Moose hold an iconic status in Minnesota, but they need help. Parasites and disease, food availability, habitat quality, and changing environmental conditions brought on by a warming climate are some of the possible factors that have contributed to more than 60 percent decline in moose numbers over the past decade. A collaboration that includes the Northern Research Station is taking an all-lands approach to identifying how management can lead to improved moose foraging and cover habitat under both current and future forest conditions.

Minnesota’s largest wild animal, the moose, is recognized for its intrinsic ecological value and its importance in shaping the state’s cultural identity, recreational economy, and hunting heritage. Moose in Minnesota, however, need help. Health-related causes of mortality from parasites and disease and a lack of high quality forage during the winter have contributed to recent population declines. Warming temperatures are exacerbating the problem by increasing their heat stress and creating conditions more favorable to white-tailed deer, which carry a parasitic brain worm fatal to moose. The Northern Research Station is part of an extensive partnership focused on finding actionable strategies to improve moose habitat in the near-term to support healthy moose populations while also planning for future forest conditions in a warming climate. As part of this partnership, information gained through a virtual workshop with forest managers and moose experts is being used to strategically identify areas, across multiple land ownerships, most suitable for improving regional moose foraging and cover habitat under current and future forest conditions, thus ensuring the long-term persistence of moose in Minnesota.