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Formal ceremony and guided interpretive hike to begin at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 10170 W Skyline Parkway

[DULUTH, MN] The Magney-Snively Designated Natural Area is being nationally recognized for its beauty and biodiversity by being formally inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN) during a ceremony at the Main Skyline Parkway Parking Area/Superior Hiking Trailhead, located at 10170 W Skyline Parkway in Duluth, on September 29, 2026, at 10:00 am.

Community and media members are invited to attend the brief ceremony in the parking area with remarks by the Duluth Natural Resources Management Program and Old-Growth Forest Network staff. A one-mile guided interpretive hike will follow the short ceremony.

“Magney-Snively is our oldest and most pristine Designated Natural Area,” said City of Duluth’s Natural Resources Coordinator Kate Kubiak. “The City recently updated its management plan and will be working to keep these forests healthy into the future by protecting native plant communities, habitat, and riparian forests along designated trout streams.”

Old-Growth Forest Network’s Forest Conservation Manager Nick Sanchez stated, "We're thrilled to recognize Magney-Snively Natural Area in the national Network. Just a stone's throw from downtown Duluth, this forest embodies the goal of the network in connecting people to nature through their oldest local forests."

Magney-Snively Designated Natural Area is comprised of almost 1,800 acres in west Duluth. The natural area is a highly functional, viable ecosystem consisting of a diverse mosaic of wetlands, uplands, and rock outcrop communities, and includes 300 acres of old-growth northern hardwood forests. These characteristics, as well as its large size, make Magney-Snively one of the highest ecologically significant maple-basswood forests in the state.

The natural area offers excellent opportunities for climbing, bouldering, bird watching, as well as trails for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and horseback riding.

The Magney-Snively Designated Natural Area is the ninth location to be recognized in the state of Minnesota and will join more than 350 forests nationwide recognized in the Old-Growth Forest Network. The Old-Growth Forest Network’s goal is to identify and ensure the preservation and recognition of at least one forest in every forested county in the United States, creating a roadmap of family-friendly hikes that showcase the beauty, complexity, and diversity of our nation's oldest forests. A full list and map of OGFN forests may be viewed on the Old-Growth Forest Network’s website at www.oldgrowthforest.net.

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