Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - History

History

Efforts to conserve Minnesota's wildlife began as early as 1876, with a forestry association established to protect the state's timber resources. However, those efforts became futile as the industry took over and people sought the money that could be made on the land. Over time, there were other attempts to control the destruction of resources, but most only had effects on what was done to public land, such as the Land Commission established in 1885. In 1911 the Minnesota Forest Service was established to conserve the state's forests by promoting fire prevention and protection.

The first agency created to maintain Minnesota's resources was founded in 1931 as the Department of Conservation. When the Department of Conservation was created, it brought together four separate state entities: forestry, game and fish, drainage and waters, and lands and timber, while adding a division of state parks and a tourist bureau as well. The Great Depression was an important time for the Department of Conservation. Federal unemployment programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration provided labor to construct buildings, clear trails, and plant trees. Many of the buildings in Minnesota's state parks were built during this period.

In 1971 the name of the agency was changed to the Department of Natural Resources to "better reflect its broader responsibilities." More sections of the Minnesota Government were added to the Department and many of the division names changed. Old policies were replaced with new and more prevalent ones geared towards new issues associated with an increase in state land use.