Ella Kringlund: Conservationist for Sherburne County
Conservationist, 4-H advocate, and educator of children and adults; all terms that describe Ella Kringlund in Elk River. An early promoter of Sherburne County and their natural resources, Ella Kringlund enthusiastically worked to boost conservation. In the midst of Women’s History Month, it seems appropriate to make record of her life and her mission in Sherburne County. Ella Kringlund is long remembered for her work restoring the land that is today Sand Dunes State Forest. Her memoirs record her efforts to plant a variety of pine trees in the area. When her project began in the mid-1940s (and continuing until 1965) each season she organized a tree planting as a 4-H project. In time, Ella Kringlund and her volunteers planted an estimate seven million trees. Her efforts proved so successful, a Christmas tree thinning project also developed. By conservation standards in 2000, the trees she planted may not fit the accepted norms. Ye...