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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Parks and Recreation
411 West First Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802
218-730-4309 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact Kelli Latuska,
Public Information Officer at 218-730-5309
DATE: 4/29/2026
SUBJECT: Public comment opportunities for the Lester-Amity-Hawk Ridge Designated Natural Area draft management plan coming soon
BY: Kelli Latuska, Public Information Officer

Public comment opportunities for the Lester-Amity-Hawk Ridge Designated Natural Area draft management plan coming soon

 

 

 

 

[DULUTH, MN] The draft management plan for the Lester-Amity-Hawk Ridge (LAHR) Designated Natural Area will be available for in-person public comment at coming public meetings at Duluth City Hall:

 

  • Natural Resource Commission Meeting on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 6:00 pm in City Hall conference room 330;
  • Planning Commission Meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 5:00 pm in Council Chambers;
  • Duluth City Council Meeting (expected) on June 22, 2026 at 6:00 pm in Council Chambers.

 

On June 16, 2025, the Duluth City Council approved the nomination of Lester-Amity-Hawk Ridge for provisional inclusion in the City's Designated Natural Area Program (DNAP).

 

This area meets all five nomination requirements:

 

  • Significant Native Plan Communities Area - nine significant native plant communities
  • Special Species Area - Canada Buffaloberry
  • Important Bird Congregation Area - internationally recognized Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve
  • Natural Water Features Area - Amity Creek and Lester River, state-listed designated trout streams
  • Geologic Landform Area - Hawk Ridge, one of Duluth's most recognizable high points.

 

This nomination and management plan are being brought forth by four partners: Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Trout Unlimited, and the Minnesota Land Trust. A natural area designation is provisional until a management plan for the area is approved by City Council.

 

The DNAP program requires that a management plan be completed for the area within one year. This plan provides a list of prioritized restoration and protection actions, target timelines, and approximate costs. The partners worked with City of Duluth staff and the Natural Resource Commission to develop this plan. Natural area designation becomes final once a management plan is approved by City Council.

 

 

For more information about the Designated Natural Area Program, and to review the draft management plan, please visit the webpage at: https://duluthmn.gov/parks/natural-resources/dnap/

or contact Kate Kubiak, City of Duluth Natural Resources Coordinator, at 218-580-9150 or kkubiak@duluthmn.gov. 

 

 

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