rare plants and animals, sites of greatest biodiversity significance, high-quality native plant communities, and geological features of state or national importance. This includes protecting habitat complexes to allow for species movement.
The SNA Unit, which includes SNAs and Native Prairie Bank easements, protects more documented rare species per acre than any other State Outdoor Recreation System Unit. SNA's protect 193,000 acres of land, including nearly 170,000 acres of peatlands, within 67 of Minnesota’s 87 counties.
Bleckwenn: When we're looking at a site for acquisition, we're trying to create pathways or corridors for species to move to find new suitable habitats as the climate might change.
What appealed to us about the Beva Paulson site is that it's right on the edge of the forested areas in Clay County and just a mile or two west of there is the prairie. There’s sugar maple-basswood forest, and also wetlands, ponds, and lakes. The site also has some really nice flowering native species.
In terms of the Strategic Land Asset Management (SLAM) program goals for acquisitions, the Paulsons' land checks one of the boxes for SLAM in terms of a unique plant community that's fairly close to the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area, too. It's very interesting to see how closely such different biomes occur together at the edge of the forest boundary and then traversing the Agassiz Beach Ridge into flat Red River Valley, and then it's all tall grass prairie from there to the west.
Larson: Portions of this site were shaped by the region's glacial history. You can walk through the site and see large glacial erratic rocks on hillsides. Plus, there's multiple lakes where we are protecting miles of shoreline. The Beva Paulson Memorial Hardwood Forest SNA is a good representation of Clay County’s mixed natural environment.
Since buying their first 80 acres in the 1970s, the Paulsons’ decades of stewardship of this land ensure that this wild space is protected for years to come. Learn more about the honor of family and nature through the Beva Paulson Memorial Hardwood Forest SNA.