Audubon Minnesota is delighted to announce that Tim Schlagenhaft joined the staff on January 2, 2013 as the new Red Wing Community Conservation Specialist.Tim is a 23 year veteran of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources where he devoted his career to Mississippi River conservation issues.
Stationed at DNR’s Lake City Office, he was the Area Fisheries Supervisor for many years and later transitioned to become the agency’s Mississippi River Planner for 10 years.
The past 18 months Tim led the Department’s Asian Carp efforts where he developed a statewide Asian Carp Action Plan. Tim’s knowledge of the river is unparalleled. Not only does he understand the range of conservation issues surrounding the river and its adjacent floodplain, he has established excellent working relationships with stakeholders who are actively engaged in river issues and is well-respected among his peers. After years working in an administrative capacity, he is excited about returning to the field and ‘getting his boots muddy again.’
Audubon has long recognized the importance of Mississippi River floodplain forests, from the Vermillion River Bottoms south, for native birds and their habitats. Six Important Bird Areas have been delineated in the region.
Because conservation is most effective when it is rooted in a community, the new position will be responsible for implementing Audubon’s conservation priorities in the Red Wing vicinity while working as part of a team with the Audubon Minnesota and Mississippi Flyway staff.